The Revival of Academies(shuyuan)in Moden China

• Main Authors: Yit-Ming Yang, 楊一鳴
• Other Authors: Fan-sen Wang
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/21267270639684330135

碩士 === 東吳大學 === 歷史學系 === 94 === This essay examines educational development in the twentieth century through the complex of revival of cultural nativism. We analyze the revival of academies movement in 1920 to 1949, and seek to understand how the autonomy of contemporary academies is taking shape within the particular conditions. During the late Qing and early Republican periods, Chinese educators encountered varied foreign knowledge patterns and influences and became more and more proactive in utilizing them to pioneer their own national path toward educational development. When western ideas about school systems were first introduced, Chinese traditional patterns of academy were challenged. The reclassification of knowledge and learning impact the old culture system, the new institutions structure and curricular content of western universities were also transplanted and change the higher education system in modern China. Although the structures of traditional academies were undermined and finally collapsed, the influence of the Confucian intellectual tradition has continued, shaping higher education development toward the integration of academic learning and national development. This is especially reflected in the establishment of private institutions of higher learning such as the academies (shuyuan). In 1920 and 1937, there were eight new academies emerged as teaching and research traditional culture institutions, which are zang shi guo xue jiang xi hui (章氏國學講習會), wu xi gua xue zhuan xiu guan (無錫國學專修館), zhi na nei xue yuan (支那內學院), tian you shuyuan (天游學院) , fu xing shuyuan(復性書院), mian ren shuyuan(勉仁書院), min zu wen hua shuyuan(民族文化書院), xin ya shuyuan(新亞書院). By focusing on the study of Neo-Confucianism and practical knowledge, these academies provided and alternative learning experience from that of official schools. The informal character of these institutions placed themselves at the opposite pole and invited much criticism. Yet, it is important for these Chinese scholars that exploring new meanings of traditional Confucianism in modern China. It brings value of existence to both Confucianism and themselves.