Modern Significance of Liang Shuming’s Rural Education Theory and Practice

Abstract

As an innovative form of rural education, Liang Shuming’s theory and practice of rural education has far-reaching significance for the modernization of Chinese rural education and the improvement of the comprehensive quality of rural students. However, current education is facing the problem of utilitarianization of education. This paper first introduces Liang Shuming’s life background and ideological system and the framework of the core ideas of the rural education theory proposed by Liang Shuming, and then discusses Liang Shuming’s rural education theory and practice, i.e., vitalized education. At present, the rate of compulsory education in rural areas is only 79.1% and the rate of high school education is only 32.5%, so the level and quality of education need to be improved. The modern significance of Liang Shuming’s rural education theory and practice in rural education not only lies in the enrichment of educational contents and methods, but also in the promotion of rural economic, social and cultural development and the improvement of rural education quality and level. To this end, we should learn from Liang Shuming’s theory of rural education to enhance the level of rural education and to realize the "life-giving" educational practice of promoting students’ human growth, moral development and spiritual ascension. This paper argues that in the current rural education, the school level should face the growth of students’ lives, consciously care for their lives, and guide them to deepen their own lives; in the practice of education and teaching, it should respect students’ individual lives, build a platform for students’ independent innovation, and nurture students’ spiritual lives with classical Chinese traditional culture, so as to promote the progress of rural education.