| Multicultural Curriculum (MCC) was introduced to China in 1990s. In the following years tens of the articles concerned were written, the most of which however are introductory, not nativist. Pitifully the introduction is not comprehensive and systematic, and the nativization is based on its Tightness and acceptance to all, which might lead to the lack of criticism and rethought. Under these circumstances many misunderstandings about MCC come into being, for example, overstating MCC's influences and trends, shrinking the content and target of MCC, misunderstanding the meanings of Multiple Cultures in MCC abroad, and overlooking the difference of history and reality of ethnic groups between west countries and China.MCC is the result of conflicts and compromises with regard to the benefits of different groups in multicultural society. In the history of west countries especially North America the religious and cultural conflicts existed between the old immigrants and the new ones. The policy of racial segregation in the United States brought about the civic rights movement in 1960s and 1970s. The development of science/technology and economy asks for the communication of cross cultures and meantime provides the convenient conditions for it. Philosophy, the time Ethos, especially Postmodernizatism demonstrates pluralism. All of these have laid the political, economic, and cultural ideological foundation for the coming about and development of MCC.Assimilationism has been existing all long in the history of west countries, which has continuously dominated curriculum. When it emerges, pluralism begins to challenge to assimilationism. Pluralism opposite to assimilationism, provides new ideas and inspiration for the reform of curriculum. At present the two opposite ideologies has influenced the development of MCC, and the balance of the two provides the theoretical basis for MCC. In America assimilationism is divided into two phases, which are the Melting Pot Ideology and Anglo-culture-Centered Ideology. And pluralism is also divided into two phases, which are Opening up the Cultural Basis and Rejecting West Culture as the Basis. The four phases are not liner, meaning that when the new phases emerge, the earlier phases tend to assume some of the characteristics of the newer phases and to continue on a more limited scale. Nowadays although pluralism is developing rapidly and has greater and greater influence, assimilationism gains the victory over pluralism in their conflict. To relax the tension, James A. Banks put forward to Multicultural Ideology, which is regarded as the new theoretical basis of MCC. It is found near the center of continuum, which has the cultural pluralist and the assimilationist ideologies at the extreme ends.Some scholars abroad summarized and put forward to many paradigms of MCC. From the viewpoints of MCC's essence being the conflict and compromise and thebalance of assimilationism and pluralism being the theoretical basis of MCC, I believe that MCC has a rational paradigm and a radical one. The rational paradigm assumes that the contents of MCC include the micro-cultures of every race, ethnic group, religion, language, class, sex, disabled person, and age, and also the macro-culture of Nation. The teaching objects of the paradigm covers the students of all groups in society, and the aim is to promote the academic achievements and the ability of functioning effectively in society of all the students of all the groups. The radical paradigm emerges from the correction of Anglo-culture-centered curriculum, the goal of which is to make the culture of colorful students be the core of National culture and the curriculum of public school. The Afrocentric Curriculum is the main form of the radical paradigm. The radical paradigm assumes that MCC challenge to Eurocentrism and the rational paradigm to balance the curriculum. The radical paradigm is a so-called MCC under the cover of multiculturalism, actually not a MCC. MCC as the result of conflict and compromise is doomed to swing bet...
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