How to maintain the vitality of traditional culture

The basic spirit of traditional Chinese culture is, in essence, the national spirit of the Chinese people. On the basic spirit of traditional Chinese culture, commentators have many views.

Some scholars believe that the ideological basis for the long-term development of traditional Chinese culture can be called the basic spirit of traditional Chinese culture, and that the basic spirit of culture is the subtle inner power in the process of cultural development, i.e., it is the basic idea that guides the national culture to keep moving forward. The basic spirit of traditional Chinese culture is the basic characteristics of the Chinese nation in spiritual form. Thus, (1) Steel, Health, and Effort; (2) Harmony and Neutrality; (3) Utilization of Virtue; and (4) Harmony between Heaven and Man." These are where the basic spirit of traditional Chinese culture lies." (Zhang Dai Nian, "On the Basic Spirit of Chinese Culture," Chinese Cultural Studies Collection, No. 1, published by Fudan University Press.) China's national spirit is basically condensed in the two famous lines of "The Great Biography of Zhouyi", which are: "Heaven walks in a healthy way, and a gentleman is unceasing in his self-improvement"." The earth moves, the gentleman carries things in a virtuous manner.""' Self-improvement and virtue are the basic spirit of traditional Chinese culture"." The notion of "mediocrity", although widely circulated in the past, could not actually serve to promote cultural development. Therefore, "the 'middle ground' cannot be regarded as the basic spirit of traditional Chinese culture". (Zhang Dainian, "Cultural Tradition and National Spirit," Academic Monthly, No. 12, 1986.) The basic spirit of traditional Chinese culture is also manifested in the fine tradition of replacing religion with moral education. (Zhang Dainian: "Chinese Culture and Chinese Philosophy," in Collected Essays on Chinese Culture and Chinese Philosophy, published by Oriental Publishing House)