本文著眼於近代中國與日本，觀察兩國的傳統如何影響及新文化的創造，由此揭示兩國近代化之多樣性與多重結構的一個側面，並探討如何促進二十一世紀兩國之間的相互理解以及依存感。具體而言，對於中國來說，傳統意味著什麼？儒家思想和近代社會之間有什麼特殊關聯？所謂儒教以何種形態存在於中國社會，其對於新文化的創造，又能做出什麼貢獻？以中國急速的近代化為背景，儒教在新文化創造的過程中，其生命力仍然強韌，關於其存在的樣態和箇中含義，均是本文欲加以分析說明的。此外，除了東亞各國顯著的社會變化和經濟發展，傳統與現代社會的交互作用也應被視為文化再創造的一環。舉例而言，如本文試圖證明，福澤諭吉的思想和儒教之間存有聯繫，而嘗試著構築新的東西文明觀的中國知識人的思維裡，也透露了傳統與近代的關聯。循著此線研究，我們對於近代東亞的文化再創造，及其與傳統間的關係，必定能有新的發現。這樣的研究路徑不但能促進東亞各國間的互相理解，對於東亞文化如何立足於二十一世紀的世界文明，或亦能助成相關思考。

This thesis highlights one side of the diversity of the modernization of the two countries and their multiple structures by grasping the function and the meaning that encompass the cultural restructuring of the new tradition seen in China and Japan, and searches for the possibility of mutual understanding between the two countries in the 21st century and the deepening of Sino-Japanese solidarity. Specifically, I consider and pursue the following questions. What does tradition mean to China? What special relationship is there between Confucianism and modern society? What are the modes of existence of what is called Confucianism, in Chinese society, and what are its modes of contribution to the creation of new culture? I also analyze and explain the reality and significance of Confucianism as it still survives and thrives in the creation of culture in modern China within the rapidly modernizing country. In addition, not only the result of a remarkable societal change and economic development in the east Asian nations but also the interaction of such a tradition and the contemporary society are considered as part of the cultural restructuring. As an actual example, I will ascertain that there is something telling about the relationship between tradition and modernity in modern Japan and China within the concrete examples of Fukuzawa Yukichi's (1835-1901) thought and his relationship with Confucianism, and of the fashion in which Chinese intellectuals who consider the East and the West construct their views on civilization. This is indeed a line of research which leads to the rediscovery of the relationship between the creation of culture and tradition in modern East Asia. Hopefully such an approach will not only be useful for mutual understanding and mutual recognition among East Asians but will also give modest contributions and suggestions to considerations of how East Asia and World Civilization should exist in the 21st century.