Liang Shu-ming's "new Custom" Thought Research

20-30years of the20th century, the current situation in China is internal and external, the social economy is increasingly decline and bankruptcy people’s life miserable. Chinese society go from here? China’s Way? This is the most important issue in front of when all intellectuals. Answer to this question, Liang, China was the problem boils down to two aspects, one very serious disorders, ethics-based and occupational separation of the social structure is destroyed; the second is no way for China’s political, only periodic governance a mess without revolution, and thus against the warlord, also not in favor of the Communist revolution. At the same time, coupled with Liang Shuming is a Confucian firm believer. Liang Shuming argued that China could walk the road of a rural renaissance and cultural revival.During the1920s and1930s, the invasion and colonization from both the East and the West, together with the domestic upheaval, forced Chinese society to the brink of bankruptcy economically. and people lived a tragic life. In this social background, the most important and urgent issue facing the intellectuals at the time was to find the way out for China. To solve the problem, Liang Shuming, one of the greatest and most famous Confucians in China, first owned the crisis to the following two reasons:the a cultural imbalance in Chinese society and warfare. The original ethics-based value system and occupation-based division in social structure in China had been destroyed. There was actually no revolution in China. Instead, peace and disorder came in turns periodically, so he was opposed to both the wars between warlords and the revolution of the Communist Party. Based on the previous analysis, Liang concluded the three main powers which led to the decline of China, the political destructive power caused by wars, bandits and exorbitant taxes, the economic destructive power from the foreign economic aggression with the help of compradors, and cultural destruction owing to the changed Chinese traditional ideology and academic thought.Above all, Liang believed that another important factor, which also resulted in the dilemma of China in modern age, is that Chinese people were undisciplined, in the lack of the ability of organizations and concept based on this organizing capability. He held that the development of the society drew people together more closely, for teamwork became essential in fulfilling many tasks in a developed society. He also believed that Western culture, though had advantage over Chinese culture in team spirit, was more materialistic and superficial, and in lack of the aspiration for the better spiritual life. Owing to his Confucianism ideal of "Aspiring for the better spiritual life, cherishing the relationship between people" and his diagnosis of the Chinese society that class struggle in China had no object, Liang, as a Confucian, held that the China’s problems could only be solved by revitalizing rural society and reconstructing Chinese culture to build a renewed social structure. The reconstruction of the social structure actually means to construct "new customs", an organized form full of aspiration for the goodness of life by combing both the advantages of traditional Chinese culture and Western culture. As the two cultures intermingled and were in harmony, a new society and new life for mankind came into being. Therefore, it is reasonable to say that the "new customs" of Liang refers to the construction of a social organization by the means of educating peasants and reconstructing rural society and cultural renaissance in the form of rural organizations. Based on the rational thinking of Chinese traditional culture and taking advantages of Western culture, it regards the aspiration for goodness as the goal and interpersonal relationship as the foundation. This organization is also an ethic group, because it is based on the ethic relationship between people, which helps the education. Liang put the concept of "new customs" into practice in his "rural reconstruction movement". His concept of "new customs" is an innovation of Confucianism, having a positive influence on contemporary world.This paper is composed of four parts:The first part introduces the background of the concept of "new customs" from the aspects of Liang’s cultural background, political background and personal factors. This idea was closely related to the social background, which provided the basic foundation though family background and the life experience should not be disregarded.The second part discusses the ideological system in "new customs". The author first introduces the general cultural connotation of etiquettes and customs, followed by the elaboration of the theoretical foundation by analyzing traditional rite and Regulations for Lü Family. At the end, the author observes the main content and the theoretical significance of "new customs".The third part mainly deals with the practice of "new customs" in Rural Construction Movement. Liang is also a doer, so the essence of the concept "new customs" can be understood thoroughly by observing both his thought and his activity. In this part, the author focuses on the essential problems in rural construction, as the purpose and three stages of rural construction, rural organizations, self-conscious of peasants, rural education.The fourth part investigates into the modern value of Liang’s "new customs" concept from three dimensions:development of rural society, rural education and advanced culture heritage. Liang’s effort of constructing new customs failed finally. However, the thought and practice of Liang Shuming is still meaningful and significant in constructing a new socialist rural society and an affluent society.