Between Name And Reality—Shanxi Education In External Vision(1917-1937)

Before 1930,Shanxi education had always been at the forefront of the country,with a continuous stream of visitors and educators,leaving behind a large amount of literature and materials,providing the possibility of "looking at Shanxi from the outside".From the perspective of relevant research,traditional research often views Shanxi based on its educational achievements within the province,with a single perspective and great uncertainty,which can easily lead to homogenization in research;By using external evaluations to understand Shanxi,one can break away from the original perspective and be more persuasive through multiple arguments.This study uses a large amount of external literature and historical materials from newspapers to re-examine the development of education in Shanxi since the early Republic of China,while combining it with internal historical materials in Shanxi.Due to historical reasons,there is a serious lack of archives in Shanxi during this period,which makes it even more necessary to gain a deeper understanding and understanding of Shanxi in the early stages of the Republic of China through external activities such as observation,investigation,learning,and commentary.This article takes Shanxi Education as a "Model Province" as the starting point,combines Yan Xishan’s educational practice,and explores the actual situation of Shanxi Education through external evaluation,with a multi perspective understanding.Discusses the relevant evaluations of different groups,including educators,central supervisors,local provinces,and journalists,in an attempt to showcase the image of Shanxi education in the eyes of the outside world and restore a true Shanxi.Shanxi has become a "model province" in education for various reasons,which cannot be separated from a stable political environment,strong implementation of policies,and taking the lead in achieving basic modernization of education nationwide,thus gaining a great reputation.The achievements and exemplary reputation of Shanxi education are the driving force behind external visits.In the evaluation of various external groups,name and reality show dynamic changes.It was precisely because of their reputation that they attracted a group of visitors and were the first educators to visit during the Republic of China period.Liang Shuming,Tao Xingzhi,Huang Yanpei,and Xiong Xiling,four educators,evaluated Shanxi education through visits and observations,and combined their own educational experiences to examine this educational movement from a professional perspective.Their comments included praise and criticism.Their affirmation of education in Shanxi also represents expectations for the future of education in the country.Official interactions outside of educators are also relatively frequent,and the scale of local and provincial inspection teams is huge,with numerous provinces,making them an important group that cannot be ignored.Compared to other groups,the investigation process is more comprehensive,authentic,and detailed,covering most regions with detailed survey data.Central supervisory personnel not only record the results and evaluations of inspections,but also provide suggestions for the improvement and development of education.Shanxi,as a focus of public opinion on education,has a huge number of related reports.In the evaluation of Shanxi,appreciation and questioning coexist.In the early 1920s,positive evaluations were the main focus,while in the later stage,public opinion and word-of-mouth plummeted,with negative comments being the main focus.The changes in public opinion are closely related to the development of education.Under the mutual confirmation of different groups,the scene of Shanxi under the rule of Yan Xishan gradually became clearer,enabling a more objective understanding of it.