1921·8

Recently, a “Self-Study University” has been established in Hunan. Its purpose is to adopt the form of ancient academies while incorporating the content of modern schools, hoping that all students will be able to read independently and engage in joint research. Amidst China’s current “university craze,” this can be regarded as one of the most practical educational systems. The university has just issued a manifesto explaining its founding principles:


   Man cannot but seek learning; and to learn, one needs a place and an organized structure. In the past, the place for learning was the academy. When academies were abolished and replaced by schools, people rushed to denounce the former while praising the latter. In truth, both academies and schools have their merits as well as their demerits. As for what makes academies objectionable, it lies in the nature of their curriculum: they focused on such tools for official advancement as the eight-legged essay, which are nothing more than mere toys—how could these possibly qualify as genuine scholarship? From this perspective, we may indeed say that the academy system was fundamentally flawed. Nevertheless, academies also possessed considerable advantages. To understand these advantages, we must first recognize the shortcomings of the school system. Schools certainly have many benefits, but their drawbacks are equally significant. The primary flaw of the school lies in the lack of emotional connection between teachers and students. Teachers are motivated by material gain, while students are driven by the pursuit of credentials; once the transaction is complete, each side gets what it wants, and teaching and learning become little more than a commercial exchange. A second shortcoming of the school is its uniform, mechanical methods of instruction and administration, which stifle individuality. People differ greatly in temperament, ability, and capacity for understanding, yet schools pay no heed to these differences, simply pouring the same standardized content into everyone. Human beings, out of respect for personal dignity, should not speak of one person “managing” another; yet schools, inheriting the authoritarian legacy of imperial rule, disregard students’ humanity and openly subject them to bureaucratic control. With uniform instruction, students lose their full humanity; with mechanized management, they forfeit their individual character. These constitute the gravest defects of the school system—defects that any conscientious educator cannot afford to ignore. A third drawback is the excessive number of class periods and the overburdened curriculum. Students spend the entire day immersed in lessons, scarcely aware that there exists a world beyond the classroom. They often become mentally fatigued and listless, unable to devote their minds to independent, self-motivated study. Although these criticisms do not apply universally to all schools—and there remains hope for future improvement—the general picture is indeed as described above. Attempts to conceal these flaws would be futile. The root of the problem lies in reducing students to a passive state, eroding their individuality, extinguishing their inner spirit, leading talented individuals to stagnate while those of lesser ability merely drift along aimlessly. Turning our attention back to the academy, while it too had certain formal shortcomings, it lacked the very defects we have enumerated in the school system. First, there existed a deep bond between teacher and student; second, there was no rigid system of instruction or administration, only a free exchange of ideas and independent inquiry; and third, the curriculum was concise yet thorough, allowing ample time for leisurely reflection and fruitful exploration. Thus, from the standpoint of “the form of inquiry,” the academy clearly surpasses the school. However, the modern school does possess one distinct advantage: its focus on scientific disciplines, or on applying scientific methods to the study of philosophy and literature—a domain in which the academy could never hope to compete. It is precisely for this reason that the Self-Study University represents a novel institutional model: it borrows the form of the ancient academy while integrating the substance of the modern school, thereby creating a special organizational structure tailored to human nature and conducive to scholarly research.


  What has been said thus far highlights the respective strengths and weaknesses of academies and schools, with the Self-Study University seeking to retain the former’s virtues while avoiding its pitfalls. Let us now consider the unique advantages of the Self-Study University—advantages absent in both academies and conventional universities—namely, its commitment to populism versus elitism. Both academies and official universities impose extremely strict entrance requirements; those who fail to meet these standards are categorically barred from admission, a point that hardly needs emphasizing. Even when candidates do satisfy the criteria, occasional oversights may result in highly capable individuals being overlooked after passing the entrance examination, effectively closing off their path to learning. Indeed, there are many ambitious young people today who have been denied the opportunity to pursue education—an unfortunate and lamentable reality. Furthermore, academies and official universities tend to treat scholarship as something profoundly mysterious, believing that only a select few privileged individuals are fit to engage in it, while the vast majority of ordinary people are deemed inherently incapable of participation. Consequently, scholarship becomes the exclusive domain of a small group of academic elites, further isolating it from the broader populace and giving rise to the grotesque spectacle of an intellectual class exploiting and subjugating the common people. Lastly, academies are inaccessible to the truly destitute, while attending an official university requires substantial financial resources. Completing even a single degree at such an institution typically costs thousands of yuan, leaving those without sufficient means to view university education as a fool’s dream. The Self-Study University aims to rectify these issues. First, with the exception of resident students, whose enrollment is somewhat limited due to housing constraints, anyone outside the campus who harbors a sincere desire to learn is welcome to join. Second, it treats knowledge as simple, everyday fare: when one feels hungry, one takes it up and consumes it, breaking down the mystique surrounding scholarship and striving to make it openly accessible to all. Third, in this age where “money is life,” the Self-Study University cannot yet ensure that every so-called “proletarian” has equal access to advanced learning; however, it is determined to guide them toward paths of study that require minimal financial investment. Students of the Self-Study University may conduct their research on campus, in their own homes, or even in various shops, community groups, and government offices—making it far more convenient and cost-effective than traditional universities.


  As a populist institution, the Self-Study University stands in stark contrast to the elite-oriented models of academia. So, what exactly constitutes its curriculum? A brief overview follows: First, the central principle guiding students’ scholarly pursuits is “independent reading and reflection.” The university’s library is specifically designed to support this approach. Second, alongside individual study and contemplation, students are encouraged to engage in collective discussion and collaborative research through organized study groups. Third, although the Self-Study University does not rely on lecturers to impart knowledge in a didactic manner, it does provide mentors who offer guidance to assist students in their self-directed work. Fourth, the university is structured around specific disciplines, allowing students to focus on a single subject or to explore multiple fields simultaneously. The duration and scope of each area of study are left to the students’ own discretion, based on their interests and abilities. Fifth, in addition to academic learning, students are expected to cultivate a forward-looking mindset, develop sound moral character, and rid themselves of harmful habits, thereby preparing themselves to contribute to societal reform.


  Finally, let us address the necessity of establishing a Self-Study University in Hunan. Fellow provincials, has Hunan not yet possessed a premier academic institution? It is widely acknowledged that the establishment of a provincial university within the foreseeable future is highly unlikely, and even if it were to come into being, it would likely be just another conventional, state-run university. Under such circumstances, how are the spiritual aspirations and cultural impulses of the thirty million people residing in the Xiang, Yuan, Zi, and Li river basins to find expression and realization? Despite Hunan’s vibrant, dynamic, and promising character, what meaning can its people truly hold if they are deprived of opportunities to satisfy their intellectual longings and unleash their creative energies? This line of thought leads us to recognize a profound mission resting upon the shoulders of the people of Hunan: namely, to achieve self-completion, self-development, and the creation of both individual and collective identities that are uniquely theirs. The founding of the Hunan Self-Study University is inspired by this very vision. While it may not directly affect every individual in Hunan, it nonetheless seeks to establish itself as a public, province-wide academic institution—a step that may not immediately yield outstanding results, but which, through sustained effort over the years, will ultimately bring us closer to our goal.


  At present, the university offers two faculties: the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Law. The former includes courses in Chinese literature, Western literature, English, logic, psychology, ethics, pedagogy, sociology, history, geography, journalism, and philosophy. The latter comprises law, political science, and economics. All of these subjects are outlined in the university’s organizational charter, which was published concurrently with the aforementioned manifesto.


  ○ “The Eastern Miscellany,” Vol. 20, No. 6 Shanghai Commercial Press, March 1, 1923
  ☆ “Societies during the May Fourth Period,” Sanlian Bookstore, April 1979
  ☆ “Long Live Mao Zedong Thought,” February 1967
  ☆ “New Era,” compiled by the Hunan Provincial Library and edited by the Hunan People’s Publishing House, July 1980


Notes:


  The bolded portion of this sentence corresponds to the emphasized text in the original “Collected Works of Mao Zedong.” — Editor’s note