Selected Writings of Cai Yuanpei (Annotated Edition)

Author: Nie Zhenbin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-10-01
Features: Cai Yuanpei was a great revolutionary, educator, and social activist in modern Chinese history. Although he was a jinshi (imperial scholar) during the Guangxu era and had been nurtured by the feudal imperial examination system, he completely opposed feudal autocracy and feudal education, advocating for saving the nation through education. He introduced new democratic ideas and modern scientific knowledge to enlighten the masses and was the first to propose a systematic educational philosophy emphasizing the comprehensive development of moral, intellectual, physical, and aesthetic qualities. He was the founder of modern educational thought and the pioneer of the new educational system. Throughout his life, he promoted scientific and democratic ideas, advocated academic research, and "harmonious coexistence of new and old thoughts." He implemented the principle of "governance by professors" and under his leadership, Peking University became the cradle of the May Fourth New Culture Movement, earning him the title of "Great Scholar of the Academic World and Model of Humanity" from Mao Zedong. The articles collected in this book comprehensively reflect Cai Yuanpei's educational philosophy, scientific and democratic ideas, aesthetic thought, and ethical concepts. Cai Yuanpei's life was primarily active in the late 19th century and the first four decades of the 20th century. This half-century was a tumultuous and painful era in Chinese history, marked by rare chaos, but also an era when heroes emerged in abundance. In this dark yet brilliant era, Cai Yuanpei, like many others, walked a difficult and winding path in life. He was both a recipient of the old feudal education and a founder of the new bourgeois education. Although he was nurtured by the feudal imperial examination system and was a jinshi during the Guangxu era, he completely opposed feudal autocracy and feudal education, advocating for saving the nation through education. He introduced new democratic ideas and modern scientific knowledge to enlighten the masses and was the first to propose a systematic educational philosophy emphasizing the comprehensive development of moral, intellectual, physical, and aesthetic qualities. He was the founder of modern educational thought and the pioneer of the new educational system. Cai Yuanpei was a great revolutionary, educator, and social activist in modern Chinese history. Although he was a jinshi during the Guangxu era and had been nurtured by the feudal imperial examination system, he completely opposed feudal autocracy and feudal education, advocating for saving the nation through education. He introduced new democratic ideas and modern scientific knowledge to enlighten the masses and was the first to propose a systematic educational philosophy emphasizing the comprehensive development of moral, intellectual, physical, and aesthetic qualities. He was the founder of modern educational thought and the pioneer of the new educational system.