Our academic research on China and Chinese culture and the common understanding of the world's cultural future. "
The declaration, titled 40,000 words, is essentially a reflection of four people in the fifties their understanding of the Chinese culture and reflect their concept of cultural conservatism in a most complete performance. They stressed that the reason why they made this declaration, mainly to China to express their cultural past and the present and the basic understanding of their future outlook, and today China and the world the study of Chinese people and China's academic and cultural issues should be taken in the direction of , together with the world culture and their expectations. Because they truly believe that the issue of Chinese culture has its importance of the world, leaving aside for the Chinese culture and history of the millennium as at the end of the world's little to sever one of the countries and the eighteenth century before the Europeans of praise for the Chinese culture, with the Chinese culture has been the contribution of human culture, in China alone are nearly a quarter of the world population lives and where the spirit of sustenance? how to settle down? actually already become the world's problems. If the conscience of mankind are not allowed to use the atomic bomb to eliminate more than 500 million Chinese population, this nearly one-fourth of the spirit of human life and destiny, will never become the conscience of all mankind the common burden. The solution of this problem, it lies in our Chinese culture over the past present and future real awareness. If not understand Chinese culture, Chinese culture has no future, then the one fourth of human life and spirit, will not receive all of humanity together in the real concern, but also the common conscience of all mankind will never be able to lift the burden.
However, Tang Jun-yi, who seems, in modern times, Western scholars of Chinese culture more than the motives and methods is not correct. These Western scholars of Chinese culture or for the purpose of missionary work, or out of ancient Chinese civilization, ancient artifacts out of curiosity, or out of China's political situation and international relations of the reality of concern, arising from a variety of misunderstandings .
Of particular importance is the fact that many Western scholars of the Chinese culture has long been equated with interruption of ancient Egypt, Persia and Asia Minor ancient civilization, with antique research mentality and approach to it. This will inevitably generate an error. Declaration stressed that China and the world to the study of Chinese academic culture, first of all must be sure that recognition of China's culture of life living there, we do not have to deny that Chinese culture is sick, or even give birth to many of the grotesque wart, as well as the loss of the prototype. But there are still living the life of patients, we have to treat, first affirmed the existence of life of patients and can not be assumed that the dead, but only for the anatomy of medical scientists. Since the Chinese culture is certainly a living life, that is sure that there is blood, there is sweat and tears, there is laughter, there are consistent with the spirit of the ideals absorbed. Because they forgot, they can not put this past history and culture as an objective of the spiritual life of human performance, was in the feasibility study did not sympathize with, there is no respect, do not expect the spirit of this objective manifestations of life can continue to to develop, the more would not have thought that today there is real history and culture here in the flesh and blood stream of people are trying to make this objective performance of the spirit of life continue to develop, and thus also to some respect and sympathy. They stressed that the study of Chinese history and culture of China's historical and cultural traditions have sympathy and respect, to pay tribute to forward a stretch growth, wisdom also increase the use of a point to understand one point increases.
When talking about Chinese and Western cultural difference between philosophy, the Declaration of the view that the lack of Chinese culture does not go beyond the level that it reflects the moral, ethical, beyond the emotional and religious spirit of harmony and unity. China is the core of academic thinking concentric Confucian learning, learning is based on concentric moral practice-based, which can include cardiac learning a metaphysics, which is different from traditional Western metaphysics of metaphysics, which aims to explore the universe The ultimate objective is and the structure of the Confucian school is the mental perturbation Yihan a moral metaphysics, that is the basis of moral practice, it is also the ethical practice of metaphysics confirmed. Mind of the Confucian school is consistent EC Heaven, both inside and outside the spirit of ethics and morality and religion as a whole, therefore, can not believe that it is only a moral teachings, or just some people on how to deal with the relationship between the external norms and creed .
The West in modern times for democracy and science, the Declaration on the New Culture Movement of succession since the idea of Neo-Confucian tradition, emphasis on Chinese culture, according to their own requirements should be extended cultural ideals, is to make the Chinese people not only have their hearts and minds of school to take the initiative of its Self is a "moral practice, the main", at the same time when demand in the politically conscious as a "political entity", in nature, intellectuals become "the main body of understanding" and "practical technologies of the main activities."
That is to say China needs a truly democratic nation-building, also need science and practical technology, Chinese culture must accept the culture of the West or the world. However, so it is necessary to accept the West or the world culture, is why the Chinese people in consciously become a mainstay of morality, the conscious and the main body of a political, and practical understanding of the main body of the main body of technical activities. Personality of the Chinese people have a higher completion of China's national objective of a higher spiritual life development. This personality and the higher the completion of the national spirit of higher development, it is also the Chinese people to become conscious of moral practice of the main demands of itself, but also the Chinese nation's spirit and objective of the development of life journeys of the original required.
They acknowledged the lack of Chinese culture and history of modern Western democratic system and the establishment of modern Western science and the various practical skills, resulting in China's modernization can not achieve true industrialization. But they can not recognize China's culture is not the seeds of democratic ideas, the political development of the inherent requirement of not inclined towards the establishment of a democratic system. Can not recognize China's culture is anti-science, that is, unsolicited ignored scientific and practical technology. Regarding the latter, they believe that China since ancient times is obviously of great importance to practical skills, so the legendary king of ancient artifacts is the inventor. Confucian metaphysical also known as the road in the shape of the device under the idea of re-"Zhengde" use "of Health and Welfare." Mathematical astronomy medical knowledge, China has developed very early.
In the eighteenth century ago, China-made objects with the technical knowledge of agriculture in fact a lot higher than the West. But they also clearly recognize the lack of Chinese culture, science, and this science is not practical techniques in ancient China, but ultra-practical technologies scientific spirit. In view of this judge, who advocates the future development of Chinese culture will, when the establishment of a pure theory of scientific knowledge of the world, or independent of the scientific and cultural fields, in the morality of traditional Chinese moral values, and the need to establish a school unification , and this is the moral spirit of Chinese culture, and the completion of its own and promotion should have done.
As for Western democratic system, in their view, China's past political Although the monarchy, but this and the general Western monarchy that is not exactly the same as unsolicited. This is different from China's earliest political ideology, said, that representatives of the people of heaven, so for life人君Fengtian performance will respect public opinion, and subject to the test of public opinion. Therefore, from this sense, the Chinese culture have been and there are the seeds of democracy. Thus As for China's future democratic political system, they should be particularly emphasized that full respect for the traditional Chinese political development, "the inherent requirements", even from a system perspective, China is also prime minister from the original御使system "out of" a government the rights of the people outside the government the power to make the restrictions effective, that is, by all citizens under the Constitution established the political system, the abolition of absolute monarchy, so that the transfer of power between political parties to become a "peaceful transition." In their view, such a democratic system from Confucius to Huang Zongxi "still consistent with" thinking.
When talking about their academic thinking of the world's expectations, the declaration pointed out, first, as a result of mankind on earth now has been expanding outward from the Western culture and pulled together and meet each other, badly beaten. Modern humans, therefore the main direction of academic, it should be for the various ethnic and cultural shortcomings of their own to carry out a profound reflection, the title between the future of mankind together as a whole to consider the issues to deal with. In addition to this in the West's multi-cultural traditions, and the resulting breakdown of the philosophy of science research, the human need to develop a great emotion, to the common thinking about the problem of the whole of mankind. This is of great emotion, should include the different cultures of different peoples own respect and sympathy, and for the human suffering there is a genuine compassion with compassion Union. This great emotion, we can all think of human culture are all human beings the spirit of life and performance, which was the blood and tears, which are all human beings should be based on Confucius as "Spring and Autumn" and not following the spirit of survival, to seek various nationalities the value of cultural preservation and development, thus that different cultures co-exist with each other, appreciate each other, while the mutual integration of the world in preparation for We Are the World. Second, human培植出to the person's feelings, it is only sensible use of rational, to various kinds of natural community of the history of mankind for a calm and objective research, it is only when mankind is on the one hand knowledge. There should be a kind of human knowledge, this is not only the natural and human own all objective into all objects, be calm study of knowledge, but to mankind as a subject of the existence of view, but for the existence of this main state, gradually transcend worldliness and attain holiness, so that the broad masses of the growing breadth of mind, wisdom increasingly Qingming to Tatsu in a round into the position of God, emotional increasingly deep, so that there are filled with sub-jen compassion and compassion of the heart of science. Such knowledge is not theology, not just the appearance of Howard's code of ethics, or mental health of school, but a knowledge absorbed from the line to the existence of super-human freedoms in order to rise into the school in the gods. Namely the so-called hearts and minds of the Chinese Confucian school, or moral principles of science, or St. school. Or China, the so-called knowledge of oneself very much.
Third, from a study by oneself into very existence of life, he is a mainstay of morality, but also of their own super-to or enter in the gods, so he is really capable of carrying God with SkyTeam Germany. Therefore, the existence of life, and become a "moral and religious existence." Out for the main body of moral in politics is a democratic country one of the real citizens, from "the main body of the political." We Are the World of mankind, he will become the world's citizens, while still the world of politics in the main. In the knowledge the world, then he became "aware of the main body" and ultra-Pro covers all objective targets in the world above, instead of sinking in an objective object, and at the same time the concept of their knowledge, at any time bring, but also put aside at any time, so its rational knowledge, not to hinder the yen and宛转objects and popular wisdom of God, and in the whole of human history and culture of the world, then man-made one, "the future, living in a long history and culture of non-chiang of the main." While at the same time in this long history and culture of the world without Xinjiang in order to see heng Road, namely the Western so-called direct revelation of God. They believe that all these should be a new direction of academic thought out.
All in all, Tang Junyi, who seems, now, East and West, is indeed to be the true vision of equality to each other the time has come to regard each other. Although the surface of Chinese culture is now a mass of confusion, but in the past there have resplendent. While the glitter of Western culture is now, the future is also a problem. At this time, ancient and modern human beings with Qualcomm's changed, I believe the heart of human empathy with the spirit of shared responsibility for the suffering of human suffering and shortcomings, with the fault,
港台新儒学的形成，起始于五十年代。1957年，唐君毅到美国访问，他在与张君劢谈及欧美学人对中国文化的研究方式及观点多有不当时，拟联名发表一份文件以纠正西方学者对中国文化问题的偏见。后由张君劢致函在台湾的牟宗三、徐复观征求意见，然后由唐君毅负责起草，寄给张君劢、牟宗三过目，二人未表示其他意见就签署了。当寄给徐复观时，徐作了两点修正，一是关于政治方面，徐复观认为要将中国文化精神中可以与民主政治相通的疏导出来，推动中国的民主政治。这一点原稿讲的似乎不太充分，徐就改了一部分。二是由于唐君毅的宗教意识很浓，所以在原稿中也就强调了中国文化的宗教意义。而徐复观则认为，中国文化虽原来也有宗教性，也不反宗教，然而从春秋时代起中国文化就逐渐从宗教中脱出，在人的生命中实现，不必回头走。所以徐复观便把这一部分的原稿也改了，然后寄还唐君毅。唐君毅接受了徐复观的第一个建议，第二个建议则末接受。1958年元旦，这份文件以唐君毅、牟宗三、张君劢、徐复观四人的名义联名发表，其正式名称是《为中国文化敬告世界人士宣言
我们对中国学术研究及中国文化与世界文化前途之共同认识》。
这份宣言洋洋四万言，基本反映了他们四人在五十年代对中国文化的认识与反省，是他们文化保守主义观念的一次最为完整的表现。他们强调，他们之所以发表这份宣言，主要是要表达他们对于中国文化之过去与现在之基本认识及对其前途之展望，与今日中国及世界人士研究中国学术文化及中国问题应取的方向，并附及他们对世界文化之期望。因为他们真切地相信，中国文化问题有其世界的重要性，姑且不论中国为数千年文化历史迄末断绝之世界上极少的国家之一，及十八世纪以前的欧洲人对于中国文化之赞美，与中国文化对于人类文化已有的贡献，仅中国现有近于全球四分之一的人口之生命与精神何处寄托?如何安顿?实际上就早已成为世界的问题。如果人类的良心并不容许用原子弹来消灭中国五亿以上的人口，则此近四分之一的人类生命与精神之命运，便将永成为全人类良心上共同的负担。而此问题之解决，实系于我们对中国文化之过去现在与将来有真实的认识。如果中国文化不被了解，中国文化没有将来，则这四分之一的人类之生命与精神，将得不到全人类在现实上共同关怀，而且全人类之共同良心的负担将永远无法解除。
然而，在唐君毅等人看来，近代以来西方学人研究中国文化的动机和方法多不正确。这些西方学者研究中国文化或是出于传教的目的，或是出于对中国古代文明、古代文物的好奇，或是出于对中国政治与国际局势之现实关系之关注，由此产生了种种误解。
尤其重要的是，许多西方学者把中国文化等同于早已中断的古埃及、古波斯及小亚细亚文明，用考证古董的心态和方法对待它。这样便不免产生错误。宣言强调指出，中国与世界人士研究中国学术文化者，首先必须肯定承认中国文化之活的生命之存在，我们也不必否认中国文化正在生病，甚至生出许多奇形怪状之赘疣，以至失去原形。但是病人仍有活的生命，我们要治病，先要肯定病人生命之存在，不能先假定已死，而只是供医学家之解剖研究。既然肯定中国文化是一活的生命存在，也就是肯定这中间有血、有汗、有泪、有笑，有一贯的理想与精神在贯注。因为忘了这些，便不能把此过去之历史文化当作是一客观的人类之精神生命之表现，遂在研究之时没有同情，没有敬意，亦不期望此客观的精神生命之表现能继续地发展下去，更不会想到今日还有真实存在于此历史文化大流之中的有血有肉的人正在努力使此客观的精神生命之表现继续发展下去，因而对之亦发生一些敬意和同情。他们强调，研究中国历史与文化必须对中国历史文化传统怀有同情和敬意，敬意向前伸展增长一分，智慧之运用也随之增长一分，了解也随之增加一分。
在谈到中西哲学文化之间的差别时，宣言认为，中国文化中并不缺少超越层面，它体现了伦理道德、超越情感和宗教精神的和谐统一。中国学术思想的核心是儒家的心性之学，心性之学是以人的道德实践为基础的，这种心性之学可以包含一形而上学，这形而上学不同于西方传统的形而上学，后者旨在探讨宇宙的终极实在及客观构造，儒家的心性之学则涵摄一道德的形而上学，即以道德实践为基础，亦由道德实践而证实的形而上学。儒家心性之学是统贯天人、内外、伦理道德与宗教精神为一体的，所以不能认为它只是一种道德说教，或者说只是一些关于如何处理人与人之间关系的外在规范和信条。
对于西方近代以来的民主与科学，宣言继承新文化运动以来新儒家的思想传统，强调中国文化依其自身之要求应当伸展出文化理想，是要使中国人不仅有其心性之学，以自觉其自我之为一"道德实践的主体"，同时当求在政治上能自觉为一"政治的主体"，在自然界、知识界成为"认识的主体"及"实用技术的活动之主体"。
这也就是说中国需要真正的民主建国，也需要科学与实用技术，中国文化必须接受西方或世界之文化。但是其所以需要接受西方或世界之文化，乃所以使中国人在自觉成为一道德的主体之外，兼自觉为一政治的主体、认识的主体及实用技术活动的主体。而使中国人之人格有更高的完成，中国民族之客观的精神生命有更高的发展。此人格之更高的完成与民族精神之更高的发展，也正是中国人之要自觉的成为道德实践之主体之本身所要求的，也是中国民族之客观的精神生命之发展的途程中原来所要求的。
他们承认中国文化历史中缺乏西方之近代民主制度之建立与西方之科学及现代之各种实用技术，致使中国未能实现真正的现代化工业化。但是他们不能承认中国之文化思想没有民主思想的种子，其政治发展之内在要求不倾向于民主制度之建立。也不能承认中国文化是反科学的，自来即轻视科学实用技术。关于后者，他们认为中国自古以来分明是重视实用技术的，故传说中的古圣王都是器物的发明者。而儒家亦素有形上之道见于形下之器的思想，而重"正德"利用"厚生"。天文数学医学之知识，中国也发达甚早。
在十八世纪之前，中国制造器物与农业上之技术知识实际上高于西方多多。然而他们也明确承认中国文化缺乏科学，而这种科学已不是中国古代的实用技术，而是超实用技术的科学精神。鉴于这种判断，他们主张中国文化的未来发展必当建立一纯理论的科学知识之世界，或独立之科学的文化领域，在中国传统之道德性的道德观念之外，兼需建立一学统，而此事正为中国文化之道德精神，求其自身之完成与升迁所应有之事。
至于西方的民主制度，他们认为，中国过去政治虽是君主制度，但此与一般西方之君主制度自来即不完全相同。此种不同，自中国最早的政治思想上说，即以民意代表天命，故奉天承命的人君必表现为对民意的尊重，且需受民意之考验。故而从这个意义上说，中国文化中本来并不乏民主政治的种子。因此至于中国未来的民主政治制度问题，他们格外强调应该充分尊重中国传统政治发展的"内在要求"，即使从制度层面看，中国也可从原来的宰相御使制度中"转出"一种政府外部的人民权力，对政府权力作有效的限制，即由全体公民所建立的宪法之下的政治制度，取消君主专制，使政权的转移成为政党间的"和平转移"。他们认为，这样的民主制度就是从孔孟到黄宗羲"一贯相仍"的思想。
在谈到他们对于世界学术思想之期望时，宣言指出，第一，由于现在地球上的人类已经由西方文化向外膨胀而拉到一起，并在碰面时彼此头破血流。因此现代人类学术的主要方向，应该是各个民族对于其自身文化的缺点进行一深刻的反省，把人类前途之间题，共同当作一个整的问题来考虑，来处理。除本于西方文化传统之多元，而产生的分门别类的科学哲学之专门研究外，人类还需发展出一大情感，以共同思索人类整个的问题。这大情感中，应当包括不同民族不同文化之本身之敬重与同情，及对于人类之苦难有一真正的悲悯与恻隐之仁。由此大情感，我们可以想到人类之一切民族文化都是人之精神生命之表现，其中有人之血与泪，因而人类皆应以孔子作《春秋》的存亡继绝的精神，来求各民族文化之价值方面的保存与发展，由此以为各种文化互相并存，互相欣赏，而互相融合的天下一家之世界作准备。第二，人类要培植出此人的情感，则只是用人之理智的理性，去对各种自然社会人类历史作客观的冷静的研究，便只当为人类学问之一方面。人类应当还有一种学问，这不是只把自然与人类自己所有之一切客观化为对象，而加以冷静的研究之学问，而是把人类自身当作一主体的存在看，而求此主体之存在状态，逐渐超凡入圣，使其胸襟日益广大，智慧日益清明，以进达于圆而神之境地，情感日益深厚，以使满腔子存有恻隐之仁与悲悯之心的学问。这种学问不是神学，也不只是外表的伦理规范之华，或心理卫生之学，而是一种由知贯注到行，以超化人之存在自由，以升进于神明之学。此即中国儒者所谓心性之学，或义理之学，或圣学。或称中国之所谓立人极之学问。
第三，从立人极之学所成之人生存在，他是一道德的主体，但同时也是超化自已以升进于神明的，所以他也是真能承载上帝而与天合德的。故此，人生存在，兼成为"道德性与宗教性之存在"。而出其为道德的主体，在政治上即为一民主国家中之一真正的公民，而成"政治的主体"。到人类天下一家时，他即成为天下的公民，而仍为天下中之政治的主体。在知识世界，则他成为"认识的主体"，而超临涵盖于一切客观对象之世界之上，而不沉没于客观对象之中，同时对其知识观念，随时提起，也能随时放下，故其理智的知识，不碍与物宛转的圆而神的智慧之流行，而在整个的人类历史文化世界，则人为一"继往开来，生活于悠久无疆之历史文化之主体"。而同时于此历史文化世界之悠久无疆中，看见求恒的道，也即西方所谓上帝之直接显示。这些他们以为皆应由一个新的学术思想之方向而开出。
总之，在唐君毅等人看来，到了现在，东方与西方确实到了应当真正以眼光平等互视对方的时候了。中国文化现在虽然表面混乱一团，但在过去确也曾光芒万丈。西方文化现在虽然光彩夺目，未来如何，实在也是一个问题。在这个时候，人类应一同通古今之变，相信人性之心同理同的精神，来共同担负人类的苦难、苦痛、缺点，同过失，然后才能开出人类的新路。
在港台新儒学发展史上，香港的新亚书院是一个值得重视的学术基地。新亚书院创办于1949年。是年秋，由大陆来港的著名学者钱穆为了解决因战乱而滞留香港的学生就学问题，遂与唐君毅、张丕介等人商量，决定创办一所亚洲文商专科夜校。他们租赁九龙桂林街一所中学的两间教室上课，招收学生五十余名，一说学生不超过二十人，而且绝大多数都是从大陆来的。翌年春，夜校改为日校，并易名为新亚书院。钱穆亲任校长。唐君毅任教授，兼任教务长、哲学系主任，并一度兼任数学系主任等职。"新亚"的意思就是亚洲新生之义。钱穆揭示新亚书院的宗旨是:上溯宋明书院的讲学精神，并旁采西欧导师制度，以人文主义教育为宗旨，沟通世界东西文化。由此可见，新亚书院是力图把中国传统的书院教育与西方近代以来的学校教育结合起来，即把对学生的道德理想的培养和专业知识的训练结合起来。
新亚书院初建的时候，条件十分艰苦，校舍简陋得不成样子，图书馆则根本不存在，更谈不上"大学"的规模。整个学校的办公室只是一个很小的房间，一张长桌已占满了全部空间。故而徐复观在后来谈到新亚的成就时说，新亚主要是靠钱穆的名望、唐君毅的理想和张丕介的顽强精神支持下来的。
经过一段时间的发展，新亚的规模开始扩大，条件也开始改善。1953年，新亚书院得到亚洲基金会的资助，在九龙太子道租了一层楼创办研究所，这就是新亚研究所的前身。当时的研究生只有三四人，规模并不算大。新亚研究所一如新亚书院，仍以文化之创新与人格之完成为第一事、第一义，而视纯学术之研究为第二事、第二义。按钱穆的本意，似同于清广东著名学者陈澧(号东塾)所谓"第一事必在乎第二事，第一义必在乎第二义，除此第二事第二义更无捷径"。所以可以说，新亚研究所与近世其他文史研究机构截然异趣。
在得到外部的支持后，新亚的情况便明显地得到改观。接着洛克菲勒基金会、哈佛燕京社、英国文化协会、香港政府、香港孟氏教育基金会等纷纷资助，书院遂有了较大的发展，并开始在学术上得到国际承认。
随着新亚书院与国际上的交往日见增多，它也就开始成为中国向欧美介绍和传播中国文化的一个窗口，同时也成为港台新儒家的一个最重要的活动阵地。六十年代末和七十年代初，牟宗三和徐复观先后到新亚书院任教。六十年代，张君劢也曾先后三次到新亚书院讲学，其中1964年在此开设中西方哲学讲座达半年之久。从1950年冬天开始，到1955年，新亚书院的文化讲座共进行了一百三十九次，当时在港台的一些学术名流差不多都到这儿讲过学。在那时，港台新儒家的一些代表人物也差不多都视这儿为中国学术复兴的基地。
1964年，香港当局把新亚书院与崇基书院、联合书院三个私立学院联合组成香港中文大学。新亚书院成为中文大学的一部分，为基本成员之一。唐君毅被聘为中文大学讲座教授，并兼任文学院院长、哲学系主任等职。中文大学成立之初，在体制上实行联邦制，各学院有相对的独立性。但是，由于新亚的教育理想与香港中文大学的学校教育体制之间存在相当大的差距，因此便不免时常发生冲突。钱穆乃毅然引退，著述自娱。特别是到了1973年，中文大学在体制上放弃联邦制，而改为一元化的集权制，在教育体制上也一味仿照香港大学。面对这种情况，素持人文主义教育理想的新亚书院遂陷入了一种新的困惑。唐君毅认为，中文大学如成为香港大学第二，则中文大学没有独立存在的必要。如果中文大学坚持为华人社会的需要而存在，就不应一味仿效香港大学。他力争新亚书院的相对独立性，但终因势单力孤而未果。于是他与牟宗三于1974年先后从中文大学退休，这时新亚研究所也为中文大学所裁撤。针对这种状况，唐君毅与牟宗三、徐复观等人在新亚书院老校舍重建新亚研究所，由唐君毅继续担任所长，牟宗三等人任教授。又创新亚中学，致力于基础教育。他们遥承新亚书院的理想，并以期实现新亚书院弘扬儒学的目标。