INAUGURAL STATEMENT OF TSU-HSUI UNIVERSITY, HUNAN

August 1921

[Text] The Hunanese have recently inaugurated Self-Study University whose approach is to assume the form of the seminary of old, but adopt a study program of modern school. It expects all students to study by themselves and do research together. In China today when "university mania" is to be the order of the day, this is probably the most practical educational institution. It has recently issued a statement setting forth its inaugural purposes:

Man cannot but study. To study requires a place and an organization. Formerly, the place for study was the seminary. When the school is introduced under the abolition of the seminary, people vie in criticize the latter and praise the former. In fact, both have merits and demerits. The demerits of the seminary lie in the emptiness of its program on how to write "eight-legged" literature for acquiring positions in government. As such literature is a mere pose. How can it be called real learning. From this point of view, we can say the seminary is rusty. But it also has its merits. If we want to find such merits, we must first know the demerits of school. The school indeed has many virtues, but it also has many weaknesses. Its first weakness is lack of affection between instructors and students. The instructor has no salary and the student aims at a diploma. After they have made their deal, they return to where they come from. What they call "teachings" and "learning" are but commercial transactions. Its second weakness is to waste the student's precious time by using stereotyped pedagogical and administrative methods. Man's intelligence, talent and comprehension vary, but the school, neglecting these differences, tries to cram the same material into the student's mind. To respect human dignity, nobody should be "administered" by others. Yet the school, taking advantage of the residual power of the totalitarian emperor, looks down upon the personality of the student and openly "administers" the student. Since there is the stereotyped professor, the student loses his integral Human nature; once there is the mechanical "administration," the student loses his integral personality. This is the biggest defect of the school which should not be neglected by educators. Its third weakness is heavy curricula

with a great variety of courses. The student has to attend classes all day long and knows nothing else. He often becomes puzzled and can hardly use his mind to initiate his own research. To sum up, although it cannot be said that all schools have these defects, that they cannot be corrected, and that there is no room for future improvement, this picture is generally true. It cannot be whitewashed if one wants to. The root cause lies in the passiveness of the student. His character has been eroded, his wisdom obliterated, and he will sink or swim cowardly with the rest of the world. Even the talented will not take the initiative. Now look at the seminary. Although it has defects in form, it has none of the aforementioned weaknesses. In the first place, there is profound affection between instructors and students; secondly, there is no "administration" by professors but free research for exchange of ideas; thirdly, the curricula are concise and research thorough and there is plenty of time for achieving research findings. From the viewpoint of "research form," the seminary far excels the school. But the modern school has one strong point, that is, it either has a "research program" based on science or uses scientific methods to study philosophy or literature. The seminary lags behind the school in this regard. The reason the Self-Study University becomes a new institution lies in that it assumes the form of the seminary of old but adopts the program of the modern school and that it is a special organization that suits the human nature and facilitates research.

The above shows that both the seminary and school have merits and demerits. The Self-Study University will retain the virtues and reject the weaknesses. Now let us talk about the exclusive merits of the Self-Study University which happen to be the demerits of the seminary and school: popularism and anti-popularism. Both literary academy and government university have strict requirements. Those who are unable to meet these requirements are, of course, rejected. Even those who can normally meet these requirements but fail to do so in a particular case, that is, those who have the talent but fail to pass the entrance examination, are turned down and thus barred from pursuing their advanced studies. It is a great pity that, at the moment, many promising young people are deprived of the opportunity to attend school. This is the first point I wish to make. Both the seminary and government sponsored university treat learning as such a secret that only a few people with special privileges can attend school; the majority of common people could not share the opportunity. Thus learning became the monopoly of a few "academic lords" and was kept at a farther and farther distance from the common people. It was finally turned into a better instrument for the intelligentsia to control the common people. The above is the second point I wish to make. Poor people cannot enter the seminary. Only rich people can enter the university. To get a diploma from a government sponsored university requires somewhere between 1,000 and 2,000 yuan. For poor people to enter a government sponsored university is as difficult as it is "for a cat to eat swan's meat." The above is the third point. The Self-Study University will correct these defects. First, except for resident students upon whom certain limitations have to be imposed concerning housing arrangements, others who are interested in learning may be admitted.

Second, it regards learning as something analogous to tea or meals which can be taken whenever people feel thirsty or hungry. The secrecy of learning is thus torn down. Learning is now made available to all and everybody can have his share. Third, although in the present era when "money is life," the Self-Study University cannot yet provide everybody of the proletariat with an opportunity to pursue advanced studies, it is moving toward the goal that "learning does not necessarily require a great deal of money." Students of the Self-Study University may study in school, at home, in various shops groups or agencies. It is more convenient than government sponsored universities and therefore less expensive.

As I have already mentioned, the Self-Study University is a sort of popular university, then what is its program? First, the main approach of the students of the Self-Study University is "to study and think by oneself." The "library" at the University is designed for this purpose. Second, the students at the University, aside from studying and thinking by themselves, "discuss and do research together." The organization of various research societies is designed for this purpose. Third, the Self-Study University does not require instructors to cram everything into the student's mind as if forcing food down the student's throat. However, it needs those who can help guide the students in doing their research. Fourth, the Self-Study University is based on course study. The students may take one or more courses. The time and scope of each course vary with the wish and level of the student. Fifth, students at the Self-Study University should not only study but also be ambitious. They are encouraged to cultivate a good personality, discard bad habits and prepare to reform the society.

Finally, we will talk about the necessity of establishing the Self-Study University in Hunan. Gentlemen, isn't it that as of today there has been no institution of higher learning in Hunan? It is well known that there is no possibility for the establishment of a provincial university in the near future. Even if there is, it will be a government sponsored university. Then how to demonstrate or disseminate the spiritual urge and cultural impulse of the 30 million Hunanese who live along the valleys of the Hsiang, Yuan, Tzou, and Li Rivers? Although the Hunanese are as active as the rising sun and very promising, what will become of them if their spiritual desires and cultural impulse cannot be satisfied? At this point, we feel the Hunanese have a big mission to accomplish. What is the mission? It is to form, develop and mold their individual as well as their group character and personality. This has been the very raison d'etre for the inception of the Self-Study University. Although it is, in fact, not possible to link the university to every Hunanese, it should, in spirit, become a public institution of learning for the whole Hunanese society. Although it is difficult to ensure good results, we are sure that with our unswerving efforts we will some day attain our goals as time rolls by.

The university now has two divisions: letters and laws. Courses of letters include: Chinese literature, Western literature, English, logic, psychology,

ethics, education, sociology, history, geography, journalism and philosophy, etc. Courses of laws include: laws, politics and economics, etc. The above are listed in the organic framework of the university. It is released simultaneously with this statement.

--- Notes

On Tung-Fang Cha-Chih," Vol 20, No 6. The Commercial Press, Shanghai.
1 Mar 1923