Samuel Robbins Brown And Modern China’s Education Of Studying In The United States

Overseas education exerted a far-reaching influence on China’s modernization. Investigating the history of the Chinese overseas education, we found that Samuel Robbins Brown played a very prominent role. Samuel Robbins Brown is the first American missionary who came to China as a teacher in Chinese modern history. He helped Yung Wing, Wang Afun and Wong Shing to study in the United States, which made him as a " truly guide" of Chinese overseas education. Based on the historical facts, this paper is meant to investigate the Chinese overseas education history and the process of educational modernization, which initiated by Samuel Robbins Brown and to confirm Brown’s important role on the Chinese overseas education.This paper, in addition to the preface and epilogue, is divided into three chapters. The preface, firstly, described the background and significance of the research, and points out that Brown is actually a "guide" of Chinese overseas education. Secondly, it briefly introduces the academic research achievements. Finally, it makes some explanations on the study goals, research ideas, research methods and the innovations and deficiencies of this paper.The first chapter is about Samuel Robbins Brown’s journey to China. This chapter starts with Brown’s early life and educational background, and implies that at childhood, Brown has made a determination to become a missionary to China. His dream finally achieved because of the preparation work to build the Morrison School at Macao. As the first teacher and president of the Morrison School, Brown’s teaching and management work has a great influence on his students. His teaching also helped the students to have a good command of English and knowledge of western culture, which made necessary conditions for Yung Wing and others to study abroad.The second chapter is about Brown and his role on Chinese overseas education to the United States. Brown taught at the Morrison School for eight years, which gave him a necessary understanding of the educational situation in China. He recognized the gap between China and the United States and realized to help Chinese students to study abroad was a solution. Under his direct help, Yung Wing, Wang Afun and Wong Shing managed to study in the United States. Yung Wing also followed Brown’s steps. When he studied at Yale university, the idea that sending children to accept the "complete education" in the United States came to his mind. After returned to China, he made a great contribution to the first government-sponsored overseas education program, which launched the first overseas education climax.The third chapter is about the continuing influence of overseas education to the United States which initiated by Brown. First, under the direct influence of Brown, Yung Wing advocated and developed the overseas education programs to the United States, especially the program for the children. Second, it introduces the "Boxer Indemnities to sponsor education" movement advocated by Liang Cheng, who was one of the beneficiary of the overseas education program. It points out that without Brown’s influence, there would be no Liang Cheng’s "Boxer Indemnities to sponsor education" movement. Finally, it briefly introduces other students’contributions to the modernization of China, which further confirm Brown’s indispensable role on the Chinese Modernization Process.The epilogue emphasizes Yung Wing and Liang Cheng’s inheritance and development of Brown’s educational thinking, and fully confirmed Brown’s position at China’s overseas education to the United States in Chinese modem history. The beneficiaries of his teaching had became pioneers that made an important contribution to the cultural exchange between China and foreign countries. Finally, the paper takes Brown as an example to re-interpret the positive influence of missionaries on Chinese Modernization.