The protection of “human dignity” features in many national constitutions. This concept, however, has no equivalent in the Chinese language. Article 38 of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China explicitly protects its citizens from the violation of personal integrity which comes close to the idea of “human dignity”. Whether the two expressions bear the same meaning is subject to the different opinions of Chinese legal scholars. On the other hand, the same group of academics has different views on the status of “human dignity” in China’s Constitution. This article argues that regardless whether “human dignity” is seen as a specific right, a right for every individual, or a foundational doctrine for human rights protection under the Constitution, it can be truly respected only when constitutionalism is practised in China. Experience from the Federal Republic of Germany may shed light on China’s march towards constitutionalism and the rule of law.