The Reading Review of The Chapter1

香山亭

Reader:
谢嗣婷

Reading Time:
第一周--第二周

Reading Task:
Chapter1

Summary of the Content:
The core theme of this chapter is "The Spiritual Traits of the Chinese People". Gu Hongming proposed that the core of the Chinese spirit is the "Religion of Good Citizenship" shaped by Confucian ethics, emphasizing moral consciousness rather than the constraints of institutionalized religion. The Chinese character is "Gentleness" demonstrating the power of civilization through moral influence rather than military conquest.
In addition, the author makes a comparison between Chinese and Western civilizations in this chapter. Western modern civilization excessively worships guns, machinery, and legal coercion, leading to spiritual poverty and moral deficiency. In contrast, Chinese civilization maintains social harmony through Confucian ethics such as "rites," "filial piety," and "benevolence," and replaces religion and law with emotional bonds (such as family ethics).
Moreover, Gu Hongming also carried out a cultural defense. He opposed blind Westernization and clearly warned that if the Chinese people abandon their traditions and blindly imitate the West, they will lose their cultural foundation and become "barbarians in civilization."

Evaluation:
The author repeatedly employs rhetorical devices such as contrast and metaphor, frequently using comparisons of Chinese and Western imagery (such as "porcelain and pottery") to visualize abstract cultural characteristics and enhance the readers' perception. The language in this chapter is highly poetic. For example, comparing the Chinese spirit to "the gentle moonlight" endows the discussion with a romantic touch, though it may somewhat undermine the academic rigor.
In terms of ideology, the author detaches concepts like "benevolence" and "rites" from feudal ethical codes and imparts universal moral significance to them, providing an example for the modernization of traditional thoughts.
However, there are still ideological limitations in this chapter. Gu Hongming portrays Confucian culture as a perfect moral system, ignoring the social contradictions and class oppression in the late imperial period and failing to explain why the "noble ethics" could not prevent the decline of the Qing Dynasty. Additionally, Gu Hongming attributes cultural inheritance to scholar-officials, neglecting the cultural creativity of the folk society, which reveals his class limitations.

Reflection：
Firstly, Gu Hongming’s emphasis on the “gentleman” ideal — characterized by virtues such as “self-discipline and adherence to ritual propriety” and “prioritizing moral integrity over material gain” — reminds us that the depth of one’s spiritual life, rather than the accumulation of material wealth, ultimately defines the value of human existence. In personal cultivation, this underscores the necessity of nurturing moral consciousness and pursuing spiritual enrichment.  
Secondly, his conceptualization of “gentleness as a force where softness overcomes hardness” offers a counter-narrative to confrontational approaches in human interactions. This philosophy suggests that empathetic dialogue holds greater power than aggressive rhetoric, advocating for conflict resolution through reason and mutual respect rather than coercive dominance.  
Finally, Gu’s insistence on "cultural subjectivity" challenges the epistemic hegemony of Western discourse. By rejecting the passive “othering” of Chinese civilization within colonial frameworks, he calls for an active articulation of China’s historical and ethical narratives. In today’s global discourse arena, this demands a refusal to be relegated to the status of a “silent object,” urging instead the assertive voicing of China’s civilizational logic through cross-cultural hermeneutics.