Research On Liu Shipei's Thought Of National Character Transformation

Liu Shipei’s thoughts on national character reform are rich in content,Liu Shipei based on basic theory,and starting with realistic critique,he has opened up the path of national character reform with the goal of "perfect personality" and "perfect society".He advocated human equality and independence,emphasized social morality and patriotism,and advocated the realization of social stability,national independence,and national development through the transformation of nationality.The national crisis that erupted in China in the late 19 th and early 20 th centuries was the direct cause of Liu Shipei’s thought of national character transformation.The crisis of intellectual cultural values that emerged from this crisis formed Liu Shipei’s "historical idealistic mentality." Liu Shipei’s thoughts of national character reform originated from Chinese traditional thought with Confucianism as the core,the theory of modern Chinese enlightenment thinkers,and western modern theories and thoughts.Liu Shipei laid a theoretical foundation from three aspects: the theory of mind,the theory of conscience,and the theory of ethical evolution.He sharply criticized the actual performance of nationality.He believed that the people at the time were conservative and ignorant without independent personality,cowardly and less aggressive,selfish and lack of social morality.Liu Shipei proposed two basic ways of national character reform,individual national character reform aimed at "perfect personality",the specific content includes "the way of governing oneself","the way of standing oneself" "the way of strongthen oneself " to shape a completely pure person with independent personality;collective transformation with the goal of "perfect society",including the promotion of equality—improving traditional family ethics and public morality— emphasize two aspects of social ethics to achieve a "perfect society" of equality,justice and harmony.Liu Shipei’s national transformation thought has three characteristics:first,advocating ethics and morality,promoting ethical education and moral practice;second,disciplinary research to strip feudal syllabus and traditional virtues;and third,safeguarding traditions to explain cultural essence and reshape the nation.However,due to the inherent contradictions and historical limitations of thoughts,Liu Shipei’s thoughts of national character reform can only stay at the level of theoretical conception.His national transformation thought has certain reference significance for improving citizens’ moral level,solving modern moral crisis,and enhancing cultural self-confidence.