中国古代“小学”含义的演变

The Evolution of the Signification of Xiao Xue

"小学"在商周时期出现了第一个含义:初级教育机构的名称和初级教育及其教育内容;至汉代引申出了第二个含义:文字学及其延伸意义,包括文字训诂、字体、音韵及书法、金石学等;至宋代,其含义有了新的突破,出现了以道德教育和幼仪为主的"小学"之教,相应又增加了另一个含义:朱熹编的《小学》书。至清代,"小学"含义回缩,主要指文字学,包括训诂、字书、韵书和清文四类。

During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the first signification of Xiao Xue came into being. It meant elementary school and elementary education and its content. The second signification was developed in Han dynasty. It was the study of word. And the third signification engendered during the Song dynasty. It gained an additional meaning： Zhu Xi＇s book of Xiao Xue. In the period of Qing dynasty, the signification of Xiao Xue withdrew. It mostly meant the study of word. And the other significations were unimportant.