选读理由

cchis

The book The Spirit of the Chinese People was born in a special historical period. In the early 20th century, China was experiencing internal and external troubles. After the Western world opened China's door with gunboats, there were many misunderstandings and prejudices about Chinese culture. Mr. Gu Hongming deeply felt the necessity of letting the world know the real China and Chinese people. Therefore, in 1915, he wrote this book in English, hoping to break down cultural barriers and let the West recognize China anew.

Gu Hongming was a legendary figure. He was born in Penang, Malaysia and received a Western education from a young age. He was proficient in many languages, including English, French, German, etc. During his study abroad, he came into contact with a great deal of Western culture. However, with a deeper understanding of Western civilization, he became increasingly fond of traditional Chinese culture. After returning to China, he actively defended and promoted Chinese culture, becoming an important messenger explaining Chinese culture to the West in that era.

This book contains profound cultural heritage, which originates from the long-standing traditional Chinese culture. Take Confucianism as an example. Its advocated "benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith" have long been the moral and behavioral guidelines for Chinese people, shaping the kind, upright, and polite character traits of the Chinese. Taoist thoughts, on the other hand, enable Chinese people to learn to conform to nature and maintain inner peace and open-mindedness. These elements of traditional culture blend with each other, jointly forming the unique spiritual world of the Chinese people.

In The Spirit of the Chinese People, Gu Hongming put forward many unique viewpoints. He believed that the most prominent spiritual trait of Chinese people is "gentleness and kindness". This kind of gentleness and kindness is not weakness, but a kind of compassion from the heart and care for others. At the same time, he also highly praised the exquisiteness of the Chinese language, believing that the Chinese language is not only a tool for communication but also an important carrier for the inheritance of Chinese culture. In addition, he also elaborated on aspects such as Chinese women and education, refuting some of the Western world's wrong perceptions of China.
I have sufficient reasons for choosing to read this book. For Chinese people, by reading it, they can have a deeper understanding of the spiritual roots of their own nation, and enhance their cultural identity and self-confidence. In modern society, with the continuous impact of various cultural trends, this book can help us hold our ground in traditional culture. For foreign readers, it is like a key that can open the door to understanding Chinese culture and the spiritual world of Chinese people, eliminating cultural misunderstandings and promoting exchanges and understanding between different cultures. In today's globalized world, The Spirit of the Chinese People makes us cherish the diversity of cultures more and better inherit and carry forward the spirit of the Chinese people.