Abstract: A distinctive feature of Jiang Nan (South of the Yangtze River) culture is “pragmatic”, which has had a long tradition and wide expressions. In the history of modern China, intelligent and capable people living in Jiang Nan tended to stress their material life, and there emerged a lot of men and women of science and technology. This is closely related to the regional cultural tradition. The pragmatic spirit is an expression of Chinese cultural practical reason. Its essence lies in that people pay more attention to material than spiritual, to realistic than ideal, and to life than afterlife.

Key words: culture in the south of the Yangtze River, pragmatic spirit