Hu Shi's article "On Confidence and Reflection Again" was triggered by the article "We Must Have Faith" by Shou Sheng, a young author whom he was very important about.
Hu Shi pointedly pointed out that the confidence in "We Still Have the Right to Live" in the article "Our Faith" is based on a scattered sand, and Hu Shi believes that such cultural self-confidence is "vain and arrogant" and is not worth recommending.
Hu Shi examined Chinese cultural traditions from a historical perspective, and believed that when Chinese culture was the most attractive, it was the time when it was the best at imitation -- "..., from the Han To the Tang and Song dynasties, all architecture, painting, sculpture, music, religion, thought, arithmetic, astronomy, and craftsmanship, which one does not imitate the important components of foreign countries? ...... When we refuse to learn from the benefits of others, our culture will not progress. ”
From Hu Shi's statement, we understand that Hu Shi's proposition is to reflect and ponder traditional culture, and all arguments must be determined after in-depth reflection.
"Think sincerely that the sins of our ancestors are heavy, the sins of our own are heavy; we must recognize the place of our sins, and then we can use our full armed energy to eliminate the evils." Hu Shi criticized the negative assertion that some young people held in their hearts that "our cultural roots are shallow", believing that this is a kind of depression and decadence that cannot be promoted.
Hu Shi's exposition has profoundly opened a door for us to gain insight into the world -- what kind of suffering our nation is suffering, and how we must learn and progress in this tribulation, are all the keys worthy of future generations to profoundly excavate the "roots" of our nation. This is a concept of cultural nationalism and a cosmopolitan mindset.
Therefore, although today's China has made remarkable achievements, this achievement is also the result of our active self-examination, rather than blindly imitating the creation of the result, only reflection and awakening, from their own "pathology", can further learn from each other's strong points; and today's China's creation, especially the embodiment of scientific and technological progress, is also based on our own cultural heritage, and is inseparable from our creative ability to play to the extreme.
