EDUCATION IN ANCIENT CHINESE CIVILIZATION

Ø  Historically, Chinese was a great empire ruled by a series of dynasties for more than forty centuries from 2200 BCE until 1912

Ø  Many its educational tradition (especially Confucianism), still have influence today.

Ø  The early Chinese were ethnocentric and believed their cultures are superior to all others. They refuse to adapt technology from other cultures until in 19^th century, they are vulnerable to foreign exploitation

Ø  Chinese philosophy was more concerned about living here and now than with universal questions about afterlife and immortality of the soul.

THREE COMPETING PHILOSOPHIES

1.      Legalism

-          During Chin Dynasty, with the association of Shih Huang Ti, Legalism became imperial China’s official philosophy

-          Emperor’s edicts were unquestioned law. Legalism advocated a highly disciplined authoritarian government that would ruthlessly maintain order.

-          Fearing dissent, they imposed a strict censorship to repress alternative philosophies (eg: Taoism and Confucianism).

-          The purpose of education was to impose their definition of Chinese culture through indoctrination.

2.      Taoism

-          Associated with Lao Tzu.

-          Still influences Chinese culture and education

-          Alternative way to Legalism.

-          Tao Te Ching (The Way and Virtue), Lao Tzu began a philosophical search to find the path of true reality often hidden by appearances.

-          Advised people to stop trying to control other people

-          Education’s purpose is to encourage the self-reflection needed to find one’s true self and become free of the control of others.

3.      Confucianism

Replace Legalism when Han dynasty takes power

Need for harmony

-         Did not deal with theological or metaphysical issues about human relationship to God/Universe

-          Believed it was much more important to establish conditions for an ethical society than seek to answer unanswerable question.

-          Construct an educational philosophy based on ethical hierarchy of responsibilities began with emperor and going downward.

-          Idea of hierarchy can be depicted as ethical ladder (each rung is connected to people above/below

-          Major purpose of education is to maintain harmonious society

Rituals and manners

-          Emphasized civility-polite, correct and proper behavior. Believed that children learn to behave ethically when they have a clear role model. Teacher needs to personify this model

-          Maintains its social harmony as all its members learn and responsibly perform behavior their ranks require.

-          Established an academy to prepare students as officials in China’s Imperial Government. He set precise standards for admission to his school. Believes that high academic admission standards would select highly motivated students.

-          He taught rituals of polite behavior, court etiquette and ceremonies.

-          Developed well defined system of classroom management. Maintained a proper distance from his students but was approachable to them. He corrected and criticized his students in a positive and constructive ways.

-          Mentoring was important in Confucius’s philosophies of education. Confucius was esteemed by his students as ‘the master’

-          Confucian teacher is entrusted with guarding and transmitting the cultural heritage to maintain cultural continuity and school stability. The Confucian great books such as Classics of Change, Of Documents, Of Poetry, Of Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals. These text were used in Chinese education from 1313 – 1905.

Hierarchy

-          Confucius’s concept of hierarchical relationships, in which some individuals are superior and other subordinate.

-          People are accorded various levels of respect based on their position, status and achievements.

Respect for teacher

-          In China, teacher-student relationships were formal and followed hierarchical rules of approved behavior. Students behaved properly when they held their teachers in high regard and respect.

-          In China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore, Confucius is highly esteemed as the world’s greatest philosopher and educator. It shows how educational ideas and processes are transferred across cultures.

CHINA’S CONTRIBUTION TO WORLD AND WESTERN EDUCATION

-          National examinations

-          The examinations emphasized recalling memorized information rather than solving actual problems.

-          The examinations process, like the society, operated hierarchically and selectively, Students had to pass a series of rigorous examinations in ascending order. If they failed, they were dismissed from the process.

-          In imperial days, only a few finalists were eligible for the empire’s highest civil service position. The educational and examinations were reserved exclusively for upper-class males.

-          Now days, national examinations, especially for university entrance, dominate education in China, Singapore, Japan and South Korea. Other countries such as United Kingdom and France also require national tests.

Reference

            Ornstein Levine Gutek. Foundations of Education. s.l. : Wadsworth Cengage Learning.