Liang Shuming - The Substance of Chinese Culture

The Substance of Chinese Culture

In his book ’’The Substance of Chinese Culture’’, Liang contrasted Chinese culture with that of Western culture. He did this by exploring the relationship between the social structures in the two regions. Social structure, he asserted, created the cultural factors determining everything about the two cultures. He said Social structure is heavily influenced by cultural viewpoint, which in turn is defined by the social foundation of the society (its means of existence). Liang believed society had three forms: communities, families and individuals. A cultural viewpoint that heavily emphasizes one combination of these will differ greatly from a viewpoint that emphasizes different ones.

Liang believed that while China had stressed the importance of family, the West focused on the relationship of the individual to the community. He insisted that this led China down a path dedicated to an ethics-based society, while the West produced and individual-based one instead. China was led down its path because of feelings of kinship and emotional bonds, which dominated their society. The West, due to their emphasis on mutual rights, proceeded down a path revolving around class distinction, economic independence and laws. The Chinese, however, had a society of professional divisions due to greater social mobility, mutual responsibility and personal bonds to maintain order. Finally, Liang brings up his three cultures theory and China’s position in it. He states that Though China was in the second stage, she had skipped the first and consequently lacked the development of profit and power. Rather than suggesting she go back to the first cultural stage, Liang suggests the introduction of Western science and democracy into Chinese society to promote development in those areas.