A Christian Approach to Chinese Classical Education

Having established the goal of learning, we must now consider with what attitude to approach it. The Chinese classical tradition stresses the importance of studying with a correct frame of mind. It is not enough for a student merely to show up to class and complete his assignments. If he does not do these things with a proper attitude, then his studies will prove fruitless. Specifically, the ancients emphasized three frames of mind with which a student should approach his studies: joy, reverence, and humility.

The Analects of Confucius begins, “To study and at due times practice what one has studied, is this not a pleasure?” 29 Joy is the motivating force behind proper learning. When learning is motivated only by duty, not only will students fail to remember what they have learned, they will also fail to understand the material as they ought. In order to properly understand a thing, we must engage it not only with our intellect but also with our affections. “Knowing something is not so good as loving it; loving it is not so good as taking joy in it.”30 This attitude should permeate Christian classrooms, for God does not want our students merely to know about the world He has created—He wants them to delight in it.

“For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy” (Ps. 92:4). “Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them” (Ps. 111:2). We might successfully teach our students all about elephants—where they live, how long they live, what special traits and abilities they possess—but if our students do not come away loving elephants, then we have failed them.

[Analects] trans. Robert Eno. 30

” Ibid., 6.20.78. I have slightly edited Eno’s translation, replacing “it” with “something.”

But approaching our studies with joy does not mean treating them flippantly like a party game. We must treat them with proper reverence. Confucius identifies three things especially worthy of our respect: “There are three things which the junzi reveres. He reveres the ordinances of Heaven. He reveres great men. He reveres the words of sages.”31 For the ancients, the ordinances of Heaven (what we call the “will of God”) were not perspicuous, for they did not come in the form of human language. When Confucius was asked why he spoke so little, he replied, “Does Heaven speak?”32 Heaven’s ordinances were not revealed through words but through history, tradition, and conscience. Of course, Confucius was right. At that time, God had not spoken to the Chinese through words. But eventually He did reveal His will to them through words. Now, “revering the ordinances of Heaven” primarily means honoring and studying Scripture, for it is there where we most clearly see the will of God. At the same time, we must continue listening to God through general revelation, for “the heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge” (Ps. 19:1–2).

Secondly, students should revere “great men.” For Confucius, this primarily means great political and military leaders. The Apostle Peter similarly instructs us, “Fear God. Honor the emperor” (1 Pet. 2:17). This principle should influence what we study. Time does not allow us to study the words and deeds of every human in history—we must pick and choose. “Revering great men” means we should favor is also sometimes translated as “fear.”