By He Yin

At a recent roundtable discussion on the Chinese science classic “The Exploitation of Nature’s Works” (“Tian Gong Kai Wu”), a scholar made a striking comparison between this comprehensive treatise on crafts and technologies and the modern-day DeepSeek AI large model, describing the book as “a DeepSeek from 400 years ago.” This cross-temporal connection offers new insights into the cultural foundations and historical influences that continue to drive China’s innovation today.

In recent years, the global emergence of groundbreaking Chinese innovations has captured widespread attention, positioning Chinese creativity at the forefront of global technological progress. This shift, however, has not been achieved without significant effort. China’s modern history was marked by periods of poverty, weakness, and humiliation, overshadowing its ancient civilization. As a result, international perceptions of China were often distorted, including the prevalent but misguided belief that China lacked the capacity for innovation.

However, history paints a different picture. The long continuum of Chinese civilization has been consistently illuminated by remarkable contributions to science and technology, which have profoundly shaped human progress. In his work “Science and Civilisation in China,” British scholar Joseph Needham cataloged 26 major Chinese inventions that were transmitted to Europe and beyond, remarking that the list was far from exhaustive, underscoring the creative spirit inherent in Chinese culture.

Today, the resurgence of Chinese innovation provides an opportunity to reconsider the “innovation gene” embedded in Chinese civilization. From the Chang’e lunar probes and the Tianhe space station to the Tianwen Mars mission and quantum computers like Jiuzhang 3.0 and Zuchongzhi 3.0, the link between China’s historical and contemporary achievements extends beyond symbolic names derived from Chinese classics. It is fundamentally rooted in a cultural ethos of relentless inquiry and craftsmanship — an ethos that has long shaped Chinese society through traditions such as “investigating things to acquire knowledge” and “bringing forth new capabilities through craftsmanship.”

As observed by a Dutch scholar, expressing surprise at China’s innovation today reflects “a misreading of history,” as what the world sees today should be viewed as the revival of China’s longstanding tradition of innovation.
To understand contemporary China, it is essential to trace the country’s cultural roots. As the international community increasingly acknowledges China’s growing influence on the world’s future, adopting a civilizational perspective is essential for forming a more objective and accurate understanding of China.

Historically, Chinese innovations spread across the globe through trade routes such as the Silk Road. “The Exploitation of Nature’s Works” serves as one prominent example, having been widely disseminated in Europe, where many of the technologies it described were studied and adopted. Some scholars have even suggested that had Song Yingxing, the author of the book, lived during the Industrial Revolution in Britain, he might have secured numerous patents.

Today, China’s commitment to openness, inclusiveness, and mutual benefit remains central to its approach to innovation. Yet some Western media continue to frame discussions of Chinese technological advances with anxiety, asking questions such as “What field will China dominate next?” or “Will China win the innovation race?”
These narratives reflect a deeply ingrained tendency to interpret China’s progress through a competitive lens. In contrast, China’s innovation journey is driven by a broader commitment to “achieving success by enabling others to succeed” and “bringing benefits to all.”

For example, DeepSeek’s large AI model operates on an open-source basis; the Chang’e-6 mission carried scientific payloads from multiple countries for its lunar far-side sample collection; the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) accepts observational requests from scientists worldwide; and the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System has evolved into a global service that benefits users around the world.

Through its sustained efforts to advance international scientific cooperation and open sharing, China is ensuring that the fruits of innovation are accessible, available, and beneficial to people and nations worldwide. By carrying forward the innovative spirit embedded in its fine traditional culture and upholding principles of openness and inclusiveness, China remains committed to working collaboratively with countries around the world to promote scientific and technological progress, contribute more breakthroughs to global development, and support the modernization efforts of all nations.

Source: People’s Daily