Weige, Li-A Rarely Known Forerunner Of Science And Technology Education

Li Weige (1867～1929 ), one of the most influential propellent of Chinese iron and steel industry, is a forerunner of Chinese science and technology education. Before and during the days of the Hundred Days' Reform, he worked as the chief editor of two famous newspapers "ShiWu Bao" and "Xiang Bao". As an editor, he devoted himself into introducing western knowledge into China through translating western work pieces, especially those western pieces in natural science. In 1890s, Li Weige assumed the office of general tutor of western learning in Shiwu School in Hunan province. During his term, he engaged himself in various educational activities in order to spread western scientific knowledge and enlighten populace, for example, he designed by himself the curriculum for the western learning. By the drawn of 20th century, he was appointed as the manager of Hanyang iron factory and Hanyeping company and did not abandon his pursuit in scientific education. He not only created some employee occupational training schools, but also sent some employees go abroad for oversea learning and investigation. Through his effort, the first group of Chinese talents on iron and steel industry was brought up.In this paper, the author tried to analyze Li Weige's practices in science and technology education on the base of collecting, analyzing and reviewing large mounts of raw materials and relevant researches. This paper took Li Weige's practices in science and technology education as the main clue and tried to reveal his efforts in promoting the development of science and technology education and the cultivating of scientific talents in different stages of his life.At the very beginning, the author summarized the life course of Li Weige in a chronological order and outlined his psychological journey of his life in order to give a general understanding of his life to reader. In the latter chapters, the author described Li Weige's practices in every stage of his life successively. This paper argued that Li Weige's practices have contributed to the cultivation of talents in Chinese iron and steel industry in terms of two aspects. Firstly: he created the first occupational training schools in Hanyang iron factory and cultivated a group of skilled workers. Secondly, he sent many employees go abroad for oversea learning and investigation, which effectively promoted the grown up of senior technical and management personnel.In the process of researching, this paper tried to analyze all the practices, activities, and works of Li Weige on a contextual and historical base. Under the social and historical context of neoteric Chinese, the author discussed the developmental course and the connotation of Li Weige's thoughts in terms of sino-western cultural conflicts and Chinese modernization. Meanwhile, the author also compared Li Weige with his influential contemporaries such as Liang Qichao in order to reflect their importance and values in the Chinese history.