LIANG Qi-chao’s Explication of the Chinese Ethos

LIANG Qi-chao strongly believed that the reason that China has been China that has had thousands of years lies in her national spirit, namely, the ethos of her own. He summarized the Chinese ethos into five aspects, that is, the particular attention on golden mean and harmony, unification and solidarity, virtue, patriotism, and humanity. He also realized that ethos is not something that never changes; rather, it is changing along the time. His explication on the Chinese ethos is consistent with his nationalism, the two of which constitute the logic departure and ideological basis of his “New People Theory”. He pointed out that, to enhance and foster ethos should emphasize the unification of national consciousness and self-confidence, patriotism and cosmopolitism, and pinning hope on the youth and educating them. It is considerably significant to survey these viewpoints so as to deepen the understanding of the invariant inherent ideological root from his constant changes of ideas, and the practical importance of carrying forward and fostering the Chinese ethos.