China's modern cultural conservatism originated in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. The quintessence school represented by Zhang Taiyan and Wei Liu was the first conservative cultural group in modern China. From 65438 to 0905, influenced by the idea of "preserving the quintessence of Chinese culture, strengthening the country and promoting learning" put forward by Mikey Miyake and Takashi Kawasaki after the Meiji Restoration in Japan, Liu, Liu, Liu and Liu initiated the establishment of the "Society for the Preservation of Chinese Culture" with the aim of "studying Chinese culture and preserving the quintessence of Chinese culture" in Shanghai, and soon published the Journal of Chinese Culture, and established the Chinese Culture Research Society, the Library and the China Guoguang Society. 1906, Zhang Taiyan came to Japan. At the international students' conference held in Tokyo, he called on people to "inspire nature and promote patriotism with the quintessence of Chinese culture", combining the recognition of traditional culture with the anti-Qing revolution that destroyed the existing social order. After his activities, "Sinology Research Association" and "Sinology Promotion Association" were established in Tokyo. He also took advantage of his editing of People's Daily, the organ newspaper of the League, to change the editing policy and make it an abstruse journal of Chinese studies. At that time, Tokyo and Shanghai were the two centers of quintessence activities.

The quintessence school advocates the preservation of national quintessence, which can protect the country and save the country based on the understanding that national quintessence is the foundation of the country. Therefore, they defined "national quintessence" and explored the unique value of China culture from the organic connection of nationality, history, language, writing and region. Although the quintessence school has different specific definitions of "quintessence", they have one thing in common, that is, they think quintessence is a kind of "national spirit" or "national spirit", which is contained in the ancient legal system and literary heritage. Therefore, they devoted themselves to classical exegesis, textual research of historical classics and the study of language and writing, and regarded this as equivalent to the Renaissance in Europe, hoping to realize the revival of China culture with the revival of "ancient learning" in China as the starting point.

Although the quintessence school advocates the quintessence of the country and maintains the tradition, it has not lost its consciousness of introspection on traditional culture. They divided China's culture into "national studies" and "national monarch studies", and thought that "national studies" contained rich patriotic traditions, nationalism, democracy and freedom; "Xue Jun" is a tool used by rulers to publicize feudal superstition, fame and fortune, strict education and implement autocratic rule. Therefore, they made a fierce criticism of "Xue Jun". They also improved the status of pre-Qin hundred schools of thought, which had been suppressed and excluded since the Han Dynasty, in order to break people's respect for Confucianism and superstition of Confucius.

We should not only reflect on China culture, but also reflect on the essence of western culture. In their view, although western culture has made great achievements in conquering nature and created "material civilization", its utilitarian attitude has led to social evolution, industrialization, the contradiction between cultural values and moral rationality, the separation of material life and spiritual life, and the richness of material enjoyment and the pain of spiritual life. This is in sharp contrast with China culture. China people are not as good as westerners in material enjoyment, but they are much happier in spiritual life.