论“教化”

On“Jiaohua”

在谈论有关教育问题时,中国古代教育家常用“教化”一词。其实,在中国古代文献中,“教化”远比“教学”、“教育”出现得频繁。这主要不是一个用词习惯问题,而是反映了古代教育家对于教育工作的基本理解。这里的关键是“化”。一般理解,“化”的方式有以下特点:(1)在方法上是非粗暴非强制的;(2)在这一过程中,对于接受者而言是不知不觉的;(3)它所要影响的不只是接受者的外部行为,主要是他们的心灵深处。人们常用“润物细无声”、“春风化雨”等形象的说法来描绘所谓“教化”对人的作用方式。“教化”被古代统治者用来养成社会风俗(即社会教化或政教风化)。

'Jiaohua' (help a person to change his thinking and behavior by education) in ancient China was not only an educational, but also a political means. Through Jiaohua, an idea would be instilled into people's mind unconsciously. A set of effective measures for Jiaohua developed by rulers and educators in ancient China have been usually considered a fine educational heritage and promoted in educational practice today. The author thinks that Jiaohua in ancient China was a great success, but Jiaohua is unfavorable to the development of the students' subjectivity and rational spirit.