Abstract: To identify the trait of Confucianism with immanent transcendence is not a rare practice, which seeks to single out the unique feature of Chinese culture and especially Confucian culture from the contrastive perspective of Chinese and western cultures. However, with the popularity of China’s immanent transcendence and western external transcendence, it has been argued that theories of external transcendence also exist in China and statements of immanent  transcendence also find expressions in the West. Therefore, immanent and external transcendence are not sufficient to define the uniqueness of the two different cultures. Even if the assertion of immanent transcendence is made, its double-edged sword nature can not be neglected: it not simply highlights the characteristics and advantages of Chinese culture, but also leads to two serious interruptions: deities’ regulations and restrains on humans and the value of substances independent of humans. To connect the two interruptions, Confucianism must strive to achieve three breakthroughs. Only by doing so can Confucian and Chinese culture change its current disadvantaged position in the modern world, shed light on political governance, make itself better known to the outside world and regain its past glory.

Key words: Key words： immanent transcendence, external transcendence, Confucian breakthrough