Many Chinese scholars also have interpreted the university motto. In Strengthen the Study of University Culture, Promote the Construction of University Culture, Yuan Guiren, Minister of Education, proposes that the university motto is just a rational recognition of its traditional culture and cultural spirit. Professor Gu Mingyuan of Peking University believes that as an important content of construction of university culture, the university motto is distilled from school spirit and learning spirit and condenses the purpose of running a university. He also believes that the university motto reflects the will and the pursuit of the faculty and students in the university, and guides not only the orientation for setting up the university but also the behaviors of students and teachers. 源'自:751-'论/文'网"www.751com.cn

    1.2 The Objectives of This Study

     There are two main objectives of this thesis. One and foremost, when Chinese university mottos inherit and carry forward Chinese traditional ethics, the university leaders need to upgrade the new connotations and spirits of the new era into the university motto. Meanwhile, universities can adopt the American traditional ethics - the pursuit of knowledge - in order to form a harmonious atmosphere of academic freedom as well as to provide a brand new academic environment, which can get the university motto possessed university spirit, reflected university culture and value orientation. At last, university leaders should make the university motto become the soul of university culture and lead universities to complete the scared mission entrusted by the society. 

     Second, every culture is unique. So it is undoubted that cultural differences may occur when people with different cultural backgrounds communicate with each other. Due to cultural differences, communicative barriers or errors frequently occur in cross-cultural communications. Cultural differences between China and the US can not be changed but can be understood by each other. The US not only inherits the European culture but also has its own unique cultural features as an emerging country. In consequence, studying Sino-American cultural differences can benefit the cultural exchanges not only between China and the US but also between China and the rest of the world especially the western developed countries (Rao Jihong, 2005:166).  

2. Literature Review

     Nowadays, in modern universities, university motto increasingly becomes an indispensable part of university culture. More and more universities attach great importance to summarizing a special and vivid precept. According to the data from Journal Net, outstanding master’s thesis network and other many materials such as the journal of higher education research, it turns out many efforts and achievements have been made. However, there are few systemic researches about the cultural differences reflected in university mottos.

     In World’s Famous University Motto Calibrations in 2003, Professor Wu Chongshu selected 36 domestic and 51 foreign prestigious universities, and explained the development, educational goals and educational concepts of the respective universities by introducing their university mottos one by one. (Wu Chongshu: 2003:28) However, Professor Wu did not list any university mottos of the 51 universities mentioned in the article. Nor did he emphasize on the background, significance and influences of those university mottos.