第一章 中国文化的基本精神 Chapter 1 The Basic Spirit of Chinese Culture
经过几千年的发展，中国文化逐渐演变并形成了自己独特的精神，即中国文化的基本精神。中国文化的基本精神，是中华民族特定的价值体系、思维方式、社会心理、伦理观念、道德情操和审美情趣等精神特质的基本风貌的反映，是指长期受到人们推崇的思想观念或固有传统，成为人们生活和行动的最高原则。中国文化基本精神的优秀成分，构成中华民族的精神，成为推动中华民族不断前进的内在动力。
After thousands of years' development，Chinese culture has evolved and gradually formed its own unique spirit，namely，the basic spirit of Chinese culture，which is the reflection of basic styles and features of the ethos of a specific value system，ways of thinking，social psychology， ethics，moral sentiment and aesthetic taste of the Chinese nation，which refers to the ideas or inherent tradition people praise highly and has become the highest guiding principle for people's life and action.The outstanding ingredients of the basic spirit of Chinese culture have constituted the spirit of the Chinese nation and become the power to promote the progress of the Chinese nation.
中国文化的基本精神实质上是一种民族精神，是中华民族发展的精神动力和精神支柱，是民族文化的主导思想，是一种非常卓越的思想，它渗透于民族文化的优秀传统之中。
很多学者都定义过、研究过中国文化的基本精神，并对此产生了很多不同的看法。
在《论中国文化的基本精神》一文中，作者张岱年认为，中国文化长期发展的思想基础，可以叫做中国文化的基本精神。其主要内容包括:①刚健有为; ②和与中; ③崇德利用; ④天人协调。
The basic spirit of Chinese culture is a kind of national spirit，the spiritual motive force and the spiritual support in the development of the Chinese nation，the dominant idea of national culture and the great thoughts penetrating the fine tradition of national culture.
On the basic spirit of Chinese culture，many scholars have ever defined it，studied it but viewed it differently.
In the article On the Basic Spirit of Chinese Culture，Zhang Dainian thinks that the ideological basis for the long-term development of Chinese culture can be called the basic spirit of Chinese culture which includes:① being energetic; ② being harmonious and moderate; ③ advocating virtues; ④being coordinative between nature and human.
《论中国文化二题》一文的作者许思园认为，“中国文化之根本精神为融和与自由”。
《对中国传统文化的再评价》一文的作者杨宪邦认为，以自给自足的自然经济为基础的、以家族为本位的、以血缘关系为纽带的宗法等级伦理纲常，是贯穿中国古代社会的主要线索、本质和核心，这就是中国古代传统文化的基本精神。
《略论中国民族精神》一文的作者刘纲纪认为，中国民族精神包括理性精神、自由精神、求实精神和应变精神四个方面。
《文化社会学》一文的作者司马云杰认为，中国传统文化的基本精神可以概括为 “尊祖宗、重人伦、崇道德、尚礼仪”。
这些定义的背后，无疑都包含着 “进取”、“融和”及 “人本”思想。
In the article On Two Questions About Chinese Culture， Xu Siyuan thinks that “The fundamental spirit of Chinese culture is harmony and freedom”.
In the article Re-evaluation of Traditional Chinese Culture，Yang Xianbang thinks that ethical laws，taking self-sufficient natural economy as the basis， family as the basic unit， blood relationship as the link of patriarchal clan system，are the main clue，the essence and the core of ancient Chinese society，which forms the basic spirit of traditional culture in ancient China.
In the article On Chinese National Spirit，Liu Gangji thinks that Chinese national spirit includes the rational spirit，the spirit of freedom，matter-of-fact attitude and strain spirit.
In the article Cultural Sociology， Sima Yunjie thinks that the basic spirit of Chinese traditional culture can be summarized as “respecting ancestors，stressing on ethics，advocating morality and etiquette”.
In these expressions，there is no doubt that the thoughts of“persistence”and“harmony”and “human-oriented-ness”should be included.