The Spirit Of Chinese People
The figure of Chinese has been contorted by foreigners who considered themselves sinologists. They, the Chinese scholars, just published a few dialogues in some provincial patois or collect a hundred Chinese proverbs at once entitles. Foreigners were misled because of these “Chinese sinologists”, Gu Hongming, the author of this book, had changed the image of Chinese in foreignersʹ mind. He created a nation which is different from Europe and America, having the religion of good-citizenship. Not only giving them a way to stop the war which would destroy the civilization of Europe, even whole Europe would disappear in the world, but showing the characteristics of real Chinaman and Chinese civilization, namely depth, broadness, simplicity and delicacy, the chief characteristic .
I think what I learned most from this book is that I really realized Confucius' contribution to our civilization. Once upon a time, my understanding of Confucius was confined to what he said in the Analects of Confucius in Chinese textbooks. For Confucianism, I only knew that First Emperor of Qin burned books and pitched Confucianism. What’s more, this book also helped me popularize the history and civilization of Europe in the late Qing Dynasty. Although this book was written in the late Qing Dynasty, it still has practical significance. Nowadays, there are many double-labeled people in the society, who think that domestic things are not worth mentioning, while foreign ones are good. But through this book, we can see that foreign cultures are not necessarily good. At that time, the mobs almost led Europe into hell. And the only way to save European civilization is to learn the Magna Charta of Loyalty in China.
Although this book is of great significance in some respects, I still can't agree with the description of Chinese women in this book. There are times, of course. Taking concubines in ancient times was a very normal thing, the so-called three wives and four concubines. And the book also explains why men take concubines. However, as a woman in a new era, I can't agree with the Chinese perfect woman in the book. In the 21st century society, there are schools specializing in teaching women to learn three obediences and four virtues, not to learn knowledge, and how to serve their husbands and grandparents. After all, there is an old saying that "a woman without talent is virtue". This completely deprives women of their independence, and women should not be men's appendages for a long time. However, there is still much discrimination against women in today's society. We can’t deny the historical reasons. Because the perfect woman in ancient times is to have no self, all for the husband, for the children, we can find many women today still like this, regard the husband as heaven. However, with the development of the times, we should understand that only when we are strong and independent, can we do what we want to do and have an ideal love.
Mr. Gu Hongming's "The Spirit of the Chinese People" describes the Chinese people of that era. In fact, it mainly describes the personality characteristics of the intellectuals. Although it is not as colorful as some people, it is undoubtedly accurate and vivid. Although it is full of humorous jokes, it also contains many serious topics. The book is imbued with Gu Hongming's love for China and the Chinese people.
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