Shenbao And Female Education In The Last Years Of The Qing Dynasty

After The Opium War, China enters into the last years of the Qing Dynasty which are the social transition from the ancient times to the modern ones rapidly. Along with the social contradiction and the national crisis unceasingly deepening, the introduction of western learning to the east starting, China Bourgeois intellectuals, who treat saving the nation and people, and transforming the whole society as their own duty, starts with the western"theory of natural rights"as a weapon to propose the equality of the sexes, and the new style -female education, which initiates the revolution on the Chinese female education.Shenbao established in 1872 is a progressive medium standing in the social front row. Its opinions–for the new, against the old, show the love to the nation and people, also pay a lot more attention to the female education issues. And it actively offers advice to promote the healthy development of the new -style female education. Shenbao introduces positively the development situation of the Western female education, exposes the root reasons why Chinese females suffer a lot. It thinks female education is justified and is the foundation of governing the family, the country and the world. It advocates the woman liberation and the new–style female education, and advises to cultivate the great woman talents different from the traditional ones according to new educational aims–developing overall morality, intelligence and physiques and the progressive directions of modern education. In the concrete management, it suggests hiring and cultivating the teachers of the woman students, postpones the age limits according to the national condition, and realizes coeducational schoolmates stage by stage. At the same time, Shenbao tries to clean the barriers and pave the way for the starting and development of the new-style female education. For example, it widely publishes the advertisements on female education, positively propagandizes the merits on female education, severely criticizes conservative thoughts and behaviors.As one of the most influential populace media, Shenbao provides the men with insight with the discussion platform on the female education issues at that time. It displays its characteristics as a populace medium—rapid widespread, making more people learn and attention this issue. In order to mobilize the socially progressive strength, realize the legalization and standardization of the new-style female education and speed up its historic course, it has made important contribution.Certainly, as a result of the historic reason, the thoughts on female education in Shenbao show some certain compromise. For example, it overemphasizes the female virtues and the duty of saving the nation, neglects the democracy rights which females should enjoy; it lacks the profound understanding to the oppressive class essence on women; it also slightly reveals the insufficiency of criticism to the conservative thoughts. All of these reflect the weakness of bourgeoisie reformists and the compromise to feudal education ideas. However, with the other populace media of the same generation, Shenbao is willing to undertake the progressive responsibility disseminating the new thoughts and ideas in order to save the nation and people at that certain time. And it should be given full affirmation in the aspect of inspiring people, promoting and initiating the new-style female education and impelling women's liberation.