Loyola University Chicago Loyola eCommons Dissertations Theses and Dissertations 1980 The Educational Thought of Confucius Helena Wan Loyola University Chicago Follow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Wan, Helena, "The Educational Thought of Confucius" (1980). Dissertations. 1875. https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/1875 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses and Dissertations at Loyola eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Loyola eCommons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License. Copyright © 1980 Helena Wan THE EDUCATIONAL THOUGHT OF CONFUCIUS by Helena Wan A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Loyola University of Chicago in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 1980 Helena Wan Loyola University of Chicago THE EDUCATIONAL THOUGHT OF CONFUCIUS The purpose of this study is to investigate the humanistic educational ideas of Confucius as they truly were, and to examine their role in the history of tradi- tional Chinese education. It is the contention of this study that the process of transformation from idea into practice has led to mutilation, adaptation or deliberate reinterpretation of the original set of ideas. The ex­ ample of the evolution of the humanistic educational ideas of Confucius into a system of education seems to support this contention. It is hoped that this study will help separate that which is genuinely Confucius' from that which tradition has attributed to him; and to understand how this has happened and what consequences have resulted. The method of study is by an examination and evaluation of the educational thought of Confucius within the context of his entire philosophy and his educational practice, as well as in the broader context of Chinese culture and history. Bearing in mind the problem of his­ torical evidence, the life and time of Confucius are ex­ amined to shed light on the sources from which Confucius derived and developed his ideas. The basic tenets in Confucius' ethical, political and social ideas are ex­ amined to provide the necessary background for the dis­ cussion of his educational ideas. 2 Central to Confucius' humanistic educational philosophy are his idea of man, his nature, his relation­ ship with tao, the way that man follows to attain harmony and happiness. These are discussed in conjunction with Confucius' concepts of jen and li. The educational im­ plications of these concepts.are stressed. The educa­ tional practice of Confucius is further examined with relevance to the methods, curriculum, the concepts of learning and teaching, and the integration of thought and practice. The goal and purpose of Confucius 1 education are three-fold. Education is to produce the superior man, chun tse, the harmonious social order and good government. The study argues that Confucius' educational goals, con­ trary to what tradition held them to be, were non-material­ istic, non-utilitarian, and not confined only to the in- tellectual or moral realm. It further contends that Con- fucius was an innovator rather than a transmitter. He innovated by placing traditional ideas in a new light, by selecting that which was relevant and discarding ana­ chronistic aspects. He was aptly the creator of new edu­ cational ideals, not an apologist for an old one, as tradition held him to be. Confucius' position in the history of Chinese education is evaluated by examining the historical impact of Confucius on the culture and education of China in the light of the relationship between Confucius, the thinker 3 and educator, and Confucianism the tradition. The birth and development of the Confucian tradition is traced ac- cording to two interpretations: imperial patronage of Confucius' ideas and propagation of these ideas by in­ dividuals. Various schools of Confucianism from the time of Confucius to the Ching dynasty are discussed with rel­ evance to their educational thought and practice 1 their adherence to or departure from Confucius' original ideas. In particular, the system of education and the civil serv­ ice examination system that had evolved down the centuries are critically examined. The findings reveal that only Mencius and the Neo-Confucianists of Sung and Ming dy­ nasties maintained a closer representation of Confucius' educational thought. The study brings forth the issue that Confucius will remain as a subject of controversy as long as he stands for all that is associated with the long history of China's past. This is once again evident in the "Criticize Confucius Movement" of modern China. The study concludes that the true influence of Confucius lies in the fact that his educational ideals did provide a rationale for Chinese education for twenty­ five centuries. Moreover, Confucius' educational thought contains universal facta about man and society, which might yet be relev.ant to the education of today. THE EDUCATIONAL THOUGHT OF CONFUCIUS by Helena Wan A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Loyola University of Chicago in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 1980 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my·gratitude to those faculty members of the School of Education who have informed, in­ spired and encouraged me in the preparation of this work. In particular, I would like to thank Dr. Rosemary Dona­ telli, Dr. Gerald Gutek, Fr. Walter Krolikowski, and Dr. John Wozniak for their guidance, patience, understanding and willingness to work at great distances. Thanks also go to my sister, Phyllis, who helped to keep the process going in affectionate and supportive ways, and enabled it to come to a neatly typed finish. ii PREFACE A system of education may evolve from a set of educational ideas which precede institutional development. However, it does not necessary follow that the system of education needs to be a mirror reflection of the original set of ideas. The process of transformation from idea into practice is a slow and complicated one, and many factors come into play. Time is a vital factor. The nec­ essary ideas often take up new meanings and connotations when taken out of the political, socio-economical and cul­ tural context in which they originated. Alsor much de­ pends on the manner in which these ideas have been adapted. Often ideas have been mutilated, partially adapted, or de­ liberately reinterpreted to suit the motives of the user. The evolution of the humanistic educational ideas of Con­ fucius into a system of education is a perfect example of such transformation. The Confucian tradition had for twenty-five cen­ turies dominated the educational scene in Chinar and much has been attributed to its founding philosopherr Confucius. China's traditional education system, though bearing the imprint of the philosopher, reveals a certain departure from the educational ideas Confucius professed. Jt is the purpose of this dissertation to investigate the humanistic iii educational ideas of Confucius as they truly were and to examine their role in the history of traditional Chinese education. The ultimate goal of this study is to render an objective assessment of Confucius as forerunner of an educational system that had for generations borne his name. It is hoped that this study will help separate that which is genuinely Confucius' from that which tradition has attributed to him; and to understand how this has hap­ pened and what consequences have resulted. iv VITA The author, Helena Sin-Yu Wan, is the daughter of Choi Kwai-chung and Choi (Poon) Chi-Chun. She was born January 7, 1941, in Hong Kong. Her elementary and secondary education was ob­ tained in Belilios Public School, Hong Kong, where she graduated in 1956. In September 1958, after two years of matriculation in Belilios Public School and Queen Elizabeth School, she entered the University of Hong Kong. She re­ ceived the degree of Bachelor of Arts with honors in May, 1961, and a major in geography. In May, 1962, she ob­ tained the Diploma of Education, with Credit in Practical Teaching. She taught in Ho Tung Technical School for Girls from September, 1962 to July, 1966. She was lecturer in Grantham College of Education from September, 1966 to February, 1972. In 1972, she took up residence in the United States. In February, 1972, she entered Loyola University of Chicago, and in June, 1973, received the degree of Master of Education. She was granted an assistantship in September, 1972, and a University Fellowship in 1975. She was lecturer in the School of Education of the Chinese University of Hong Kong from September, 1978 to June, 1979. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . ii ' PREFACE iii VITA v Chapter I. CHINESE CULTURAL CONTEXT 1 Education in the Chou Period • 11 Conclusion . 13 II. THE BIOGRAPHY OF CONFUCIUS 15 The Problem of Historical Evidence 15 Confucius the Youth . • 24 Confucius' Official Career .•.•.•. 28 Confucius' Period of Wandering 38 Confucius the Man . • 50 Conclusion • . • . • 53 III. THE ETHICAL, POLITICAL AND SOCIAL IDEAS OF CONFUCIUS . • . • . • 59 Introduction . 59 / Ethical Ideas . • . 59 Political Ideas .... 71 Social Ideas . • . 92 Economic Ideas . • • . 102 IV. THE EDUCATIONAL IDEAS OF CONFUCIUS 109 Introduction . 109 The Concept of Heaven 110 Confucius' Concept of Man ••. 118 The Concept of Tao and Its Educational Implications---. 120 Education of the Intellect and the Concept of Knowledge . 127 vi TABLE OF CONTENTS.--Continued Chapter Page Confucius' Humanistic Educational Concept of Jen and Its Educational Implications . • . • . 129 The Moral Educational Concept of Li and j Its Educational Implications ..•.. 132 .../ The Nature of Confucius' Education ••.. 138 Education as an Individual Process . 139 Education as a Social Process 140 Education for the Ideal Social Order 148 V.