yang Changji

January 17, 1920-China ethicist and educator Yang Changji passed away

A native of Changsha County, Hunan Province, named Huaizhong, and also named Huasheng, was born in 1871. After failing in the township examinations twice, he later set up a museum at home to teach apprentices. He often discussed state affairs with his close friend Yang Shouren, believing that "non-reform is not enough to survive." In 1898, he studied at Yuelu Academy. Despite the obstruction of the mountain chief, he resolutely joined the progressive group Southern Society, working hard to promote new learning and new policies, and agreed with Tan Sitong's political thought of "putting the people first." After the failed coup of 1898, he fled to his hometown and studied the study of the world. Whether it is studying knowledge or being a person, they all have a spirit of perseverance. He said: "I have no one who is extraordinary, but I work hard on the word perseverance and often want to win over time. "This spirit of his was called the" Dahua Zhai Method "by students and competed to imitate it.

In 1903, he was admitted to Japan for official fees and studied education at Hongwen College and Tokyo Higher Normal School for 6 years. In Fuso, he did not forget his motherland and changed his name to Huaizhong in order to have a heart for the Middle Earth. He criticized the Japanese teacher's slanderous remarks against the Chinese, saying that Japan "has no good intentions" and "has the idea of conquering China". He also participated in the anti-Russian movement. In 1909, he went to England from Japan and entered the University of Albertine in Scotland to study philosophy and ethics, and obtained a bachelor's degree. Later, he went to Germany to study education, determined to dedicate himself to education and serve the motherland and the people. Returning to Changsha in 1913, he was hired as the director of the Department of Education by the Hunan Provincial Government. He flatly declined, saying that he would concentrate on academic research and education. "It is his duty to directly influence the youth, and he intends to plant more seeds when it happens." He taught at the Fourth Normal School and the First Normal School in Hunan Province. A large number of aspiring young people such as Mao Zedong and Cai Hesen were his students and received a lot of teachings. He paid close attention to state affairs, tried to rescue Yang Delin who was persecuted by Yuan Shikai, advised Yang Du not to advocate for Yuan Shikai's restoration of the imperial system, supported and participated in the New Culture Movement, ran for the establishment of Hunan University, and so on. He also wrote papers and recommended articles for "New Youth". With Xu Teli, Li Jinxi and other organizations, he edited and published textbooks for primary and secondary schools, translated "History of Western Ethics", edited "The Analects of Confucius", "Lectures on Pedagogy" and other books. "The Diary of Dahuazhai" and "Yang Changji's Collected Works" are his handed down works.

He put forward many insightful views on education: advocating the unity of knowledge and action, focusing on practice, and opposing empty talk; advocating moral education as the center and the comprehensive development of morality, intelligence and body, and proposed 10 aspects such as "determination, ideals, patriotism, martyrdom, diligence, sincerity, meritorious service, courage, perseverance, and respecting ourselves to the present" to encourage students to aspire to be upright and upright people who are beneficial to society; advocating that popularization of education should be combined with improvement; Advocate vigorously develop higher education and oppose the fashionable trend of studying abroad; focus on discovering, caring and cultivating talents. This is "everything is long, but this is the big thing"; advocate that foreign things be used for use and oppose total Westernization. He believed that each country had a national spirit."We studied overseas and wanted to return to China for use. We had to study in depth the situation of our country, and what should be caused, what should be reformed, what should be taken, and what should be abandoned. Be clear in your heart, if you are sure, you can adapt to the country's laziness and respond to the general trend of the universe."

In June 1918, he was hired by Mr. Cai Yuanpei to serve as a professor of ethics at Peking University. He raised funds for students going to France on a work-study program, recommended Mao Zedong to work in the Peking University library, and facilitated the marriage and love relationship between his beloved daughter Yang Kaihui and Mao Zedong. During the May 4th Movement, the article "Tell Students" was published to express his ardent expectations for young people. He died of illness in Beijing on January 17, 1920, at the age of 49. He was buried in Bancang, Changsha County.

Mao Zedong spoke highly of him, saying that he was a man of high morality, had a strong belief in his own ethics, and tried to encourage students to aspire to be a straight and aboveboard person who was beneficial to society. He devoted his life to developing education,"forcibly avoiding Taoyuan to build an ancient era, and wanted to plant big trees to support the long sky." Two of his favorite students: Cai Hesen was a theorist on the founding of the Communist Party of China and a former member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee; Mao Zedong was well-known and was the greatest figure in China in the 20th century. They realized their mentor's ambition to "plant big trees and support the long sky."