In the process of Chinese modernization, legal education is not only a carrier for transmitting legal knowledge but also a mechanism for cultivating young people's rule-of-law thinking. Youth legal thinking refers to the capacity to understand social relations through legal concepts, evaluate behavior according to rights and duties, respect procedures, reason with evidence, and solve disputes through lawful channels. On the basis of rule-of-law theory, legal legitimacy theory and civic education research, this paper argues that legal education should move from knowledge transmission to thinking cultivation. It performs cognitive, value-shaping, behavioral and governance functions. It helps young people understand norms and institutions, transform legal recognition into rule-of-law conviction, develop lawful habits in daily life, and participate rationally in social governance. The paper also analyzes curriculum integration, case-based teaching, experiential platforms, community participation and digital rule-of-law education. It concludes that the cultivation of youth legal thinking is an important foundation for Chinese modernization, because modern legal institutions can operate effectively only when young people internalize legal rationality and become active participants in rule-of-law practice.

Jiaxin Zhang, Xiaohui Chen. Youth Legal Thinking Cultivation: The Function of Legal Education in the Process of Chinese Modernization. International Journal of Frontiers in Sociology (2026), Vol. 8, Issue 3: 27-33. https://doi.org/10.25236/IJFS.2026.080305.

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