Modern Transformation Of Chinese Educational Tradition

Self-cultivation education in Late Qing and the Early Republican China started from Guimao school system of the New Deal during the end of the Qing Dynasty.After the establishment of the Republic of China,it was still retained in the Renzi Educational System(1912).But in the 1922 school system,it was abolished and changed to civics.Under the overall framework of modern history,the period of self-cultivation(1904-1922)is precisely in the "transitional period"(1895-1925),when the thought and culture transferred from tradition to modernity.In such a background,the change of the education system closely connected with intellectuals thought innovation,and the conflict and transformation of traditional culture and modern value will also be reflected through the change of course.This study focuses on how the "self-cultivation" tradition of Chinese education has been transformed into the modern "moral education".In this paper,we first investigated the change process of self-cultivation education in Late Qing and the Early Republican China from its establishment to the cancellation.On this basis,we try to explore the path and reason of the modern transformation of the traditional "self-cultivation".The concept of"self-cultivation"contains a set of ideological system and thinking mode of Chinese cultural tradition.Based on the concept of"Qi(?)-constituent"cosmology and view of body,it emphasizes the self-concept of"the unity of body and heart",“embodied knowing and internal evidence",and human-becoming and enlightenment in the relationship between group and individual.Corresponding to the concept of"self-cultivation",the social structure of the traditional society is coconstruction of family and country,which enabled the microcosmic edifying effect of"human-becoming and enlightenment"to be extended to a wider field and become an institutional factor at the macro level.The practice of traditional self-cultivation education included children enlightenment and women education in the family,formally school education,and non-organizational learning and self-education.As a kind of inner spiritual pursuit,“self-cultivation”spread throughout the whole traditional education system.The"classics and historical studies"is the knowledge carriers of self-cultivation,the imperial examination provides the institutional channel for"XiuQi-Zhi-Ping(????)",and the social education of the scholar-officials is the concrete practice of"Xiu-Qi-Zhi-Ping(????)".The modern"self-cultivation"education began in the transition of culture and education in late Qing dynasty.This transition first involves the changes in education system and teaching method,and then,the concepts.The discipline of“self-cultivation”established,which is a part of the transformation of traditional education system into modern system.In this process,modern discipline system of pedagogy,school system and modern teaching method have been established.The traditional education system,dominated by private schools and schools,has been replaced by the modern school system gradually.The scientific view of knowledge and curriculum hit the traditional view of"whole curriculum"of classic education.Meanwhile,classroom teaching became the main teaching method.It brought the difficulties for the inner temperature nourishing and self-practice of traditional self-cultivation,which leads to the tendency of knowledgeable in self-cultivation education and reduces its effectiveness.After the Republic of China,with traditional classics transformed modern academic,modern"ethics"replaced the Neo-Confucianism based on"The Four Books The Great Learning(??)"for the theoretical foundation of moral education.Modern textbooks were accompanied by the modern education system.The compiled structure of textbooks also reflects the changes of modern moral academics.The examination and approval system for textbooks has also promoted the rise of civil education forces with modern intellectuals as the core.The transformation of the concept of self-cultivation is reflected in the textbooks,which can be divided into two aspects.At the individual aspect,the traditional"edifying disposition"is transformed into the"acquisition"of social common sense.This includes:(a)the"Qi(?)-constituent"body of physical and mental integration is disassembled by modern health medicine,physiology and scientific psychology,as a result,hygiene and medical knowledge become one of the main content of self-cultivation education;(b)The content of nourishing virtues is supplemented by a large amount of economic and political common sense.At the social aspect,the scholar-bureaucrat's social ethical bildung consciousness of"Xiu-Qi-Zhi-Ping(????)"is gradually transformed into the public ethics and group consciousness,which is mainly to cultivate the civilian personality.On the relationship between group and individual,the way of loyalty and reciprocity in Confucian tradition gradually evolved into a kind of general virtue of communication with people.On the ethics of family,the clan ethic and etiquette related to the patriarchal clan gradually disappeared,the“filial piety”as a family virtue was compressed.The concept of female equality and female talent have changed,but it has not divorced from the ethical role of“a good wife and great mother”.On the national ethics,the concept of modern nations and patriotism are the main contents.The concept of“Tianxia(??)”developed two opposite ideological tendencies.One is the collapse of the“Tianxia(??)”system associated with“ritual China”and changed to a competitive“world”;the other is,the thought of"Great Harmony"based on selfless spirit quickly merged with"internationalism"and"cosmopolitanism."The former manifests itself as a sense of retreat and hardship,while the latter manifests itself as a radical and peaceful consciousness.The evolution of self-cultivation education in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China was inseparable from the transformation of culture and society.First,the modern academic culture has shifted from the"classics scholastic times"to the"science age",and the decline of Confucian classics has made"self-cultivation"stay far from the metaphysical pursuit of"nature and heavenly tao".The thinking mode that emphasizes integrity and relevance in Confucian classics is broken down by science,as a result,the concept of“unity of body and mind”is thrown away.In the second place,along with the social structure changes from the traditional patriarchal system to the professional society,the public and private sectors are separated,and“Xiu-Qi-Zhi-Ping(????)”breaks down into the individually“life issue”of private field and the“society problem”in the public domain.The traditional view of whole virtue is divided into"social ethics"and"private moral",and the core of morality has shifted from the individual's"virtue"to"obligation".At the same time,the function of modern education has also shifted its focus from the traditional“human-becoming”to to“cultivating people”and“socializing”people.In the process of social transformation,modern intellectuals failed to reestablish a social focus like the traditional scholar-bureaucrats.Then,the"scholar-bureaucrat"style of social ethics education evolved into modern"enlightenment",and the inner"self-cultivation"was transformed into various sports practice.