在晚清以降西潮东渐肇端的社会大转型中，面对现代性之个体主义的冲击，中国古老的“家”在现代化转型中的命运，中国现代社会中“家”的价值，成为百年中国“古今之争”的一个核心议题。对于五四的反家族主义思潮，梁漱溟逆势而行，他反对简单地否定家族制度的进步论观点，而将家视为中国文化的重要遗产。梁漱溟认为在中国文化中，家不仅是涵养德性的道德源泉，而且具有安身立命的宗教功能；中国人将家庭关系推广发挥，以伦理组织社会；这种组织与团体组织不同，它没有边界，不形成对抗。中国文化之伦理本位的相对论智慧，可以消解西方个人本位与团体本位的价值冲突。

In face of the conflict against modern individualism since the great social transformation with the eastward spread of Western culture in the late Qing Dynasty, it has been a core issue in the century-long debate between “the ancient versus the modern” to discuss the destiny of ancient Chinese concept of “family” in the modernity transformation and the value of “family” in modern Chinese society. In contrary to the anti-familism trend during the May 4th period, LIANG Shu-ming objects to simply denying family system based on progressivism and considers family as an important legacy of Chinese culture. According to LIANG, family in Chinese culture is not only a moral source that cultivates morality but also plays a religious role for people to find life meaning. Chinese people organize their society with ethics by extending the relationships in a family. Such organization is different from group organization for it doesn't have boundary or forms conflicts. The wisdom of relativism of Chinese culture based on ethics can eliminate the value conflicts between individualism and collectivism in Western culture.