Educational Significance Of "Putting What Is Learned Into Practice" Of Wei Yuan

Weiyuan is a famous ideologist, historian and aggressive reformer in modern China. In his life, the most excellent and contributing idea is "Putting What is Learned into Practice", which fully absorbs the traditional Chinese culture. With the background of internal disorder and foreign invasions, in addition to the intense patriotic affection, Weiyuan, who has been influenced by the thoughts under the context of eastward spread of Western Culture, gradually formed his own ideological system. The idea of "Putting What is Learned into Practice", which the westerners used to reform the maladministration should be learned and made him to be the first person who open the eyes to the world. His idea has great influence on the offspring.This paper is divided into four parts as follows:In the first part, the background, origin of thoughts and social factors for the emergence of the idea of "Putting What is Learned into Practice" is analyzed.In the second part, the basic meaning of the idea of "Putting What is Learned into Practice" is introduced and explained with three aspects. First, laying stress on the practical principle of study, paying attention to investigation and research, carrying out the gist that the learning should serve for realistic politics. Second, putting forward the policies of practice and reform to strengthen the country, applying the knowledge to the practice, uniting the idea of "Putting What is Learned into Practice" both practically and usefully. Third, the idea of rivaling others by learning their advanced skills and technology and opening up and reform is proposed.In the third part, the meaning in pedagogy of the idea of "Putting What is Learned into Practice" is expounded and been divided into three parts. First, proposing to reform the imperial examinations, choosing, cultivating and using the intellectuals in a new way and principle. Second, pursuing the true knowledge by virtue of gaining thorough understanding through comprehensive study and diligent practice. Third, keeping pace with the time, promoting development and innovation and breaking the traditional education content in order to take the first step to learn from the west.In the fourth part, the historic and realistic significance of the idea of "Putting What is Learned into Practice" is discussed. In the modern history, the proposal of laying stress on the practical learning by Mr. Weiyuan has established a new trend in the education circle. And his idea of rivaling others by learning their advanced skills and technology has been both a new start for looking for the truth from the west and accepting the heterogeneous new education by Chinese, which symbolizes the beginning of education transition from the tradition to the modern one. More importantly, the practical and innovative spirit and the tendency of seeking for truth which concluded in his idea of "Putting What is Learned into Practice" has great realistic significance in the reform and development of the modern education. Meanwhile, it also can be taken for reference as how to improve the scientific spirit and individual attainment of the mass, how to develop the vocational education and improve the teaching methods under the guide of policy of revitalizing the country through science and education.