Research On The Thought Of Example Education In The Four Books

Relying on example visualization and concrete strength of personality,example education plays an important educational role.The research of example education has been booming in the past 10 years,but there is barely any research of traditional Chinese example education.The Four Books is very prestigious and influential in the classic system,and therefore it is selected as the research sample.The Four Books constructs the theoretical foundation of the idea of example education with the theories of natural law,humanity and governance.The basic elements of the development of example education include the purpose of education,the educator(subject of education),the educatee(object of education),external environment,etc.The Four Books boasts a deep understanding of the first five elements.The ultimate aim of the example education thought in The Four Books is to realize the social goal of governing the country and the world.The specific realization path is "individual-family-country-world".Individual "self-practice" is a direct goal,which will train individuals to become distinguished men,gentlemen and even sages with desirable personalities.Only "self-practicing" indi-viduals is qualified for"governing people" in social relations.The moral examples in The Four Books are diversified,and they can be divided as three main aspects of king,good minister and scholar according to the standards of status and positions.The internal logic is an example of governing the country,hoping that people with "virtues" can possess political "positions",and people with "high positions" having the "virtues" of examples.The main bodies of example education in The Four Books include "sages","gentlemen" and "distinguished men"."Virtues" and "positions" are the restrictive conditions for obtaining the qualification of the model education subject.The public is example object of the model education,with people in power included.But there are differences in specific requirements.The subject and object relations of example education appear as that between king and ministers,that between common people and ministers and that between teachers and students.The moral connotation of the examples in The Four Books is the content of example education.In terms of personal morality,the examples are upright and noble.In terms of family morality,the husband and wife are in good relationship;in a family,there are loving father and faithful son and loving brothers.In terms of political morality,the rulers are self-restraint,respecting the virtuous and cherishing talent,benevolent and loving.In terms of communication morality,the examples respect the old and cherish the young,stick to harmony,make friends with virtues and accord with customer.The main methods of example education in The Four Books are self-education and demonstration of teaching others by one's own example.The former points to"self-improvement" and advocates self-education,self-examination,and learn from examples;the latter points to earnestly practicing what one advocates,making oneself an example and educating from up to bottom.The example education idea of The Four Books is theoretically unique in the cognition of educational content,educational form,educational function,educational method,etc.But it is also theoretically limited in educational goal,example standard,example structure,function cognition and cultivation method,etc.We need to adhere to the combination of "critical inheritance" and "creative transformation",make best use of the advantages and bypass the disadvantages and develop the idea.