In the second half of the 19th century, there was great concern in China about the superiority of the West and fierce debate about how to respond. Chinese thinkers have been debating how to change technology, economy, and education while maintaining traditional values and culture. Feng Guifen and Kang Youwei were reformers who differed in their approaches, but both contributed to China’s rebirth and prosperity.
Feng Guifen argued that Western books contain better information on mathematics, mechanics, optics, light, chemistry, and other sciences; therefore, a translation agency should be set up to use it. He believed that China could surpass the West if Chinese ethics and Confucian teachings became the basis of education and were complemented by Western knowledge (Feng 70). In education, he proposed that gifted children under the age of fifteen be selected from nearby areas and offered a small allowance, along with room and board. He offered to hire people from the West to teach them spoken and written language and famous scientists from China to teach classics, history, and other subjects. This differed from the traditional approach to a Confucian education that the state typically promoted, as previously, education was provided to everyone regardless of their ability.
China, at the end of the Qing Dynasty, faced significant difficulties. Kang Youwei was one of the initiators and supporters of the reforms, but he felt that they were stopped too soon and did not go far enough. Like Feng, Kang believed the Chinese could learn from foreign nations; he recommended different foreign countries to study different subjects, favoring Britain in science and Germany in engineering (Kang 269).
The key difference between their approaches was that Feng advocated using Western methods without changing the Chinese “foundations”, while Kang argued that this was not enough and insisted on more radical reforms. Kan believed that the Chinese could learn from other peoples, in his opinion, the emperor should model the reform and adopt a parliamentary assembly and new government exams like Meiji Japan did.
The Chinese feared major change, believing they would lose their traditions if they adopted too much from the West. Changes were slowed down by these fears and the conservatism of the authorities. Finding a way to reform met with some difficulties, but they helped to borrow from the West and Japan what was useful for economic development and industrialization without losing the essence of Chinese culture.
Works Cited
Feng, Guifen. “On the adoption of Western learning.” Changing China: Readings in the History of China from the Opium War to the Present edited by Mason, J. Gentzler, Praeger Publishers, 1860, pp. 70-71.
Kang, Youwei. “The Need for Reforming Institutions.” Sources of Chinese Tradition edited by De Bary, Theodore, and Lufrano, Richard, Columbia University Press, 2001, 269-270.