Chiang Kai-shek's Understanding Of Christian Culture

Chiang Kai-shek lived in a turbulent time,while various ideologies came into China. Influenced by different ideas at that time,he accepted some western education and thoughts. However,he was educated by Chinese traditional Confucian ideas since he was young,which made him think and act in the Confucian way.When he was forty,he married Soong Mei-ling and was converted to Christianity.For such a man who accepted Confucian education,it is possible for him to accept Christian Culture? Even though Chiang accept Christian Culture gradually during his marriage,how much influence did Christian Culture have on him actually? The paper will discuss the two questions above.The preface gives a brief introduction of Chiang' understanding of western culture especially Christian Culture.Then summarizes the academic achievements,and introduces the foundation and significance of the selection of subject.The text is composed of four chapters:The first chapter introduces Chiang Kai-shek's preliminary understanding of western culture.First presents Chiang's family and his experiences of receiving Confucian education. With an emphasis on his experiences of receiving Confucian education,this part is to reveal that Chiang's idea was deeply affected by Chinese traditional Confucian ideas all through his life.Then describes the situation of his first touch with western culture.But at that time,the western culture he received was transferred from Japan,which was not really western culture. Nevertheless,just the "transferred" western culture aroused Chiang's interests to western culture,further changed his life course.The second chapter analyses the reason and process of Chiang's converting to Christianity. Marrying Soong Mei-ling is an opportunity for Chiang to learn more about Christian Culture. Even though he had touched some western way of life,he scrupulously abided Chinese culture and Chinese traditional life style.For the sake of marrying Soong Mei-ling,he was converted to Christianity.From then on,Chiang began to know and research Christian Culture,which influenced him gradually.The third chapter narrates how Chiang accept Christian Culture and the influences on him. The author mainly illustrates those influences in three aspects:life,action and policy.The fourth chapter analyses Chiang's weakness in understanding of Christian Culture.Start with the traditional education he received form his childhood,we can see that Confucian ideas has a deep and far-reaching influence on him.Therefore,the Christian ideas had a limited effect on him.Also,in that historical background,Chiang's thinking and action could not exceed the time limitations.The summary provides a conclusion:The Confucian education from Chiang's childhood had a long-lasting influence on him;Chiang' understanding of Christian Culture.Chiang Kai-shek had his weakness in understanding of Christian Culture.