Interpreting Chinese Modern Universities: A Perspective Of Cultural Capital

Universities in modern China are the origin of contemporary universities in China. Theresearch on this topic not only has strong academic values, but also promotes the development ofcontermporary universities and society.However, at present, the research perspectives on thisissue are limited although dissertations are abundant. This dissertation can expand the vision andenrich substance for research by showing the past universities’ style and features with culturalcapital theory.According to analysis and summarize the Bourdieu’s Culture Capital Theory, it can bedivided into three fundamental forms: embodied cultural capital, objectified cultural capital andinstitutionalized cultural capital. The embodied cultural capital makes people as the carrier toimprove themselves through learning knowledge actively. The objectified cultural capital makesthe objective material as the carrier to show its real value through working with the embodiedcultural capital. The institutionalized cultural capital means that the owner of this capital will beprotected through a legal system. According to the above understanding of the cultural capital,we apply this theory to the research of universities in modern China, and investigate GinlingCollege, Nankai University(1919—1937) and National Southwest Associateo University fromthree dimensions of embodied cultural capital, objectified cultural capital and institutionalizedcultural capital. The findings are as follows: in Ginling College, staff members and learners asthe carriers have improved themselves and have created the Ginling Spirit, they integrated thisspirit into the objective materials such as Ginling College Magazine, countryside servicesdivision and so on to show their real value, at the same time, the title of Women’s university andChristian university made the owner protected by a legal system; in Nankai University, staffmembers and learners as the carriers have also improved themselves and have created the NankaiSpirit, they integrated this spirit into the objective materials such as the maxim on mirror, the bellin school and so on to show their real value, at the same time, the title of Private University madethe owner be protected by a legal system; in National Southwest Associateo University, staffmembers and learners as the carriers have improved themselves and have created the Spirit ofSouthwest Associateo University, they integrated this spirit into the objective materials such asteahouse, democracy wall and so on to show their real value, at the same time, the title ofNational University and Associated University made the owner be protected by a legal system.Through analyzing the cultural capital of universities in modern China and combining itwith the present situation of our universities, we can find that cultural capital is important topromote the development of universities in modern China, and it’s an important reason to makethese universities get respect from the western academic circles. So this reason is worthy ofpondering for us.