Ancient Education in Quanzhou

Author: Chen Dubin Su Liming
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: Education can be broadly and narrowly defined. Broadly, education refers to all activities that enhance people's knowledge and skills, influence their thoughts and awareness, and strengthen their physical fitness. Narrowly, education refers to the purposeful, planned, and organized influence imposed by educators on learners according to certain social requirements, enabling them to acquire certain knowledge and skills, develop specific moral character, and enhance their intellect and physical abilities. In short, it refers solely to school education and related activities. The book elaborates on narrow education, specifically the school education that occurred on the ancient land of Quanzhou, and more precisely, the school education in Quanzhou during the feudal period. Ancient Quanzhou had a vast jurisdiction, including today's Quanzhou city districts and counties, as well as Xiamen, Tongan, and Jinmen counties. The education of ancient Quanzhou can be traced back to the Jin Dynasty and extended to the late Qing Dynasty, spanning a thousand six hundred years. It was a part of the school education in China's feudal society and also an important component of ancient Quanzhou's social life.