On Being Human

Name: On Being Human
ISBN: 9787503485541

Chen HeqinChina Culture and History Press · ChinaSep 2024

3.8

Word count: 122K words
Chapters: 22
ISBN: 9787503485541

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Summary

The Republican era was a brilliant chapter in China's cultural history, an age of flourishing diversity and remarkable talent. The great masters of that bygone age still shine in history for their scholarship and integrity, and the voices they once raised to awaken the nation should not be erased by time. Speeches from the Republican era carry grace and style, spirit and classic stature, and deserve to be preserved and remembered. This book is one volume in our press's "Republican Era Speech Collection."

Editor's review

Chen Heqin was a key pioneer of modern Chinese children's education and early childhood education, and his speeches combine the rationality of an education scholar with the warmth of a frontline practitioner. This book collects his speeches from the Republican era, most of which center on how to conduct oneself, how to work, education, and social responsibility. The language is plain and sincere, with few empty slogans and much concrete experience, and it still feels immediate today. Its strength lies in placing the traditional theme of "how to be a person" within modern education and civic cultivation, discussing both personal cultivation and the responsibilities of educators and parents. It is suitable as a primary source for understanding Republican-era educational thought. There is no need to read it all at once; each piece can be savored independently, with attention to the speaker's sense of audience and manner of argument. For readers interested in education, character formation, and the intellectual history of the Republican era, this book offers texts that can be read slowly and measured against present realities.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in Republican-era educational thought and children's education
Primary and secondary school teachers, parents, and educators
Readers who enjoy the speech genre and want to understand the style of Republican-era scholars
Readers seeking reference reading on character cultivation and civic education

Not a good fit for

Researchers expecting a systematic theoretical monograph on education
Readers who prefer strong plot-driven narratives or light entertainment
Those unaccustomed to Republican-era vernacular speech style

Reading tips

Read by theme: for each piece, first look at the title and opening to grasp the intended audience, then read the main text.
Keep a pen handy and mark passages that resonate with today's educational situations; write a short hundred-character comment after reading.
Read alongside educational speeches from the same period to compare argumentative styles and problem awareness.
Read two or three pieces at a time, leaving time to apply the ideas to your own teaching or parenting situations.

About the publisher

China Culture and History Press China · Founded in 1980

China Culture and History Press has long devoted itself to modern and contemporary literature and culture-and-history reading matter, with publishing directions centered on classic works, social novels, prose and miscellaneous writings, and Eastern philosophy, alongside culture-and-history periodicals such as Zongheng. Among the more than 1,500 titles in the collection, representative books include Zhang Henshui's Ti Xiao Yin Yuan, Lu Xun's Complete Classic Works (10 volumes) and Wild Grass, and Lao She's Four Generations Under One Roof series and the boxed set of Lao She's Classic Works (10 volumes), while its author resources are concentrated on figures such as Zhang Henshui, Lu Xun, Lao She and Sima Qian. Its publishing character lies in solid editorial work on culture-and-history source texts and in issuing famous authors' works in sets, balancing the readability of individual texts with the systematic presentation of complete collections for focused reading and collecting. Beyond these directions, public information on the press's contemporary original publishing is limited, so it is not elaborated here.

版权信息
演讲者简介
编译儿童用书与儿童心理
心理测验
幼稚教育
一个理想的小学校
小学教育问题
在中华儿童教育社第五届年会上的开幕词
中华儿童教育社概况
关于汉字注音问题
欧洲各国小学教育新趋势
在国际联盟远东禁贩妇孺会议上的发言（摘要）
在孤岛上怎样做个好青年
怎样做一个理想的教师
什么叫作“活的教育”
活教育
为人的人生观
传统教育与活教育
国语教科书编辑问题
在上海女师全体教职员会上的一次讲话
低能儿童之研究
欧美教育的新趋势

FAQ

Is this book a theoretical monograph on education by Chen Heqin?

No. This book belongs to the "Republican Era Speech Collection" and gathers Chen Heqin's speeches from the Republican era. It focuses on addressing audiences about conduct, education, and responsibility, and is not a systematic theoretical work on education. It is suitable as intellectual-historical source material and as speech texts.

Can I understand it without a background in education?

Yes. The speech genre itself takes the live audience into account, the language is relatively plain, and the arguments mostly proceed from concrete experience. Readers without an education background can grasp the main ideas. For pieces whose historical context is unfamiliar, you can first learn the approximate date of the speech before reading.

Is it suitable for parents to use in guiding their children?

It can serve as a reference, but it should not be treated as a how-to manual. The content on character formation and educational responsibility offers inspiration for parents, but the speeches address the educational circumstances of the Republican era. Readers need to adapt the ideas to their own family and school realities rather than copying specific practices.

In what order should I read it?

There is no need to read straight through by page number. You can first browse the table of contents and select pieces by themes you care about, such as conduct, education, and social responsibility. Each piece stands alone; leaving a little time to reflect after reading makes it easier to absorb than reading continuously and quickly.

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About the author

Chen Heqin Author · Chinese · 1892–1982

Chen Heqin (1892–1982) was a renowned Chinese educator and child psychologist, and a founder of modern early childhood education in China, honored as the “Father of Chinese Preschool Education.” Born in Shangyu, Zhejiang, he studied at Columbia University in the United States and, after returning home, founded the Nanjing Gulou Kindergarten. Through this work he developed his theory of “living education,” which held that education should stay close to children’s lives and practical experience. His books, including Research on Child Psychology and Family Education, have long influenced Chinese families and early childhood teaching. Three of his works are available here, covering educational ideas, personal conduct, and inspirational growth; his plain, warm writing draws on everyday details to prompt readers to reflect.