A Study On The Confucian Education In The Yuan Dynasty As Seen In The Inscriptions Of Quf

About 300 Yuan Dynasty steles are preserved in Qufu,the hometown of Confucius,of which nearly 100 are about the implementation of enlightenment and the promotion of Confucianism in the Yuan Dynasty.The contents of these steles cover the construction of temples,the conferment of posthumous titles,offering sacrifices and paying homage,giving preferential treatment,biographical notes,academy and Confucian Temple school.They are of great value to explore the cultural policies of the rulers of the Yuan Dynasty,especially the attitude towards Confucianism.They are important historical materials to explore the Enlightenment of Confucianism in the Yuan Dynasty.The Yuan Dynasty participation in the establishment of Confucian orthodoxy pedigree and setting an example for Confucian scholars is the primary link in carrying out Confucian education activities.In Qufu inscriptions,this content is mainly reflected in the repeated sacrifices to Confucius,Yanzi and Mencius,the Confucian ancestors,the repair of temples,the addition of titles and the preferential treatment of descendants.It continues the Confucian orthodoxy pedigree since the Tang and Song Dynasties and further consolidates the status of the four public studies represented by Confucius,Zeng Shen,Zisi and Mencius.Confucian Temple school,academies and other educational institutions are the main places for the implementation of Confucian education.The Yuan Dynasty government inherited the previous generation’s Confucian temple school system,established Confucian temple schools in various places,and showed special respect for the Confucius Temple in Qufu.At the time of Taizong,it restored the annual memorial ceremony.This is highlighted by the records of Yuan Dynasty ministers participating in the memorial ceremony in Qufu stele.Under the background of the prosperity of academies in the Yuan Dynasty,the construction of academies in Qufu,including Nishan academy,Zisi academy and Zhusi academy,developed with the advocacy and support of the government.The inscription of Qufu academy records the specific situation of the Academy’s operation and management and teaching activities,and shows the official learning process of the Academy in the Yuan Dynasty.It can be seen from the inscriptions in Qufu that in addition to the orthodox temples and academies,the Yuan Dynasty government also initiated social education,combined agricultural production with school education,and implemented education among the broad peasant class.Establish Mongolian official studies,select Confucian scholars with both political integrity and ability as doctors and professors,take Confucian classics as teaching materials,teach students to learn Chinese,Han culture and Confucian ethics,actively promote cultural exchanges among ethnic groups,and promote Confucian enlightenment in a wider range.It can also be seen from the inscriptions of Qufu that the Yuan government also implemented some special preferential policies for the development of education and the promotion of Confucianism.The first "Confucian household" system was established,the school field system was restored,and preferential treatment was given to Confucian students in terms of policy and economy,which provided an external guarantee for the promotion and implementation of Confucianism to a certain extent.Qufu inscriptions also reflect part of the situation of Confucian scholars in the Yuan Dynasty.In addition to serving as a Confucian instructor,the methods for Confucian scholars to become officials also include annual examination and the imperial examination reopened in the second year of Yanyou.In fact,the promotion of Confucian officials is slow,and the imperial examination is to safeguard the interests of Mongols and Semu people.Most Han Confucian scholars spread Confucianism to people at all levels through teaching,making Confucianism education enter the homes of ordinary people.The series of measures taken by the Yuan Dynasty to promote Confucian education shown on Qufu steles fully reflected the special treatment of Qufu as the hometown of Confucius by the Yuan government,which naturally valued Qufu’s special position in Confucian education and political rule.Such a special existence is a special case of the overall cultural policy of the Yuan Dynasty,but it still promoted the development of Confucianism in the Yuan Dynasty to a certain extent,and its impact on the inheritance and development of Confucianism can not be ignored.