The importance of translation tends to be underestimated in philosophical studies. Focused on the crosscultural interpretations of the concept of “keji ”( subduing one ’s self) in the early modern Sino-Western encounter,this study demonstrates the complexities of intellectual interaction from a comparative perspective.Three levels of intellectual interactions in philosophical translation, namely semantic correspondence,conceptual appropriation,and the creation of ideas,are recognized and discussed. Analysis shows that the Confucian and Christian spiritual traditions,with the concepts of human nature and the soul as their respective centers,can be fundamentally incommensurable despite their similarities in concept and practice. How certain ideas are presented play a crucial role in cross-cultural communications,as does how they fit in with the larger picture. The human element,not ideas,is the key to cross-cultural communication and civilizational dialogue.