A Christian Approach to Chinese Classical Education

From the time Heaven (first) sent down and gave birth to the people, it did not fail to give anyone a nature with benevolence (ren 仁), righteousness (yi 义), propriety (li 礼), and wisdom (zhi 智). Nonetheless, their endowments of innate qi (气) are sometimes unequal. Consequently, some are unable to understand what their natures have and to bring them to completion. As soon as those who were intelligent and wise enough to be able to fathom their natures stood out among them, Heaven decreed that they were the rulers and teachers of countless millions, and made them rule over and educate others, so that they could revive their natures. 24

The purpose of education is to restore the natures given us by Heaven—our “heavenly natures” (tianxing 天性). This process is not something that man discovered but that Heaven “decreed.” Heaven decided of Its own volition to appoint men and women to teach us so that we might restore our God-given natures.

Zhu’s understanding of education is not entirely consistent with Christianity. For example, we know that our problem is not an imbalance of qi —it is sin. But we clearly see God’s fingerprints in these passages. Heaven did create us; we are ignorant of our true identities; our natures do need to be restored; and they are restored through teachers which Heaven has appointed. Compare Zhu’s words to those of Hugh of Saint Victor in the early twelfth century:

24 “ 盖自天降生民，则既莫不与之以仁义礼智之性矣。然其气质之禀或 不能齐，是以不能皆有以知其性之所有而全之也。一有聪明睿智能尽其性者出 于其闲，则天必命之以为亿兆之君师，使之治而教之，以复其性。” Zhu Xi 朱熹, Daxue zhangju xu 大学章句序 [Preface to the interlinear analysis of the Great Learning]

1.1.1, trans. Bryan W. Van Norden.

This, then, is that dignity of our nature which all naturally possess in equal measure, but which all do not equally understand. For the mind, stupefied by bodily sensations and enticed out of itself by sensuous forms, has forgotten what it was, and, because it does not remember that it was anything different, believes that it is nothing except what is seen. But we are restored through instruction, so that we may recognize our nature…This, then, is what the arts are concerned with, this is what they intend, namely, to restore within us the divine likeness. 25

Chinese Classical Christian schools are not promoting a form of education opposed to Zhu’s. On the contrary, we are perfecting it. In Christ, the Confucian program of education finds completion. The Confucian tradition says, “In order to know men, [a ruler] must know Heaven.” 26 In Christ, we know the true nature of Heaven and, consequently, ourselves. 27 The Confucian tradition says, “Unable to rejoice in Heaven, [a ruler] cannot perfect himself.” 28 In Christ, we are enabled to truly rejoice in Heaven and consequently perfect ourselves. In Christ, our sins are forgiven, our knowledge is renewed, and our natures are restored. In conclusion, then, we may summarize the goal of the Christian six arts curriculum as “self-cultivation through pursuit of the Dao (Christ).”

25 Hugh of Saint Victor, Didascalicon , 1.1–2.1. 26 “ 思知人，不可以不知天。 ” Zhongyong 中庸 [Doctrine of the Mean] in Liji 礼记 [Record of Rites] 52.20.1441, author’s translation.

27 Some argue that the “Heaven” of ancient China was not the God of Christianity. I refute this objection in the section on Paganism in Chapter 10: Obstacles to Classical Christian Education in China. 28 “ 不能乐天，不能成其身。 ” Aigong Wen 哀公问 [Questions of Duke Ai] in Liji 礼记 [Record of Rites] 50.10.1379, author’s translation.