约瑟夫·奈提出的Soft Power概念在中国分别被译为软权力、软力量和软实力并且三者通用。软权力比较适合奈提出该术语所对应的国际政治学语境。软权力是超越传统政治学帝国和霸权范畴对权力概念的扩展性解释,反映了冷战结束后权力格局的变化与美国在这一格局中悖论性的地位:一个帝国或霸权难以发力的新时代与一个无可匹敌的强大国家。软力量则是全球化时代多元势力崛起溢出传统国际政治领域的反映。历经全球化发展与制度性变迁,小国乃至非国家性的国际组织、民间组织、大公司等都可以参与全球性的博弈,它们所依据的是自身的软、硬力量而不是权力。软实力则是对soft power的误译,它对应的应该是soft power resources。文化软实力概念在中国受到各方特别的关注,反映了中国软权力资源(价值观、政策、文化)相对缺乏的现实语境。
C ultural order is the inherent "soft"order,providing legal explanation and significant value system for the economic order and the political order. C ultural order means the rational,stable and orderly state in the cultural field,w hich can be divided into three levels: the value concept system of the ruling class,i. e.,the ideology of the state; the value system,attitude,belief and orientation of the populace; the self- conscious spirit and value concept system of the intellectual,w hich is represented by literature,art,philosophy and religion.T he establishment and maintenance of the cultural order asks for a group of people believing in such a culture and organizations,institutions and technology to guarantee it. Based on the possession of culture and know ledge and the combination of culture and authority,the C onfucian school class had their say in the traditional society,playing an important role in the establishment and maintenance of the traditional cultural order.