Author(s)

Zhichao Zhang

Corresponding Author

Zhichao Zhang

Abstract

It has been more than a hundred years since western ideologies was introduced into China. From the Opium War to modern times, China has become a racetrack for all Western ideologies. The introduction of western thoughts also caused an impact on Chinese civilization. Since the reform and opening up, there has been another prevailing wave of Western ideologies. Various schools of thought have only led the way between decades. However, at present, there is a trend of thought to revive the traditional Chinese civilization. Some people think that the west is in decline, while China is rising, and the prosperity of Chinese ideologies is also an inevitable trend. Some people feel that Chinese civilization itself is not as bad as what the intellectuals said during the May Fourth Movement. Therefore, how Chinese civilization can be introduced into modern society not only requires people to sort out the historical context of traditional ideas, but also to think about the depths of human nature. This article intends to clarify the historical background of The Doctrine of the Mean in different eras from two perspectives: the book itself written by Zisi and Confucians' emphasis on the book in Song Dynasty. On this basis, we can explain the internal rationale of The Doctrine of the Mean, highlight the dimension of ritual and music civilization and the essence of “sincerity” in it, so as to explain the value and significance of The Doctrine of the Mean in the modern today.

Keywords

The golden mean; Ritual and music civilization; Sincerity; Modernity