Governance of a Nation Must Begin at the Village Level: The Tradition of “Not Passing Conflicts Upward” in Rural Codes and Conventions and Its Modern Significance

Rural governance serves as the foundation for effective national governance, with rural codes and conventions as its crucial instruments. For centuries, the governance philosophy embodied in the principle of “not passing conflicts upward” has been deeply embedded in this tradition, forming a deep continuity and resonance with the modern “Fengqiao Experience”. Traditional rural codes and conventions emerged under specific conditions, shaped by the distance of ruling power, the ritual-law society, the acquaintance society, and the influence of local elites. Guided by the principles of “collective deliberation” and “mediation first,” and operationalized through grassroots reputation mechanisms and the mediation efforts of local elites, these traditional instruments effectively fulfilled their role in “not passing conflicts upward”. As a folk normative system rooted in rural society, traditional rural codes and conventions achieve localized conflict resolution at low cost and with high recognition through the construction of rules based on “collective deliberation”, the practice principle of “mediation first”, trust and reputation mechanisms in an acquaintance society, and the coordinating organization of rural elites. In the context of modern state governance, it is essential to revitalize the role of these rural codes and conventions through traditional contemporary adaptation: first, by leveraging rural codes and conventions to reconstruct rural social networks; second, by developing a rural governance philosophy that integrates traditional Chinese moral culture with modern ethos; third, by fostering a new class of rural elites to serve as a vital support system for revitalizing the efficacy of rural codes and conventions.