Tao Xingzhi

Name: Tao Xingzhi
ISBN: 9787512509740

魏光朴International Culture Publishing Corporation · ChinaJul 2020

2.8

Word count: 90K words
Chapters: 24
ISBN: 9787512509740

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Summary

Tao Xingzhi (1891–1946): Chinese educator. Originally named Wenjun, later changed to Zhixing and then to Xingzhi. A native of Shexian, Anhui Province. Graduated from the University of Nanking in 1914 (later incorporated into today's Nanjing University and others). Subsequently studied at Columbia University in the United States. After returning to China, he served as professor and dean of studies at Nanjing Higher Normal School, and as director of the education department at Southeastern University. In 1920, he became secretary-general of the Chinese Association for the Advancement of Education, promoting the mass education movement. In 1927, he founded the Experimental Rural Normal School (i.e., Xiaozhuang School). Critically transforming Dewey's pragmatist educational theory, he advanced propositions such as "life is education," "society is the school," and "the unity of teaching, learning, and doing," forming the ideological system of "life education." After the September 18th Incident in 1931, he organized the National Crisis Education Society, founded the "Shanhai Work-Study Corps," advocated the "little teacher system," and practiced "immediate transmission upon learning." In 1934, he published the semi-monthly Life Education. After the December 9th Movement in 1935, he actively participated in the anti-Japanese democratic movement, co-signed the "Unity Against Foreign Aggression" manifesto with Shen Junru and others, and proposed that education must serve the national and democratic revolutions. He successively founded Yucai School and Social University. In 1945, he joined the China Democratic League, serving as a member of its Central Standing Committee and chairman of its Education Committee.

Editor's review

Wei Guangpu's Tao Xingzhi is a profound yet understated biography. Rather than mythologizing its subject into a distant symbol, it seeks to restore the true, multifaceted, and warmly human trajectory of a great educator's life. The book's value lies not only in systematically tracing the formation and development of Tao Xingzhi's core educational ideas—"life is education," "society is the school," and "the unity of teaching, learning, and doing"—but also in vividly portraying how, with fervent patriotism, tenacious practical spirit, and plain personal charisma, he devoted himself in turbulent times to the ideal of mass education. The author's restrained touch and solid use of historical sources let readers see not only an educator's theories but also the moving story of a man who united knowledge and action, spending his whole life loving his country, its people, and its children. In an era of widespread educational anxiety, rereading Tao Xingzhi—his views on the essence of education, teacher-student relations, and the creative spirit—still carries an illuminating power that cuts across time, offering a calm and forceful reference for thinking about what true education is.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Researchers and enthusiasts interested in modern Chinese educational and intellectual history
Teachers and educators in the field who wish to explore the essence of education and seek professional inspiration
Readers concerned with the spiritual history of intellectuals and social practice, who appreciate a life that unites knowledge and action
Parents who wish to reflect on their children's education and growth from a more fundamental perspective

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking light entertainment or novelisticplot-driven pleasure
Readers expecting concrete, immediately applicable modern teaching techniques or a how-to manual

Reading tips

It is advisable to read the book through first to grasp the overall arc of Tao Xingzhi's life and thought, then to read closely and reflect on his key educational writings.
While reading, compare his ideas with today's educational realities, trying to understand both the historical context of his thought and its enduring value beyond its time.
The book involves many historical figures and events; consulting relevant background materials as appropriate will help deepen understanding of the subject's choices and circumstances.

About the publisher

International Culture Publishing Corporation China · Founded in 1984

International Culture Publishing Corporation is a publisher known for introducing foreign literature and world classics, with about 283 relevant titles in the database. Its representative books include Goethe's The Sorrows of Young Werther, Hesse's Siddhartha, Jiménez's Platero and I, and Gibran's The Prophet, as well as cultural readings such as Zhu Guangqian's Twelve Letters to Youth and Common Talk on Classics. In psychology, it offers the nine-volume Collector's Edition of C. G. Jung's Works, covering social psychology and applied psychology. Its author resources include Goethe, Hesse, Jiménez, Jung, and Zhu Guangqian, along with Chinese authors involved in translation and compilation. Its publishing focus is on foreign literature, classic works, psychology, and culture, serving both academic and general readers. Public information is limited, and the above is based mainly on the books in the database.

版权信息
“中小学课本里的名人传记丛书”前言
少年时期
受到恩师的启蒙教育
正式成为崇一学生
踏上学医救民之路
从金陵大学毕业
青年时期
毅然赴美留学之路
以教育为终生事业
开启探索新教育之路
领导学生爱国运动
创办晓庄师范学校
办校有方
中年时期
发明推广“小先生制”
指导建立新安旅行团
开展国难教育运动
奔走各国，宣传抗日
坚持创办育才学校
活用教育方法
发起社会大学教育
反对内战，呼吁和平
万世师表与哲人永生

FAQ

What makes this book distinctive compared with other biographies of Tao Xingzhi on the market?

The author, Wei Guangpu, has conducted in-depth research and writes in a plain style. He focuses on restoring Tao Xingzhi as a flesh-and-blood person struggling within a specific historical context rather than as a mere symbol of thought, emphasizing the unity of his "doing" and "knowing" and showing the living process by which his educational ideas emerged from practice.

What is the reading value of this book for ordinary readers outside education?

The book concerns not only education but also a life attitude of putting ideals into practice. Tao Xingzhi's love for and dedication to his country, the people, and truth, and his creative, action-oriented life, offer profound spiritual inspiration to all readers and help us reflect on personal value and social responsibility.

Do the ideas in the book still have guiding significance for educational practice today?

Very much so. Tao Xingzhi opposed rote learning and bookishness and advocated cultivating "true people" with vitality and creativity. Ideas such as "the unity of teaching, learning, and doing" speak directly to the core of education—the all-round development of the person. Amid today's persistent exam pressure, his thought remains an important intellectual resource for reflecting on the alienation of education and returning to its original purpose of nurturing people.

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About the author

魏光朴 Author

Wei Guangpu is an author with limited publicly available information, whose name appears in the field of Chinese book publishing. Six of his works are held in the collection, spanning three broad categories: inspirational growth, biography, and law. These include "Unsolved Mysteries of Nature" for general readers and a biographical work on the educator Tao Xingzhi; in the legal field, his books cover specific areas such as fire safety, engineering management, construction management, and urban and rural medical care, showing a sustained attention to practical regulatory texts. Judging from the existing titles, his writing emphasizes popularizing knowledge and organizing regulations, with plain and accessible language intended for everyday reference by general readers and professionals. Since details such as his dates of birth and death, nationality, and educational background remain unconfirmed, his personal history cannot yet be described in detail; readers may turn to the works above to understand his writing focus.