The influences of the western missionariestoward Taiwan education in the late 19th century

• Main Authors: Lē-hong Lōa Lí, 賴李麗芳
• Other Authors: Sūi-bêng Liāu
• Format: Others
• Published: 2014
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/35535727724042472980

碩士 === 國立中興大學 === 台灣文學與跨國文化研究所 === 102 === Abstract American educator John Dewey presents “Education as a Necessity of Life.” English educator Herbert Spencer states “Preparation for Life as Aim of Education.” The education in Taiwan has suffered a lot as the history in Taiwan. After experiencing the long-term colonial education, we have lost the focus and aim of our own. Our education system continuously goes far from the concept of “Education as a Necessity of Life”, which deserves a historical thinking. In the colonization of Taiwan by Dutch and Spain, the education system was actually for training people obedience. In the Kingdom of Tungning, the education system was for getting closer to people and cultivating government officials. Under the rule of the Qing Dynasty, the education system was for the imperial examination and the work-life needs. During the Japanese colonial period, Japanese government provided Japanese higher education in secondary schools and isolated Taiwan people from accepting education. Therefore, Taiwan people would not have the abilities to violate the ruling of the Japanese government. In the formation period of Republic of China, the education system in Taiwan was monopolized by the policies of Chinese National Party. The education system in Qing Dynasty developed the mainstream concept of Confucianism and colleges. The purpose of education aimed at the imperial examination for the succeeding fame and fortune. In the end of 19th century, western missionaries entered Taiwan and brought the new mode of education for missionary needs. The development of Christianity in Taiwan could be traced back to the reign of Dutch, but it played a more everlasting and comprehensive influence later in the end of Qing Dynasty. In the late Qing Dynasty, Presbyterian Church performed the main role of Christianity in Taiwan, which was divided into North and South Church by the boundary of Taichung Dajia River. The southern Taiwan belonged to English Presbyterian Church. The first missionary James Laidlaw Maxwell began his preach from Tainan and Kaohsiung since 1865. The northern Taiwan belonged to Canada Presbyterian Church. The missionaries brought missionary teachings from Tamsui and Taipei since 1872; George Leslie Mackay performed as the central figure among them. Later on, other missionaries continuously arrived and launched the western influence in Taiwan education. The western education system brought by the missionaries differed from the traditional Taiwan education system in the teaching concepts, structures, purposes, and functions. The western education system showed the devotion of the missionaries and the modernized educational concepts for the learners by breaking the traditional limitations in the educational objects, curriculums, and systems.