The crisis of moral education in modern China: A historical perspective.
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| Title: | The crisis of moral education in modern China: A historical perspective. |
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| Authors: | Wang, Fan-Sen1 (AUTHOR) fanshen@mail.ihp.sinica.edu.tw |
| Source: | Journal of Moral Education. Mar2026, Vol. 55 Issue 1, p13-28. 16p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Moral education, *Intellectual history, *Cultural values, Chinese civilization, Social ethics, Social theory, Confucianism, Cultural movements |
| Geographic Terms: | China |
| Abstract: | Since the traditional period, moral education in China has gradually departed from religion and mythology. In light of the emergence and rapid development of the neo-Confucianism (or lixue) between the Song (960–1269) and the Ming (1368–1644) periods, this paper argues that a phase of 'neo-tradition' began around the eleventh and twelfth centuries, during which interpretations of 'original nature' fundamentally changed moral education. Furthermore, the author proposes to divide Chinese intellectual history into four periods: traditional, neo-traditional, anti-traditional and 'age of -ism' (zhuyi) periods. The anti-traditional ideas which blossomed and radicalized since the May-Fourth Movement (1919) triggered the abolition of classical studies, and demanded traditional social order replacement by a modern moral education to nurture modern citizens. Lastly, the author suggests to re-visit the moral tradition of the inner-self, seeking ways to bridge it with the modern civic values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | Since the traditional period, moral education in China has gradually departed from religion and mythology. In light of the emergence and rapid development of the neo-Confucianism (or lixue) between the Song (960–1269) and the Ming (1368–1644) periods, this paper argues that a phase of 'neo-tradition' began around the eleventh and twelfth centuries, during which interpretations of 'original nature' fundamentally changed moral education. Furthermore, the author proposes to divide Chinese intellectual history into four periods: traditional, neo-traditional, anti-traditional and 'age of -ism' (zhuyi) periods. The anti-traditional ideas which blossomed and radicalized since the May-Fourth Movement (1919) triggered the abolition of classical studies, and demanded traditional social order replacement by a modern moral education to nurture modern citizens. Lastly, the author suggests to re-visit the moral tradition of the inner-self, seeking ways to bridge it with the modern civic values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 03057240 |
| DOI: | 10.1080/03057240.2025.2516194 |
