“民本”思想在中華文化史上源遠流長，是幾千年的中國政治思想傳統中，最耀眼的思想明珠。
Possessing a long history in Chinese culture, “people-oriented” thought is the most brightest pearl in thousand-year Chinese political tradition.
夏商周時期，人們不再相信鬼神，而是逐步認識到人自身的力量。
During the period of Xia, Shang, Zhou, people no longer believed in spirits, but realized the power of human being gradually.
《尚書》記載：“民為邦本，本固邦寧。”
According to Shangshu (the book of history),“people are the basics of the country and people consolidate the peace of the country.”
這是中國古代民本思想的淵源，算起來已經有4000年的歷史了。
This is the origin of ancient Chinese “people-oriented” thought, which enjoys a history of four thousand years.
春秋戰國時期，民本思想被儒家學派進一步闡釋和發展。
In the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period，“people-oriented” thought is further explained and developed by Confucianism.
從漢武帝獨尊儒術開始，儒家的民本思想被中國歷代統治者奉行。
From the respecting only Confucianism by Emperor WU of Han Dynasty, “people-oriented” thought has been pursued by ancient Chinese rulers.
中國的“民本”思想，就是政治要“以民為本”。它具體包含三個觀念：
Chinese “people-oriented” thought means “people is the orientation” in politics. It contains three concepts specifically:
一，“立君為民”。國家與君主的權力來源於人民。
First, “setting the monarch for the people”. The power of country and emperor comes from people.
二，“民為邦本”。國家政治穩定的基礎就是人民。
Second, “people are the foundation of a country”. The basic of a steady country is people.
三，“愛民養民”。執政者的目標就是能讓百姓過上好日子。
Third, “love people and support people”. The objective of governor is to make people live a better life.
“民本”既是中國古代的一種政治理念，也是一項道德原則。
“People-oriented” thought is not only a kind of political ideology in ancient China, but a moral principle.
既用於處理政治問題，也體現了“仁愛”的道德追求，是中國古人的根本道德追求在政治領域中的具體化。
It could be used to deal with political issues, demonstrate moral pursuit of “benevolence”, which is a materialization of ancient Chinese’s fundamental moral pursuit in politics.
儘管傳統“民本”思想不完全等同於現代“民主”，但二者有重要的共同之處。
Although the traditional idea of "people-oriented" thought is not exactly equivalent to modern "democracy", they have important commonalities.
今天，我們所主張的民主，是社會主義的民主。
Nowadays, the democracy we advocate is socialist democracy.
其核心是人民當家作主，強調人民群眾的利益是一切工作的出發點和落腳點，體現了民本思想中“民利至上”和“重視民意”的崇高道德追求。
Its core is the people are masters of the country, emphasizing people’s interest as start point and stance of all work, which demonstrates noble moral pursuit of “supreme of people’s interest” and “value public opinion” in “people-oriented” thought.
當今中國走的是有中國特色的社會主義道路，實行的是一種新型的民主制度，這種制度是在馬克思主義民主觀和中國傳統民本思想基礎上的綜合創新。
Nowadays, China is taking the socialistic road of Chinese characteristics, conducting a new type of democratic system, which is comprehensive innovation on the basics of Marxist view of democracy and traditional Chinese “people-oriented” thought.
民本思想至少在以下幾個方面對我們有借鑒意義：
“People-oriented” thought possess referential significance in at least the following aspects:
一， 執政為民。人民是國家的根基、是執政的根本，所以執政者必須體察民意。
First, governing for people. People are the foundation of a country and basic of governance, so governor must listen to people’s opinion.
二， 富民利民。只有讓老百姓過上衣食無憂的富足日子，才能得到他們的真心擁護。
Second, enrich the people and benefit the people. Only when people have a rich life without the concern of basic living stuff, could they support governor sincerely.
三， 取信於民。誠信是一個國家最不可缺少的資源。
Third, win trust from people. Honesty is the most indispensable resource for a country.
四， 開民言路。實施政務公開，加強輿論監督，是現代民主政治的重要特徵。
Fourth, open channels for people to make comments. It is significant traits of modern democratic politics to publicize political affair and enhance supervision by public opinions.
“重民本”的思想雖然産生於遙遠的古代，但它是中國的優良政治傳統，是政治活動最終追求的目標，也是實現天下大治的根本。
Even though “people-oriented” thought comes from ancient China, it is an excellent Chinese political tradition, the final objective of political activity and foundation of governance.
在今天，民本思想仍然具有重要的當代價值，是社會主義核心價值觀中“民主”的重要源泉，值得我們吸收和借鑒。
Nowadays, “people-oriented” thought still possesses significant contemporary value, which is important resource of democracy in socialist core values and worth absorbing and reference.