Confucius, he say....

The historical importance of education in Chinese culture is derived from the teachings of Confucius and philosophers of the middle and late Chou eras. Fundamentally, these philosophies taught that social harmony could be achieved only if humans were free from deprivation and given proper education. Confucius taught that all people possessed the same potential, and that education was the corrective means to curb any tendencies to stray from ethical behavior.

From the very first, Confucius made education available to students from all classes. Education in China has thus been a equalizing force from ancient times. It became the means by which individuals from even the humblest backgrounds could rise to great heights. Through the ethics of Confucius which informed the traditional curriculum, it was also a powerful mechanism for implementing the ethical and social norms of Chinese society.

We know with some certainty that a state system of education was founded during the Han Period the emperor Wu-ti in 124BCE. Students who were admitted to the T'ai hsueh or Great Academy were destined for careers in the civil service after they passed the internal exams and were competitively selected for various positions. Initially only fifty-five students were admitted to the Great Academy. By 8 BCE, the Academy had an enrollment of three thousand students. During the Han Dynasty (202BCE-220CE) provincial schools were established and the Confucian tradition of education was spread across China.

As the Academy developed the connection between scholarship and the personality cult of Confucius also became established. The connection between Confucius and the official Chinese educational system thus became permanently linked right into the present time.

The curriculum at the Great Academy was based on the Confucian Five Classics and classes were taught by professors of the Five Classics who were known as po-shih. The basis of Chinese education did not change throughout the imperial history till the reign of the last Ch'ing emperors. During the Ch'ing Dynasty (1644-1912) both state and private schools were developed and students were able to buy places into these schools.

In contrast to western education, particularly in regard to the model of higher education in Medieval and Renaissance universities where students were encouraged to engage in disputation, traditional Chinese education consisted primarily of rote learning and memorization of the Classics. This formula became standardized by the seventh century CE. Candidates for the Civil Service Imperial Exams were required to memorize a vast amount of classical material and were never required to demonstrate the ability to either theorize or challenge a particular premise. The purpose of the scholar class after all was:

the creation of bureaucratic generalists familiar with an accepted ethical outlook and body of knowledge, not with the growth of knowledge or with academic specialization.¹

The very democratic nature of Chinese education--i.e., that it offered a path of upward mobility to anyone who could survive the rigors of study and examinations--was established from the first by Confucius himself. A traditional saying attributed to him states that "those who work with their heads will rule, while those who work with their hands will serve." To that end, education thus became a strategy for survival in a country where poverty and hardship had challenged the lives of millions for countless millennia.

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The Importance of Lifelong Learning

We usually think of our teens and early twenties as our most formative years, the time when we learn how to take care of ourselves and how to survive in the world. But learning doesn’t stop when we leave college or when we land our first real job. We spend our lives learning: gaining new skills to perform our jobs and to take care of our families, adjusting our worldviews as we encounter new situations and new people, and settling into the aging of our bodies and our brains. Every day, we can discover something remarkable and new—the trick is finding and keeping that insatiable curiosity we all had as children.
The philosophy of lifelong learning is simple, but there are many ways you can commit to learning new things throughout your life. How you learn—and why—is up to you. But a few guiding principles can help you apply what you learn to your work, your art, and your everyday life.
Staying sharp
Studies have shown that elderly men and women who play brain-challenging games, like cards and crossword puzzles, might delay the onset of Alzheimer’s Disease symptoms like memory loss. But the benefits of these games aren’t just reaped by the elderly: playing brain-teasing games or more serious pursuits like learning a new language can help keep your mind agile. So don’t be afraid to play board games with friends or spend a leisurely Sunday afternoon with a Sudoku square—you’re doing your mind a world of good.

Following your bliss
Have you always wanted to cook French cuisine or paint a mural? It’s never too late to pursue your dreams—and taking the time to learn new skills can do more than give you a sense of accomplishment. By finding a way to reach your personal goals, you can also improve the quality of your life and the lives of those around you: going to a cooking school or taking art classes can give you a chance to live your dreams and share what you’ve learned with friends and family. Many cities have artists’ groups that allow fellow artists to showcase their work as well as learn from others; joining one can give you the chance to create beautiful art and discover new ways to express yourself through your work.

Improving your career
In addition to keeping your brain healthy and fulfilling some of your personal goals, lifelong learning can also lead to a better career. If you’re interested in moving up in your current job, or you’d like to change careers, enrolling in college classes is a great option. Traditional college classes are becoming a lot less traditional lately: students can enroll in online training programs or take non-credit classes at a local university or community college. Explore programs and classes, and choose what you think would be best both for your career and your overall well-being.
Committing to lifelong learning can be as casual or as disciplined as you like. The goal is to explore the world, from other countries to your back yard, in new ways. By letting yourself ask questions, and being willing to listen to and learn from others, you’ll open your world in more ways than you can imagine.