On The Gentry And Zhili Educational Modernization In Late Qing Dynasty

In mid and late Qing Dynasty, the western material mode of production and western culture was introduced into China, which country was invaded by the western powers with a strong military force. And various reform measures was implemented to save predicament when the Qing government gradually realized the shortcomings of the old system. In the field of education, reform was carried out by the Qing Government through abolishing imperial examination, constructing new schools, establishing new educational system and other measures. And the Modern education in late Qing Dynasty was promoted through a variety of ways by the gentry, who was comprised of the people with imperial examinations or official school background, the departure of retired officers with fame and titles and rustic dwelling people with prestigious status.New educational reform practice of Zhili Province was very active in the late Qing Dynasty. The transformation from traditional education to modern education of Zhili was promoted through various ways by the gentry, which class played an important role in the process of Zhili educational modernization. The gentry’s new educational activities of Zhili Province in the late Qing Dynasty are considered as the main line and perspective of this article. These are to investigate the modernization process of school education, social education, and reveal gentry’s activities and contribution in the process of Zhili education modernization. What’s more, it is to provide some beneficial reference for the current educational activities and educational reform practice. This paper depicts macroscopic and microscopic picture by using literature research method, calculating analysis method and case study of Zhili gentry Yan Xiu’s new educational activities. Accordingly, conclusions are drawn:Affected by the abolition of the imperial examination system, the spread of Western learning and the government policy guidance, the gentry class in late Qing Dynasty gradually differentiated and converted, or active or passive, to join the new education activities in Zhili Province. The modernization process of all levels and types of education in Zhili was promoted through donating funds,constructing new schools, reform traditional educational institutions and undertaking teaching in new schools by the gentry who contributed much to the modern education reform and social development of Zhili in Late Qing Dynasty. With the vigorously promotion of gentry, western modern educational thought was widely spread, new schools was sprang up all over the place, modernization education system of Zhili was initially established, and the pace of educational modernization was ahead of the nation and the times. Meanwhile, western ideas were widely spread and new talents were cultured by gentry’s new educational activities of Zhili Province in the late Qing Dynasty. These new talents widely involved in local affairs, and promoted the reform and progress of Zhili society.In addition, Chinese, morality cultivation and reading classics course were instructed in all levels and types of schools of Zhili, to ensure that the students could receive good national culture education while learning new western educational theories and course content. It combined the integration of new western education and Chinese traditional education. Furthermore, it provides realistic inspiration for today’s educational activities and educational reform practice: Educational modernization should absorb the western education methods, thoughts and system, at the same time, reasonably inheriting and developing our national cultural traditions, promoting modernity transformation of confucianism and confucian and other classics education tradition, as well as cultivating new talents with Chinese traditional cultural literacy.