The voice of the people is the voice of heaven.

- Peruvian proverb

The car is running on the land of Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture. The road is lined with fruitful fruit trees and beautiful fields.

Niu Mulin was answering Ma Anna's question: "Your question is also the question I asked myself the most before.

In the past, when I saw the phrase 'the old and the young are poor,' I always thought that the places where ethnic minorities lived were poor, backward, and desolate, and that they had dragged back the development of the country's modernization cause, and I felt very ashamed in my heart.

Through my research on history and interviews with the elderly, I learned that a long time ago, various ethnic groups lived together in areas with superior conditions and abundant products. Later, as a result of wars between nations, between states, between the ruling and ruled nations, the defeated and weak nations had to flee to remote frontiers and deserted mountainous areas. The natural environment and living environment there are very harsh, and it is not caused by ethnic minorities. ”

Ma Anna then asked: "Some people say that the state gives extra points to ethnic minorities in the college entrance examination and entrance examination is an inequality for other ethnic groups. What do you think? ”

Niu Mulin's expression suddenly became solemn, and he said slowly: "There are no more than two reasons why the state gives extra points to ethnic minorities.

First, some ethnic minorities do not have a high level of Chinese proficiency, and it is unfair to use the same Chinese paper as candidates whose mother tongue is Chinese, so extra points are needed to meet the same admission criteria.

Second, because ethnic minorities have lived in a poor and remote environment for a long time, and their scientific and cultural knowledge is relatively backward, if they are not given a certain amount of extra care, I am afraid that there will be very few opportunities for higher education and public office.

In doing so, the state is conducive to improving the cultural quality of minority nationalities and to improving the overall quality of the Chinese nation.

Of course, ethnic minorities cannot always rely on the state's extra points to take care of them, they must be self-reliant and self-reliant, and eventually reach a level where they do not need any care. ”

Ma Anna continued: "There are many trolls on the Internet who spread the words 'people who are not of my race will have different hearts', 'the country is in trouble, and there will be chaos when they return', and 'China may become a country with a large number of Muslims like France and Germany in the future, which will affect the survival of the Juche nation'." Excuse me, what do you think? ”

Niu Mulin said with a smile: "As soon as the little girl speaks, it is a cannon." Hey, I can't always test me, I'm going to test you too. ”

Ma Xiaoping and Nathan replied in unison, "Okay." ”

Niu Mulin said: "Ma Xiaoping, you come to answer the question of 'If you are not of my race, their hearts will be different'. ”

Ma Xiaoping replied: "'If you are not of my race, your heart will be different' is from "Zuo Chuan: The Fourth Year of Chenggong". According to the annotation of "Spring and Autumn Zuo Chuan Justice", the clan here actually refers to a clan with a different surname, not a nation

, because at that time there was no concept of a nation. Therefore, the trolls on the Internet use this sentence to attack ethnic minorities, which shows that they have swallowed dates and know nothing about their own history and culture. ”

Niu Mulin concluded: "The rhetoric of great nationalism and local nationalism that has been noisy on the Internet for a while is just a concrete manifestation of extremism, which does not represent his own nationality at all, nor can it disturb the historical trend of people of all ethnic groups appreciating, tolerating, understanding and learning from each other." ”

Gong Xiaoli asked with a smile: "Boss Ma, may I ask, does every ethnic group have the right to self-determination?" How to understand the independence referendums of Quebec in Canada and Scotland in the United Kingdom? ”

Ma Xiaoping replied mischievously: "I'm driving, I can't be distracted." Let your husband answer. ”

Nathan punched Ma Xiaoping in the back from behind, and then replied: "The right of national self-determination in a general sense refers to the right of each nation to determine its own political, economic, and cultural systems, and the right to decide its own destiny, and the right to choose to exist in a certain country, organization, or establish an independent state.

According to this right, all peoples are free to determine their own social, political and economic systems, free from external oppression and interference.

Both Lenin and Stalin believed that the right of peoples to self-determination was the right to be politically free to separate themselves from the oppressor nations and to organize independent states.

This refers first and foremost to the right of the colonial people ruled by imperialism to obtain national independence, and also to the right of a nation not to interfere with, to decide and handle its own affairs without interference from foreign rulers.

After the Second World War, the principle of national self-determination was universally recognized and rapidly developed. Article 1, paragraph 2, of the Statutes of the United Nations provides for 'the development of friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples' and as one of the purposes of the United Nations.

On 14 December 1960, the United Nations General Assembly, at its fifteenth session, adopted the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples by a vote of 89 in favour, none against and 9 abstentions, establishing the right of peoples to self-determination as a legal right. It provides for the right of peoples to self-determination in more detail under the heading 'Principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples'.

Countries around the world have different understandings, standards and responses to national self-determination.

In today's world, national self-determination is often expressed in referendums on independence.

In 1975, when the Portuguese colonizers withdrew from East Timor, Indonesia forcibly sent troops to make East Timor its 27th province, and a very serious humanitarian disaster occurred. According to statistics, more than 200,000 people died in war and famine in Timor-Leste during the more than 20 years of Indonesian rule, accounting for a quarter of the total population. Under pressure from the international community, Indonesia agreed to allow the people of Timor-Leste to referendum to stay. In 1999, the United Nations hosted an independence referendum in East Timor, with 78.5 per cent of citizens supporting independence. Eventually, East Timor gained independence.

In the referendums on independence held in Mongolia, the Republic of China, Slovenia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro from Yugoslavia, the Soviet republics from the Soviet Union, and South Sudan from Sudan, the overwhelming majority of the people supported independence, and in the end, independence was achieved based on the results of the referendum.

Quebec's independence referendums against Canada, New Caledonia from France, and Scotland from the United Kingdom failed to achieve independence because they received more votes against than they supported.

However, the independence referendums of Western Australia from Australia, Nagorno-Karabakh from Azerbaijan, Transnistria from Moldova, Kosovo from Yugoslavia, South Ossetia from Georgia, and Kurdistan from Iraq have not been recognized by the host countries, although they have won the support of more than half of the countries and have also been recognized by some countries in the world.

Therefore, the use and outcome of the right of peoples to self-determination depended on the specific situation. ”

Niu Mulin turned to Nathan again and asked, "What are the characteristics of big nationalism and narrow nationalism?" ”

Nathan replied: "Some people only pay attention to the language, culture and history of their own nation, and only attach importance to the rights and dignity of their own nation, ignore the language, culture and history of other nationalities, and do not take into account the rights and dignity of other nationalities.

The denial of the right of peoples to self-determination and secession is the embodiment of great nationalism when the great nation of a country forcibly assimilates the oppressed peoples and places them in an economically and politically subordinate position.

According to Marxism-Leninism, grand nationalism is a kind of national chauvinism. The Soviet Union produced too much Great Russianism, Yugoslavia produced too much Serbianism, and the autonomous nationalities of some ethnic autonomous regions also produced Great Nationalism.

Great nationalism oppresses other ethnic groups at home, seeks and defends its own privileges, pursues ethnic discrimination policies, and suppresses the resistance of other ethnic groups; Abroad, it seeks national expansion, conquers and enslaves other peoples, and suppresses the resistance of oppressed peoples.

For example, Greater Serbianism is the nationalism of the Greater Serbian nation. Croats and Slovenes are described as offshoots of the Serb community, while other ethnic groups are not recognized. At the end of the 20th century, the Great Serbian nationalists overthrew the Republic of Serbia, stirred up the people's expectations for Greater Serbia, amended the constitution, abolished Kosovo's status as an autonomous province, abolished Albanians' mother tongue schools and news outlets, etc., and finally triggered the Yugoslav civil war.

Local nationalism, also known as narrow nationalism, is a type of nationalism characterized by isolation, conservatism, and xenophobia. It is often manifested in the form of ignoring the position of national unity in the big family of national unity, only seeing the temporary and partial interests of the nation, being afraid of advanced things, safeguarding certain backward and negative things in the nation, hindering the progress and development of the nation, and instead of adopting a welcoming attitude toward things that are conducive to the mutual closeness of various nationalities, it emphasizes the division of nationalities among the people and tries to consolidate the differences between nationalities. ”

Niu Mulin turned to Ma Anna and asked, "Little girl, is nationalism national separatism?" ”

"Separatism refers to the use of activities such as violence, including violence, to undermine the territorial integrity of the country and to divide the country.

Nationalism cannot be equated with national separatism. It is a contradiction among the people. However, if nationalism is not stopped in time, it will slide into its extreme product - national separatism. There is a natural link between national separatism and violent terrorism.

Contemporary national separatism is the result of a misreading of the nation-state and the abuse of the right of peoples to self-determination. The purpose of terrorist organizations to take advantage of certain ethnic contradictions, religious contradictions, and popular sentiments to carry out violent terrorist activities is to maintain the 'authoritative position' they have established through extremism and brutality and their ability to influence the people. Therefore, terrorist organizations with racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds cannot be considered as representatives of the relevant groups. Otherwise, we can only expand the mass base of the terrorist forces, encourage their arrogance, and thus cover up the extremist nature of the terrorist forces against humanity. ”

Gong Xiaoli said: "Niu Mulin, leave the last question to you." ”

Nathan chimed in, "Yes. You like to study ethno-religious issues, and the last question is left for you. ”

Niu Mulin said proudly: "Okay, it's better to be respectful than to obey your fate." ”

Gong Xiaoli thought for a moment and asked, "When will ethnic differences and ethnic contradictions disappear?" ”

Niu Mulin replied: "After the nation disappears, ethnic differences and ethnic contradictions will naturally disappear. ”

Nathan then asked, "So, when will the nation disappear?" ”

Niu Mulin glared at Nathan and asked rhetorically, "You ask me, who do I ask?" ”

Ma Xiaoping continued: "Ask me." ”

Gong Xiaoli, Nathan and Niu Mulin pointed their guns at Ma Xiaoping in unison: "Say it." ”

Ma Xiaoping smiled slyly: "When the earth disappears." ”

A carload of people burst into laughter, and the car jolted.

With the sound of a car horn, Ma Xiaoping reminded everyone: "Dongxiang County has arrived. ”

They visited the new county town rebuilt after the landslide disaster, watched the modern Salta Cultural Square, visited Ma Xiaoping's ancestral hometown of Daban Village, and went to Hamu Zeling to visit the ancient manuscript "Quran".

The next day, they drove down the Dongxiang Plateau to Linxia City on the banks of the Daxia River, wandering around the old streets of Bafang and paying respects to their ancestors Abbas and Salta Agu Ayisha at the Muslim cemetery.

On the third day, they came to Jinggou Township, Linxia County, located in the west of Linxia City, climbed the high plateau Gayin Dai that reached into the clouds, paid homage to the White Cliff Mosque built by Ibrahim, and found his burial in the pine forest by the side of the path, and solemnly chanted the sutra.

Niu Mulin took out the pebble from his bag and engraved the names of Ali, Abbas and Batel on the bank of the Gravshan River in Samarkand in the Khorezm Empire, and said with emotion: "This seemingly ordinary but not ordinary pebble, although it comes from distant Samarkand, has been adrift in China with its owner for almost 800 years. Now, let's bury it in Gayindai and bury it in the land of China. From then on, it no longer had to wander around. ”

The five of them held the pebble tightly in the palm of their hands, and through this stone, they transmitted their thoughts to their ancestors and communicated with each generation of ancestors for hundreds of years.

They said goodbye to Gayin Dai and continued westward.

As the car passed through Hongtai Township, they saw a cement culvert elevated above the road.

Niu Mulin pointed to the culvert above his head and said proudly: "Look, this is the North Plateau Aqueduct that my father built back then. ”

The car drove out of Linxia County and into the territory of Jishishan Baoan Dongxiang Salar Autonomous County.

Ma Xiaoping said: "In the past, this place has always belonged to Linxia County. On June 14, 1980, Jishishan Baoan Dongxiang Salar Autonomous County was established. Turn left here and you'll find Ma Bufang's hometown. ”

Niu Mulin said angrily: "The Ma Jiajun resisted with all his heart and owed a lot of blood debts, which made the entire Hui people shame him, and he was burdened with a heavy historical burden." ”

The car passed through the town of Chuimatan in the county seat of Jishishan County, where there are many high-rise buildings and the singing of birds and flowers, and passed through the Baoan Sanzhuang where the Baoan people lived, and came to Dahejia Town on the shore of the Yellow River.

Standing at the head of the Yellow River Bridge, Ma Xiaoping pointed to the other side and said: "The Yellow River is the boundary river between Gansu and Qinghai provinces. That is Xunhua Salar Autonomous County in Haidong City, Qinghai Province, and it is also the hometown of Han Jishou and Grandma Mulin. ”

Their car drove across the bridge, into Qinghai Province, through the Shapozi tunnel, and through the red land of Xunhua.

They walked into the Muangda Folk Village, visited the ancient monasteries and Salar customs, and saw the old people taking care of the children under the shade of the trees at the entrance of the village, chatting leisurely, looking harmonious and peaceful.

They drove to Jiezi Town again and visited the graves of Gale Mang and Ah Hemang. They came to the white camel spring next to it, and saw a white camel carved in stone lying in the grass, and a stream of crystal clear spring water flowed out of the mouth of another stone carved camel.

They carefully looked at the story of the eastward migration of the Salur people shown in the brick carvings on the wall, reminiscing about the difficult and glorious history of a people.

Finally, they came to the pepper field where Han Jishou was buried, and deeply remembered this university alumnus who dedicated himself to his hometown and the cause of the nation.

Gong Xiaoli and Ma Anna picked a string of bright red chili peppers, strung them with a gold thread, and gently hung them on Han Jishou's tombstone.

They climbed a germanium-red hillside not far away, looked at the rolling Yellow River and the lofty mountains that stood majestically in the distance, as well as the tall willows in the middle of the green fields and the villages floating with curling smoke, enjoying the beautiful scenery of the motherland and enjoying the peace and tranquility that their ancestors had longed for and fought for for many years.

Gong Xiaoli said thoughtfully: "Throughout the thousands of years of history of China's ethnic minorities, some dynasties have adopted a policy of appeasement and appeasement for ethnic minorities, as well as the system of Tusi autonomy, but the vast majority of ethnic minorities, like the Han people, live in exploitation, oppression, discrimination and exclusion, and their political rights are not guaranteed.

'The world goes back to two roads, and if you don't sell cold powder, you sell vinegar' fully shows the real situation of people of all ethnic groups being forced to stay away from politics, protect themselves wisely, and make a living in secret. ”

Ma Xiaoping said with great emotion: "Only after the Communist Party of China established the People's Republic of China in power did the people of all ethnic groups in China truly stand up and become the masters of the country. The CPC's ethnic policy truly embodies equality, justice, harmony, and friendliness, and is by far the fairest, most scientific, and most correct policy, and is therefore warmly supported by the people of all ethnic groups throughout the country, especially ethnic minorities. ”

Niu Mulin continued: "A nation must have ideals and the courage to pursue happiness; A nation must have blood and the fighting spirit to stand tall among the nations of the world; A nation must have the motivation to move forward forever; A nation must have the courage to unite with other nationalities, learn from other nationalities, and tolerate and appreciate other nationalities. ”

Nathan also said with deep feelings: "The incense of the family and the blood of the nation are like a long river of history, which is continuous and endless." ”

Ma Anna hummed a flower song softly.

Gradually, she let go of her voice and began to sing loudly. Melodious singing echoes in the fields, in the towns and in the valleys:

"I went up to a high mountain and looked at Pingchuan,

There is a peony in Hirakawa.

It looks easy, but it's hard to pick up,

It's a shame that you can't pick it up in your hand!

Flowers have been passed down for thousands of years,

sang the peony of Hezhou.

Flowers are passed down from generation to generation,

I can't finish singing the boy in my heart. ”