As a representative of traditional intellectuals, Xu Shiluan was deeply influenced by the traditional Confucianism value view in the late Qing Dynasty, and had a strong humanistic care, strong suffering consciousness and independent personal integrity in his life; In the process of transformation of modern China, he intended to be proactive in official career and built up establishment for national fame, but due to the lack of prescription to save the country, he eventually had to choose the life road of retiring in the prime of life and writing books for the rest of life. Xu's life tragedy reveals the real dilemma of the traditional thought and culture in the modern social reform.