I. Introduction

The concepts of culture and civilization are explored, noting that culture originates from Latin and encompasses achievements in both material and spiritual realms, driving society from simple forms to civilized stages. Both culture and civilization are products of human wisdom and possess autonomy. Material culture, such as technology, can be transplanted—transferred from one region to another—while spiritual culture, with its subjectivity, traditions, and customs, requires vertical inheritance. Subjectivity is a Western concept emphasizing the relationship between humans and nature, where humans are the subject and nature the object. Western philosophy's dichotomy between matter and mind, subjective and objective, leads to a subject-object binary, yet human creativity and the pursuit of freedom ensure that value cognition cannot be erased. Modern philosophy emphasizes the value and meaning of human existence, with humanism deepening subjectivity. The intrinsic values of individuals, such as beliefs and desires, must be acknowledged. Naturalistic causal determinism denies personality and freedom, furthering the understanding of individual liberty. Human agency in history endows historical processes with subjectivity, opening new perspectives for interpreting cultural phenomena. Subjectivity may lead to egocentrism, but modern philosophy, through the linguistic turn, interprets subjectivity via language, where the subject is shaped by discourse, and language, being social, molds human subjectivity. Postmodern theory advocates pluralism and opposes hegemonic discourse, insisting on understanding subjectivity through history. German hermeneuticist Gadamer interprets humans from historical and cultural perspectives, revealing pluralistic phenomena. Human evaluations of objects, rooted in cultural traditions, demonstrate that Western understanding of subjectivity ultimately returns to the value and meaning of life or interprets subjectivity through language and history. Historical progress can be seen as the continuous elevation of human subjectivity. Humans exist as individuals, with subjectivity as a value-dependent attribute—human values or evaluations of objects. The material world belongs to nature, termed the "realm of heaven," whose principles are universally applicable, whereas human cognition of the cultural world, shaped by history and culture, is uniquely individual. The "realm of the heart," being sentient, differs from the emotionless "realm of heaven" and cannot claim universality. Culture transcends the individual level, representing the collective cultural subject's distinct perspectives on external phenomena or other cultural subjects based on experience and ideals, showcasing the diverse characteristics of different cultures. The mind is pluralistic, each with a strong sense of autonomy, and the spiritual dimension is most inheritable, inevitably carrying forward its legacy.

II. The Enlightenment of Berlin's Cultural Pluralism

Isaiah Berlin's cultural pluralism is introduced, highlighting the influence of 18th-century Enlightenment thought, which borrowed methods from natural science, and 19th-century progressive ideas. Initially, Berlin believed science could provide answers to all questions, but under the influence of Hegel and Marx, he came to recognize that historical and humanistic perspectives evolve over time. Through Vico's New Science, he learned that each society has its unique culture and values, which should not be measured by a single standard. Berlin proposed cultural pluralism, advocating the coexistence, mutual understanding, and complementarity of different cultures, challenging Euro-American cultural centrism. Nagel also noted that scientific objectivity is insufficient for understanding life, requiring pluralistic thinking. Berlin argued that the humanities and natural sciences are fundamentally distinct, with humanistic writing being subjective and incomparable to natural science.

III. Gains in Transplantation, Losses in Inheritance

Under the influence of Westernization, some Chinese attempted to reduce the mind-matter problem to a technical issue and sought to transplant Western civilization wholesale, though this was always accompanied by the awakening and adaptation of the native cultural subject. Zhang Taiyan, through his interpretation of the Qiwulun, advocated cultural pluralism, emphasizing that culture consists of unique language, customs, and history, and opposed forced assimilation by external forces. His views resonated with Herder's ideas on cultural particularity. Although Zhang was influenced by German idealist philosophy, his cultural pluralism was not widely accepted; instead, the "total Westernization" theory gained popularity during the Republican era. Hu Shi, in the New Culture Movement, argued that material culture could be transplanted, while spiritual culture could only be referenced and must be inherited vertically. He promoted "total Westernization" and sought to replace classical Chinese with vernacular, with Qian Xuantong even advocating the abolition of Chinese characters. These views were still supported by some Western sinologists in the 1990s, who claimed Chinese characters were unfit for modern needs. However, Chinese characters face no obstacles in modern writing, are convenient for computer input, and possess flexibility and profound meanings, having been refined over millennia. The stability of Chinese characters has helped maintain China's unity, preventing fragmentation like the Roman Empire. Hu Shi's push for vernacular Chinese aided the development of new literature, yet classical Chinese remains vital for understanding traditional culture. His attempt to impose English grammar on Chinese was criticized by Chen Yinke as disruptive. Vernacular and classical Chinese can coexist and complement each other. Hu Shi's stance on "total Westernization" never wavered; even in his later years, he harshly condemned Eastern civilization. Tang Degang criticized Hu Shi's "total Westernization" for causing cultural imbalance, calling for a reevaluation of May Fourth values and warning of the risks of cultural disconnection. Today, the challenges of cultural transformation persist, with hopes that traditional Chinese culture can rejuvenate within modern civilization, giving rise to a new, forward-looking native culture.