Author and traditionalist Ku Hung-Ming discusses the history, morals, values and personal traits of the Chinese people.

As a young man Ku Hung-Ming discovered he had a gift with languages; he went on to attain an excellent command of English, French, German and other European tongues. He used this ability to promote understanding between Western cultures and his native land of China, writing books and becoming a public intellectual. Wearing traditional dress and the queue hairstyle, Ku Hung-Ming sought to demystify aspects of his country's heritage to foreign readers. He also desired that his fellow Chinese rediscover their roots, particularly the philosophy of Confucianism.

As such, The Spirit of the Chinese People contains chapters on the country's language, life in the home, Western scholarship and the Classics of Chinese literature. Throughout, the author compares Western culture and ideas with those of China, noting that while similarities exist, there are many contrasts in mindset and approach to living. When this book was written in the early 20^th century, there was violent conflict in China itself, such as the Boxer Rebellion, and later the carnage of World War One wreaked devastation upon Europe: these events form a backdrop to the text, and are occasionally referenced.