Global EditionASIA 中文双语Français
Culture
Home / Culture / Heritage

Xiqiao Mountain: Hub for learning philosophy

By Wang Kaihao | China Daily | Updated: 2017-12-08 07:25
Share
Share - WeChat
Sanhu Academy, where late Qing Dynasty reformer Kang Youwei studied, was rebuilt in recent years. [Photo by Wang Kaihao/China Daily]

"We want to take this opportunity to tell people: Philosophy is not exclusive to academia, but it also has something for people at the grassroots."

According to Ren Jianmin, an associate researcher at Wen's institute, lixue was only popular among scholars before the mid-Ming Dynasty, but pioneers like Zhan unlocked its gates to the general public.

"For example, academies in Xiqiao began to accept a wider range of people if they were interested," Ren says. "The lectures here once attracted people like street vendors and woodcutters. Zhan told people everyone can be a sage."

Ren attributed the change to the fast growing economy of Guangdong at that time, which made scholars step out of their studies and make contact with a broader section of society.

Even today, there are villages near Xiqiao Mountain with centuries of history. They still have well preserved ancestral temples, reflecting the ethics and social orders greatly influenced by Neo-Confucianism.

Private academies on Xiqiao Mountain faded away from the early 17th century, but the spirit of their teachings has lived on.

"People here were nurtured to be inclusive and open-minded toward different ideologies," Ren says. "And, they were also taught to be patriotic."

Kang Youwei, a native of Xiqiao, is an example of a famous political reformer from the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). In 1898, he played a crucial role as a member of a think tank for Emperor Guangxu's short-lived reforms during a period of deep social crisis in China.

Most Popular
Top
BACK TO THE TOP
English
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US