Chapter 24 Chapter 23 Wu Rulun—an educator who went to Japan for inspection

At the beginning of the 20th century, the Qing government was forced by the situation and had to implement a series of new policy measures such as abolishing the imperial examinations, promoting schools, sending overseas students, changing the official system, training new troops, and preparing for the establishment of a constitution. Officials, scholars and people from all walks of life raced to the east to learn Buddhist scriptures in Japan.Some of them are dispatched by government officials, while others are visited by individuals at their own expense.The content of their investigation is very wide, from constitutional government, military, industry, agriculture, education, to the police, prisons, health and other aspects.Although their investigation time was long or short, their harvest varied, and their understanding varied, many of them wrote investigation reports or travel notes, leaving records of cultural exchanges between China and Japan, and commented on the New Deal reforms and reforms in the late Qing Dynasty. China's modernization has played a certain role in promoting it.The following will focus on the introduction of Wu Rulun, the chief professor of the Imperial University, on his investigation of Japanese education.

Wu Rulun (AD 1840-1903), courtesy name Zhifu, was born in Tongcheng, Anhui.He studied hard since childhood and is quite talented. In 1865, he became a Jinshi. He was a student and aide of Zeng Guofan, and later an aide of Li Hongzhang. Many memorials by Zeng and Li came from him.He used to be the magistrate of Shenzhou and Jizhou, and lectured at Baoding Lianchi Academy. In 1901, Zhang Baixi, Minister of the Ministry of Officials, was appointed as the Minister of Management, and recommended Wu Rulun as the chief teacher (that is, the dean) of the Beijing Normal University.In order to run the school well, Wu Rulun asked to go to Japan to inspect education first, to gain experience, and "seek the essentials".

On May 15, 1902, Wu Rulun landed from Nagasaki, Japan, and immediately started his inspection work. First, he went to the medical school of Nagasaki High School, and carefully visited the classrooms, libraries, laboratories, anatomical specimen rooms, and pathological anatomy rooms.After that, I visited almost every day, and sometimes even visited two or three schools a day without stopping.Regardless of his old age, infirmity, and tiredness of the journey, he meticulously inquired in detail about the school's regulations, teaching, teaching materials, classroom buildings, books, materials, equipment, and so on.Sometimes the accompanying staff advised him to rest, but he refused, saying, "I came here for the sake of the country, and I have exhausted my mind. At this moment, I have to urge myself!" , forty schools, ranging from kindergartens, elementary schools, middle schools, higher schools (ie high schools), normal schools, vocational schools, girls' schools, Chinese schools, schools for the deaf, non-commissioned officer schools, and the two imperial universities in Tokyo and Kyoto .He went to the Ministry of Education of Japan (the Ministry of Education) many times to listen to officials' introductions to the Japanese education system, school history and management, and collected a large number of documents, materials and charts.He also extensively met with Japanese educators and people from all walks of life to discuss in depth the experience and lessons of Japanese education reform and provide reference for the development of Chinese education.Its serious, responsible and hard-working spirit is admirable.Therefore, when Wu Rulun left Japan on September 29, Tokyo's "Asahi Shimbun" published an article praising, "there are the most officials and students from China who come to visit, and there are almost only one who is as handsome as Mr. Wu."

Wu Rulun gave a vivid introduction to various schools in Japan, and at the same time made a comparative analysis in connection with the situation in China.For example, when he visited a kindergarten in Kobe, he saw teachers teaching children to sing and dance, and made games and crafts.When he visited Fujimi Elementary School in Tokyo, he saw that "the house is very narrow", but he heard that many famous people graduated from this school.Visiting the Kyoto School for the Deaf, Mute and Blind, and seeing deaf and dumb students painting and blind students writing poems as gifts, he was even more amazed: "This kind of education can make up for the regrets of heaven and earth!" After visiting the school building at Kyoto Imperial University, Wu Rulun , specifically requested the president, Dr. Kinoshita Hiroji, to make a wooden model of the Kyoto University building and send it to Beijing for reference.At Tokyo Imperial University, he listened to the introduction of President Kenjiro Yamakawa, visited the departments of law, engineering and science, and attended the graduation ceremony of the students.He also specially visited the Hiromon Academy run by Japanese educator Jigoro Kano for Chinese students, and gave words of encouragement to Chinese students.

During Wu Rulun's visit to Japan, he met with Japanese educators and people from all walks of life, and took every opportunity to humbly ask for advice on Japan's experience in educational reform and development, and gained a lot of inspiration.For example, on June 30, Japanese educator Kojo Sadakichi hosted a banquet for Wu Rulun at Jingyangxuan Hotel in Tokyo, and there were eight Japanese scholars present.Wu Rulun invited every Japanese friend to "give a gift with a word" during the meeting.Therefore, some people suggested that Chinese education should "break the old malpractice" and "clean up the obscurity".Wu Rulun sometimes had written talks or exchanged letters with Japanese scholars to discuss educational issues of common concern.People from all walks of life in Japan also gave him a lot of suggestions and opinions on how to develop education in China. For example, some people think that "China's school policy should pay attention to national education", some suggest sending more students to study abroad, some advocate setting up more normal schools, and some Advocating that "the country's century-old plan lies in women's education."There are also Japanese people who advised him to proceed from China's reality and not to completely copy the Japanese education system.He also reminded him that he should learn from Japan's lessons when hiring foreign teachers. For example, in the early years of the Meiji period, German books were used for medicine, but the teachers were French and taught in English, which caused a lot of trouble. "China should correct this disadvantage."These opinions pointed out the problems that should be paid attention to in the establishment of new education in China from different aspects. Wu Rulun attached great importance to them and recorded them one by one for reference.

Wu Rulun compiled the results of his education visit to Japan into a book named "Journey to the East Conglu", which was delivered to Tokyo Sanseido for publication in September 1902 at the end of the visit. "Eastern Journey Conglu" consists of four volumes. The first volume is the lectures of the Ministry of Education, which is a record of 18 lectures he personally went to the Ministry of Education to listen to the introduction of Japanese education by officials.When officials from the Ministry of Education of Japan gave an introduction, students studying in Japan interpreted on the spot, and Wu Rulun recorded it himself.The second volume is excerpted diaries, which are excerpts from his diary during his visit to Japan from May 15 to September 6, 1902.The third volume is the school chart, including 19 charts such as the expenditure table of the University of Tokyo and the curriculum schedule of the Tokyo Higher Commercial School.The fourth volume is Hanza's written talks, which contain 28 articles in total, including his meetings and discussions with people from all walks of life in Japan, records of written talks and correspondence.The book comprehensively introduces Japan's educational system, educational ideas and specific methods and measures for developing education, and provides detailed, rich and specific information for China to learn from Japan's experience to establish a new academic system and develop modern education.Even Japan's "Asahi Shimbun" praised this book for "excellent collection" of Japan's educational system and "extremely useful" for Japanese people.

The purpose of Wu Rulun's careful inspection of Japanese education is to return to China to promote China's education reform and to rectify the Imperial University (the predecessor of Peking University).Unexpectedly, long before he returned to the country, conservative forces had already launched an attack on him. Rumors and rumors arose everywhere. A certain censor actually impeached Wu Rulun to the court, saying that since he traveled to the east, he had been full of spirits and would agree with the theory of freedom at the banquet. Visitors often talk about the doctrine of civil rights. If he has been in Japan for a long time, he will sing heresy and unpredictable when he comes back. It is better to call back urgently.The Empress Dowager Cixi also specially called Ronglu to inquire about this.After Wu Rulun returned to China, he handed over the book "Journey to the East Conglu" to Zhang Baixi, Minister of Management, "for selection".Just when he was preparing to start a career with great ambitions, he was opposed and obstructed by the old forces.Wu Rulun had not yet come to Beijing Normal University to report on his work. He first asked for leave to return to his hometown to visit his relatives. He founded Tongxiang Middle School in his hometown. He soon fell ill and died suddenly in 1903. sorry for that.However, Wu Rulun's contribution to the development of modern Chinese education and cultural exchanges between China and Japan will surely be immortalized in the annals of history.