Comparison of the difference between ancient scholars and modern intellectuals from the perspective of the development of intellectual groups

Ancient intellectuals were generally called "Shi". Shishi was a social class formed in ancient Chinese society through the development of the Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties. It resided at the head of the four peoples, but was the lowest level of the aristocratic hierarchy." In the feudal system of the Zhou Dynasty, the Shih was the lowest level of the aristocracy, and above the Shih were the 'Daifu' and below them were the so-called 'commoners'. Under the strict feudal system, the identity of the "Shi" was, therefore, relatively fixed." In the Book of Rites, it is said that one should correct one's heart, cultivate one's body, align one's family, rule one's country, and pacify the world. This is the main tenet that ancient intellectuals honored in the Confucian tradition. Even if they could not rule the country and pacify the world, they should at least "be good to themselves if they are poor, and help the world if they are rich".

And modern Chinese intellectuals are a specific class (or profession) originating from the needs of society, whose primary characteristic is to possess knowledge, and to decide their own social behavior and play their own social role according to the knowledge they possess. Therefore, any specific civilization and a specific social development under the intellectuals to show the unique nature and play a different role, it depends not only on the social basis of the generation, but also depends on its belief in the knowledge itself, which is the main difference between the two, the same point is to meet the needs of the community, under a certain historical period of a specific product or occupation.