Chapter 17 Section 2 Unique Academies in the Qing Dynasty

Most academies in the Qing Dynasty had evolved into examination-style academies that were indistinguishable from official schools, and became appendages of imperial examinations just like official schools.However, there are also a few academies with unique characteristics and great influence, which occupy an important position in the history of academics and education. Yongshang Witness Academy was founded by Huang Zongxi, an outstanding early enlightenment thinker and famous educator during the Ming and Qing Dynasties.In the seventh year of Kangxi (1668 A.D.), Huang Zongxi went to Ningbo to give lectures at the invitation of all his disciples, and founded the Yongshang Witness Academy.

The Yongshang Witness Academy was originally the Yongshang Witness Lecture Society, also known as the Yongshang Lecture Society and the Yongshang Five Classics Society. Yongshang, that is, the eastern part of Zhejiang with Ningbo as the center, has always been known for organizing and speaking, and the children of the old family often form literary societies.There have been Qiushui Society, Danyuan Society, Wenye Society, and Policy Discussion Society successively.In the sixth year of Kangxi (1667 A.D.), the Policy Forum united 27 people from Yongshang to study with Huang Zongxi as a teacher in Huangzhupu, Yuyao. After returning to Ningbo, the Lecture Association was established. The thought of "world" is the purpose of the lecture meeting.

Contrary to the style of study in the middle and late Ming Dynasty of "talking about life, going straight to the barriers of Zen, and ignoring books", the lectures were carefully studied Confucian classics, which instead caused "surprise in the entire county", and some people even "spoofed words".In order to support the seminar, Huang Zongxi was pleased to be invited to give lectures in Yongshang, formally established the Yongshang Witness Academy, and pro-chaired it. Yongshang Witness Academy does not have a fixed site or lecture hall.Most of them borrow monks' temples, ancestral halls, or give lectures at students' homes, which is quite like a mobile lecture group or academic group.

Huang Zongxi gave lectures at the Yongshang Witness Academy, emphasizing poor classics, reading history, and managing the world, and tried to change the humble style of study that was empty, flashy and shallow in the late Ming Dynasty.Quan Zuwang pointed out in "Yongshang Witness Academy Records": "Mr. first said that learning must be based on classics, and then it must be proved in historical records, and then it is sufficient to meet the duties. Yuanyuan Benben, you can rely on it. "It is a major feature of Huang Zongxi's academic thought that he attaches great importance to carrying forward the study style of classics and history, and it is also the unique style of study of Yongshang Witness Academy.

Yongshang Witness Academy, in addition to emphasizing classics, history, and literature, also attaches great importance to the teaching of natural science and technology knowledge such as astronomy, geography, and mathematics. The study of measuring and pushing steps in the far west, fighting hard and vigorously, all of them are self-evident." (Zheng Liang: "Hancun Miscellaneous Records Hancun's 70th Birthday Preface") is based on classics and supplemented by Based on historiography, literature, and the law of heaven and earth, all studies are attributed to "management of the world" and "responsibility", thus "changing the chronic illness of the lecture hall".

Huang Zongxi advocated independent thinking and free play in the teaching of Yongshang Witness Academy, not just following the lecturer, and not focusing on the theory of the family, but to "join the team and observe", "accumulate thinking and self-enlightenment".This is exactly the manifestation of Huang Zongxi's obvious practical thought and preliminary democratic consciousness in the academy lectures. Yan Yuan, a famous early enlightenment thinker and an outstanding educator in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.Its ideological characteristic is to emphasize practice rather than empty talk, so it was renamed Xizhai.He devotes himself to self-study all his life, works in the garden, reads and teaches at the same time, does not like socializing, and does not seek fame and wealth.His most proud disciple is Li Wei (gong Gong).Later generations called the theories of his teachers and students the "Yan-Li School", whose outstanding feature is "practical", emphasizing "real writing, practice, practical learning, and practicality".Emphasis on learning, doing, and moving in education.

Zhangnan Academy was originally a free school built in Tunzibao, Feixiang County, Hebei Province. Xu Sanli, the county magistrate, named this free school "Zhangnan Academy". To meet the academic requirements and aspirations of the scholars.In the thirty-third year of Kangxi (AD 1694), Hao Wencan traveled hundreds of miles to Boye, Hebei to visit Yan Yuan, intending to hire Yan Yuan to preside over Zhangnan Academy.Yan Yuan didn't respond at first, but after repeated efforts, Yan Yuan agreed to be hired to teach in Zhangnan Academy.However, due to the frequent flooding of the Zhangshui River, the courtyard was finally washed away.Yan Yuan had only been teaching at Zhangnan Academy for four months before returning home.

On the first day of teaching at Zhangnan Academy, Yan Yuan read his carefully prepared "Xi Zhai Dogma" at the opening ceremony to welcome him to give lectures, and expressed his intention to promote the study of the six arts of Duke Zhou and Confucius in Zhangnan Academy.He said: In the past, the Duke of Zhou and Confucius specialized in teaching art.Scholars in modern times only practice stereotyped writing, so they miss the purpose of learning and teaching.Anyone who is my disciple should aspire to learn rites, music, archery, imperialism, calligraphy, mathematics, as well as soldiers, agriculture, money, grain, water, fire, engineering, and danger.Although I can't, I would like to learn together.Classes on the 16th, rituals on the 38th, poetry and music on the 49th, archery on the 50th. "Only study stereotypes on the 27th. (On the volume of "Mr. Yan Xizhai's Chronicle", the first edition of "Series Integration" of the Commercial Press)

Yan Yuan's most valuable work in Zhangnan Academy is to formulate a grand long-term development plan for Zhangnan Academy. Please build four couplets in the main courtyard, which is called the lecture hall.East No. 1 Zhai is west-oriented, and it is called Wenshi, which teaches rituals and music, books, astronomy, geography and other subjects; West No. Various methods of warfare, books on archery techniques and other subjects.The East Second Zhai is westward, and it is called Classics and History, and it has subjects such as "Thirteen Classics", the history of the past dynasties, imperial edicts and chapters, poetry and prose; Like mathematics and other subjects.The south is three or five feet away from the gate of the courtyard.Hanging the plaque of Xu Gong's "Zhangnan Academy" does not change the old name lightly.Inside the door, it is called Lixue Zhai to the east. It is a meditation class, and it is composed of Cheng Zhulu Wang Zhixue.Zhixi said Tie Kuo Zhai, taught stereotypes and promoted careers, all facing north.The above six fastings, fasting has its own length, and its discipline has its leadership, and all of them are based on the virtue of wisdom, benevolence, sages, righteousness, and harmony, filial piety, friendship, marriage, and compassion... If you put Neo Confucianism and Tie Kuo to the north, you see it as the hostility of my way, not Zhou Confucianism, temporarily accepted, to show the breadth of my way, and to adapt to the time.Once the accumulation of learning is correct, the method of selecting scholars will be restored, and then the second room will be empty, the left will be the guest price, and the right will stay to learn. ("Yan Li Series·Xizhai Jiyu·Zhangnan Academy Records")

Yan Yuan conceived a blueprint of a modern university with different disciplines in a retro form.Although it failed to be implemented, it provided a thought-provoking early ideal model of modern education. Ruan Yuan (1764-1849 A.D.) was a representative of the textual research school in the Qing Dynasty. This school reached its peak during the Qianlong and Jiaqing years, so it is also called the Qianjia School.Its academic purpose is to "advocate the nature and Tao of Song learning, and use Han Confucian classics to make it real", based on the Six Classics, and seek meaning and principles from ancient books and texts, so it is also called Sinology or Simple Learning.

After the eleventh year of Yongzheng (AD 1733), the Qing Dynasty actively established provincial and prefectural and county government-run academies, and the number of academies increased greatly. However, the inherent tradition of teaching in academies was almost lost. Including, only seeking fame, not practical learning.It has aroused the worries and dissatisfaction of many people of insight, and the voice of seeking reform has risen day by day, and people are actively exploring ways of reform.For example: Cheng Tingzuo (1691-1767 A.D.) wrote in "Mr. Li Mutang's Discussion on Academy Books" that he asked the academies all over the world to carefully select the head of the mountain, and "imitate the legacy of Suhu and Bailu to teach, and those who enter it will first practice friendship and rule. By governing history, we must make the best use of our talents to verify the facts, and not blame the imperial examinations."In the twenty-fourth year of Qianlong (AD 1759), Chen Hongmou (AD 1696-1771) made new regulations for Ziyang Academy, requiring "twice a month of texts, six lectures, or four books, or classics, or history, regardless of length" .Qian Daxin, Yang Shengwu, Lu Wenchao [chao Chao], Zhang Xuecheng, etc. have all carried out reforms. The central idea is "poor classics", "general history", "bowen daogu", "common classics and application", in order to abandon the career However, they failed to fundamentally reverse the situation that the academy became a vassal of the imperial examination.It was against this background that Ruan Yuan embarked on the road of promoting Sinology and restoring the fine traditions of the academy. Ruan Yuan has been dissatisfied with the style of study of "merely studying the arts" since he was a teenager. He is determined to study Confucian classics thoroughly, dabble in natural science extensively, and get in touch with Western mathematics and astronomy.In the fifth year of Jiaqing (AD 1800), when he served as the governor of Zhejiang, he boldly carried out the reform of the academy. At the foot of the Gushan Mountain in the West Lake of Hangzhou, he established a new type of academy called "Grass" based on the 50 old houses that were used to compile "Jing Ji Zhuan Gu". Jingshe", "choose high-achieving students to study among them", "specialize in studying classics, history, poetry and Fu, and wash away old habits".In the first year of Daoguang (1821 A.D.), when Ruan Yuan was the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, he personally selected the site and opened the "Xuehaitang" class on Yuexiu Mountain in the north of Guangzhou. The guiding ideology of Gujing Jingshe and Xuehaitang is "to learn by virtue, not by fame", not to be flashy, but to encourage practical learning.The teaching content is mainly based on classics and history, with consideration given to elementary school, Ministry of Astronomy, geography, and algorithms.Ruan Yuan emphasized that "scholars should start with Confucian classics" and "If you want to talk about economics, you can't help but ignore Confucian classics and history."But to understand the scriptures, one can only understand the principles through exegesis, "abandoning the scriptures to seek the scriptures, the scriptures are not true", only by mastering the merits of exegetical textual research, can "avoid the disease of chasing the empty and escaping the void".However, Ruan Yuan strongly opposed exegesis for the sake of exegesis, and textual research for the sake of textual research.He believes that: "The way of sages and sages is nothing more than practice", "whatever is discussed is actually useful", and those who "understand the way of heaven, earth and man" are worthy of being called "Confucianism".Therefore, Jingshe Jingshe and Xuehaitang not only taught classics and history, Cangya, Xingwei, Jinshi, textual research, literature and art, but also taught economics such as military punishment and Caohe. There are also many innovations in the teaching methods of Gujing Jingshe and Xuehaitang. First of all, although Ruan Yuan teaches in person, he emphasizes that teachers should study together, "use each person's strengths and work together to guide", so as to avoid the prejudice of sects.Secondly, teaching is mainly based on students' self-study and independent research. Students are encouraged to "know the essence and think sharply, and not be confused by common solutions."Again, pay attention to cultivating students' modest and pragmatic style of study.Ruan Yuan repeatedly emphasized: "Leaching is right and wrong, you need to be factual, and reading is foolish and wise, and you have to be modest." In the Qing Dynasty, when the vast majority of official schools and academies had a corrupt style of study, did not study practically, and devoted themselves to career development, Ruan Yuan was able to insist on "transferring the losses of the last stream, and advocating practical learning, cultivating talents, and working hard, making the To drive one of them" is really commendable!