“Good Citizen” of Hongming Gu and “Gentleman” of Elias—A Comparative Study of Typical Images between China and the West

“Good citizen” and “gentleman” created respectively by Ku Hongming and Elias represent symbolic individuals nurtured by Chinese and Western Civilization. Positioned in a nation of “moralism” and molded by Confucian “Religion of State”,the former is gentle and ingenuous with peaceful mind and loving heart,who lives as he wishes. Situated in a more tightened and expanded network of interpersonal relationship,the latter behaves with decorum and caution,arising from more acute shame and embarrassment and more intense psychological “self-compulsion” provoked by a deep-felt sense of fright.“Good Citizen” is fruition of morality and nature;“gentleman” is crystallization of economic relationship,outcome of human conquest of nature. Therefore,Ku Hongming and Elias set out from distinctive theoretical grounding,and erect these two images as “the other” for each other. However,characterization of “good citizen” and “gentleman” attaches great importance to emotion and sentiment,to family education,and to individual associated with society,which are their commonality.