在亞洲價值當中，文化的多元性一直是東、西兩方學者都在探討的議題，東方學者想要藉著多元文化來強調本身文明的自主性，避免西方以「普遍人權」對非西方文明進行干涉；西方學者則藉由承認這些多元文化的同時出現來反襯自己的普遍價值，但是也要杜絕這些文化真的藉由「亞洲價值」而形成認同一致的整體，真正地威脅到西方的普遍身份。儒家和伊斯蘭文明在這樣的論述策略之下，習慣性地被西方作家寫成「同時出現，但分開討論」的不同文明。換言之，兩個文明雖然代表著一個「亞洲整體」來挑戰西方普遍身份，卻仍然被西方學者從各方面證明彼此之間的文化差異性。本文歸納西方論述策略中對於文明本質、文明的相互關係與文化調和的實際發展三個面向，得出可親的儒家和威脅的伊斯蘭兩種對西方有不同意義的所謂多元文化。

Multiculturalism has been the main issue for many western and eastern scholars when discussing Asian Values. In one respect, eastern writers focus on autonomy and self-identity of their own cultures by means of multiculturalism but attempt to avoid western intervention whose ultimate purpose covered with Universal Human Rights. In another, western writers reinforce universalism of west values by proving exist of Asian multiculturalism, while they have to preclude forming the identity of a "Whole Asia" which is spirited by Asian Values and threaten western identity. Therefore, with this western context and narrative strategy established, Confucianism and Islam which could represent a "Whole Asia" are usually divided into two kinds of different cultures. Cultural essentials, cultural interrelations, and reconciliation of cultures are three main points analyzed in this paper in which a friendly Confucianism and a threatening Islam could provide western world two contrasting images and conceptions.