选读理由与感想

buttter

I chose to read Gu Hongming's The Spirit of Chinese People mainly for the following reasons:
The book was written in 1915, during the period of national crisis and the collapse of cultural self-confidence in modern Chinese history. Gu Hongming wrote this book in English, aiming to explain the spiritual core of Chinese civilization to the Western world and refute the West's prejudice against Chinese culture at that time. He proposed that the spirit of Chinese people is "warm" and emphasized the value of Confucianism in solving Western social problems. This attitude of adhering to cultural dignity in the midst of national crisis makes this book an important witness to the collision of modern Chinese and Western cultures, which is of unique significance to the times.
By comparing the personalities of different ethnic groups (such as the "simple but not profound" of Americans, the "deep but not simple" of Germans, etc.), it is pointed out that Chinese people have the four characteristics of "deep, broad, simple and spiritual", and summarizes the spiritual essence of Chinese people with "childlike heart and adult rationality". This analysis not only shows the uniqueness of the national character, but also reveals how Confucian culture shapes the moral outlook and code of conduct of the Chinese people, such as the ideas of "virtuousness" and "self-improvement". This kind of discussion, which has both philosophical depth and cultural insight, is thought-provoking.
Gu Hongming studied Chinese and Western languages and was proficient in 9 languages. His comparative research vision is particularly precious. For example, he criticized the "progressive view" of Western mechanization and advocated the imbalance of Western material civilization with China's emotional life and moral rationality. In today's global context, this dialectical thinking about cultural differences provides a historical mirror for how to balance tradition and modernity, local and global.
Gu Hongming was known as the "weird of the late Qing Dynasty". His legendary experience - such as reading English newspapers to mock the West and symbolizing cultural persistence with braids - is itself a cultural symbol. He is not only familiar with Western civilization, but also highly upholds Confucian tradition. This contradiction makes his views full of tension and attracts readers to explore the logic behind his ideas.
The explanation of the concepts of "warm" and "spiritual life" in the book is highly consistent with the current discussion of traditional cultural revival in Chinese society. For example, he pointed out that the spirit of the Chinese people stems from the awe of the "Way of Heaven and Earth" (such as "the sky is strong, and the gentleman is self-improvement" in the "The Bing of Changes"), which coincides with the contemporary trend of rediscovering traditional values. Reading this book helps to understand the deep roots of the national spirit and reflect on how to have cultural uniqueness in the process of modernization.
"The Spirit of the Chinese People" is not only a cultural defense work, but also a key to unlock the spiritual code of Chinese civilization. It not only carries the national cry of a specific historical period, but also provides cultural insights beyond the times. Whether it is for historical researchers, cultural lovers, or ordinary people who explore their own identity, this book has irreplaceable reading value. As Gu Hongming said, "The real Chinese are people with a childlike spirit and a mature mind." - This spiritual quality is exactly what we still need to trace and understand today.