Early Republic Of Geography, University Of Educational Research

Geography became an independent course in sundry new-type schools since westernization movement, then people knew that geography is an important science. After the foundation of The Republic of China, modern university system has been established gradually, and many modern departments have been established too. This paper research on geography education of university from the establishment of The Republic of China in 1911 to the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War in 1937, in terms of the history of education, history of science, and history of geography.The name of institution of geography education had changed gradually, curriculum content perfected gradually. The department of history and geography was established in Beijing normal university in 1912, which is the rudiment of the department of geography. The Department of Geology and Geography came into existence in southeast university in 1921, which is the first modern geography department. The department of geography in Tsinghua University was established in 1929, and divided into three groups, such as meteorology, geology and geography. The department of geography in Sun Yat-sen University was established in 1929, according to the Germany model. Department of geography which appeared first in China, provided a platform for development of Chinese geography.Geography teacher in republic china consisted of returned overseas teachers, native teachers, and foreign teachers. Returned overseas teachers which occupied a great share, studied in American Europe Japan and other countries. Because of The Boxer Indemnity, teachers studied in America is most. The returned overseas teachers brought and spread western geographical knowledge and theory. Native teachers inherited Chinese traditional geography, meanwhile absorbed the western geography. Foreign teachers brought not only geographical knowledge but also education modal.The number of geographical students in republic china increased gradually, and most of which came from north china, south china, and centra china, not northwest territory. Some graduates continued to research on geography, some teached geography in middle school, and others worked in the office. They continued and spread geography knowledge.Curriculum content in department of geography in republic china had six traits: attached importance to field survey and the practicability of geography; political geography was the most important because it connectted with national conditions; the kinds and numbers of curriculum was too many; thought highly of world geography; opened related geographical research courses and cultivated ability of students; studied advanced western geographical knowledge and used western book.From this paper we know that from 1911 to 1937 during earlier republic of china, geography education of university provided basis for developing and perfecting Chinese modern geography, and promoted the establishment of geo-scientific system. The Modernization of Chinese Geography had been completed. The Chinese traditional geography which existed for thousands of years had changed in content, keeped pace with the times, even was on the front rank in some respect s.