This book is divided into three main parts: an introduction to theories of culture, a section on Chinese culture, and one on cultural construction. The first part can be interpreted as an attempt to explore the meta-theoretical system of culture at the philosophical level. Based on the concept of culture as ways of living, the book further defines culture as the preparation of people, including the processes by which people adapt to local cultural and social customs. It stresses the subjectivity of culture, and the cultural rights and responsibilities of humankind. The second part takes on the subjective perspective of contemporary Chinese culture, interpreting it within the context of the historical situation of the Chinese people and nation, before engaging in a systematic reflection on several fundamental issues of Chinese culture. It closes by evaluating Chinese cultural practices and formulating a type of contemporary cultural self-identity. The book's third part focuses on the interconnection between the revival of the Chinese nation and the modernization of Chinese society, analyzing the conditions and challenges for the three primary types of contemporary Chinese culture: material culture, political culture and spiritual culture. Lastly, the book puts forward suggestions concerning several of the critical problems facing a society in transition.

Presents a philosophical re-definition of the essence of culture Includes a critical re-thinking and analysis of traditional mainstream Chinese culture Provides constructive suggestions for contemporary cultural-building efforts in China Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Autorentext
Deshun Li, born in 1945, is a tenured professor of China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), doctoral supervisor, honorary dean of the School of Humanities of CUPL, and concurrently advisor of China Dialectical Materialism Research Association, honorary president of China Value Philosophy Research Association, etc. In addition, he has been employed as visiting professor and special researcher in many domestic universities and scientific research institutions, and as an editorial board member of quite a few journals and magazines. As a distinguished scholar in Marxist philosophy, values, contemporary culture, and culture of the rule of law, he has published more than ten popular monographs such as Value Theory: A Research into Subjectivity, On Chinese Culture, An Outline of Cultural Construction, On Deng Xiaoping's Thought of Values of the People's Subjectivity, Towards Democracy and Rule of Law: On the Value System of Contemporary Chinese Political Civilization, On Rule of Law, etc., some of which have won China Book Prize, Outstanding Achievement Prize of Philosophy and Social Sciences of Beijing, National Award for Excellent Ideological and Theoretical Readings for Young People, National Five Top Project, and so on. The first two have been translated into English and published by Springer. Meanwhile, he has published over 100 articles in many core journals and newspapers such as On Issues about Socialist Core Values, Understanding Traditional Culture with Scientism, Change and Challenge for Philosophical Thinking in the Contemporary Era, "Adaptation to Change" and China Traditional Values, On the Idea of"Taking the People as the Subject"in Contemporary China, The End of Value Dogmatism-Sandel's Theory of Justice in View of"The Trolley Problem". He is also the editor in chief of 11 books such as On the Culture of Rule of Law in Socialism with Chinese Characteristics, Values of Our Times: Contemporary Axiological Research in China (by Springer), Introduction to Philosophy, On Marxist Philosophy Domain and On Values, etc. Due to his distinguished achievements, he has been invited to give lectures in Hitotsubashi University, Toyo Philosophy Research Institute, Philosophy Research Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, and other associations in Italy and Hong Kong. As an expert with outstanding contributions, he has enjoyed the special government allowance of the State Council from 1992.

Inhalt
Part One Introduction to Culture.- Chapter 1 Culture as Humanization.- Chapter 2 Basic Patterns of Culture.- Chapter 3 Pluralism vs Monism in Cultural Pattern.- Chapter 4 Cultural qualities: What's good and what's bad?.- Chapter 5 Rise and Fall of Cultural Destiny.- Part Two Chinese Culture.- Chapter 6 Value Orientations of Chinese Traditional Culture.- Chapter 7 Multiple Characters of Traditional Chinese Culture.- Chapter 8 Overall Criticism on Traditional Chinese Culture.- Part Three New Culture Construction.- Chapter 9 Cultural Transformation: Challenges And Outlets.- Chapter 10 Prosperity: The Modernization of Material Culture.- Chapter 11 Democracy: The Modernization of Institutional Culture.- Chapter 12 Civilization: The Modernization of Spiritual culture.- Conclusion: Chinese culture facing the new century.