當前中國知識界正出現對「中國性」問題的聚焦。所謂「中國性」問題，指向的是一個問題論域，是指不同研究者以各自視角深入中國的歷史經驗和現實實踐，探討其獨特性，嘗試將「中國」提煉為一個理論概念。知識界對「中國性」問題的關切和新時代歷史條件下執政黨與民眾思想狀況所出現的變化緊密相關。對「傳統中國」的研究、對「革命中國」的研究、對「現實中國」的研究這三個維度構成當前知識界思考「中國性」問題的主要切入點。但是，這種劃分方式無法解決「傳統」、「革命」、「現實」之間的張力。為此，需要深入歷史肌理，把握歷史大勢中的「問答結構」。就此會發現近代以來的中國和明末以來的中國具有一種可概括為「向下超越」的連續性。這也是一種可稱為「質的時代」的連續性。而宋明一系的歷史可稱為「文的時代」。重新啟動孔子所說的「文質彬彬」的史觀可以化解「傳統」、「革命」、「現實」之間的張力，為建立貫通的中國敘事提供啟發。

At present, Chinese intellectual circles are focusing on the issue of “Chinese character”. The so-called “Chinese character” refers to a problem domain, which refers to different researchers’ penetrating into China’s historical experiences and practical practices from their own perspectives, exploring its uniqueness and trying to refine “China” into a theoretical concept. The concern of the intelligentsia on the issue of “Chinese character” is closely related to the changes in the ideological situation of the ruling party and the people in the new era. The three dimensions, “traditional China”, “revolutionary China”, and “real China”, constitute the main entry point for the current intellectual community to think about the issue of “Chinese character”. However, this way of division cannot solve the tension between “tradition”, “revolution” and “reality”. Therefore, it is necessary to deepen the historical texture and grasp the “question and answer structure” in the historical trend. It will be found that China since modern times and China since the end of Ming Dynasty have a kind of continuity that can be summarized as “downward transcendence”. This is also a kind of continuity that can be called “the era of matter”. The history of Song and Ming Dynasty can be called “the era of idea”. Reactivating Confucius’ historical view of “being gentle”(wen zhi bin bin) can resolve the tension between “tradition”, “revolution” and “reality”, and provide inspiration for the establishment of a coherent Chinese narrative.