The country will prosper, and it will be a master and a heavy master. Today, the majority of teachers have ushered in their own festival - Teachers' Day, and the whole society is expressing high respect to teachers. So, do you know why Teachers' Day is on this day? How were ancient teachers selected? Today, we will approach the profession of teacher together, understand its ancient and modern changes, and trace the fine tradition of respecting teachers and re-teaching in Our country that has been passed down for thousands of years.
1 Respect the teacher and teach the ancients
Respecting teachers and emphasizing teaching is the fine tradition of the Chinese nation. The Book of Shang records: "Heaven bless the people, be the king, be the teacher, but he is god, and spoils the four sides." "It is said that God blesses the people of the world, elects monarchs and division chiefs for the people, establishes the people for the people, and teaches the people for the people. And those who are kings and teachers should help God to appease and stabilize the people of the world. Teachers, as a sacred "profession", entered the stage of history at the beginning of human civilization and were of equal importance compared to monarchs.
Teachers and schools are closely linked, China's school origin is very early, "Dai Li Ji • Five Emperors" said that The Emperor Yao "dragon, chu teaching dance", "Book of Shang" records that Shun Ming "canon music, teaching the scruffle", it can be speculated that there was already a prototype of the school during the Three Emperors and Five Emperors. In different historical periods, schools have used different names, according to the "Mencius Teng Wen Gongshang" record: "Set as a 庠, order, learning, school, to teach it." The cue, the nurturer; the schooler, the teacher; the preambler, shoot also. Xia Yue School, Yin Yue Order, Zhou Yue, and Xue ze are three generations in common, all of which are so Ming Ren Ren Ye. Compared with the West at that time, china's teachers were very respected, as early as the Western Zhou Dynasty, the "Taigong Tutor" has recorded that "disciples are teachers, respect the same as the father"; the Book of Rites and Learning records say: "The king of the ancients, the founding of the country and the monarch, teaching first." "Lü Shi Chunqiu Persuasion" said: "The master of the judas father also." ”
In the Treatise on Etiquette, Xun Zi summarized the core content of "rites" to the three items of "heaven and earth", "ancestors" and "junshi", and he believed that "the ancient rites, going up to heaven and doing things down to the earth, honoring the ancestors and longing junshi, are the three books of rites." Shi Dian belongs to the "Three Rites" of the "Junshi" ceremony, the so-called Shi Dian, that is, the decoration of wine to eat to pay tribute to the ancestors and saints. It is recorded in the Book of Rites and the Sons of King Wen: "Where learning, spring, the official interpretation is based on his predecessors, and the same is true in autumn and winter." Whoever establishes a scholar will be laid down before the teacher." Shi Dian is both a ceremony and a school system in ancient times. After the Han Dynasty, Confucius was added, and after the Zhou Dynasty, He was honored as the First Master and the First Sage, respectively; after the Song and Yuan Dynasties, Confucius was honored as the Master Saint and became the main object of the memorial, in addition to the 72 sage disciples of Confucius.
Children in Chongqing perform sign language dances for teachers to express their respect for teachers.
2 Confucius broke the monopoly of education
In ancient times, the status of teachers was very high, and some were even a kind of official position, such as the teacher of the prince, there were the prince Taishi, Taifu, Taibao and Shaoshi, Shaofu, etc., although these did not have real power, but enjoyed a high political status, and Feng Lu was not cheap. However, in ancient times, there was no such thing as Teacher's Day, but the government would celebrate teachers and gentlemen on specific days to express the meaning of respecting teachers and re-teaching.
Confucius, known as the "Most Holy Teacher", can be counted as the first professional teacher in the traditional sense. In the historical period before him, education could only be enjoyed by the children of the nobility, until Confucius proposed that "there is no class in teaching", and all those who aspire to learn, no matter how noble or lowly, can become their students, breaking the monopoly of education by the nobility, and ordinary people have begun to have the opportunity to receive education.
The year after Confucius's death (478 BC), duke Lu Ai ordered the establishment of a temple in the old residence of Confucius in Qufu Queli, and the three houses where Confucius lived during his lifetime were converted into shou halls, displaying the clothes, crowns, pianos, cars, books, etc. he used during his lifetime, and sacrificing them according to the age. In the early years of the Western Han Dynasty, Liu Bang, the ancestor of Han Gao, "crossed the Lu from Huainan and imprisoned Confucius in the ether", opening the precedent of the emperors of previous dynasties to sacrifice Kong.
After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty deposed the Hundred Families and exalted Confucianism, Confucius temples were established in various places. Huang Zongxi recorded in the "Book of Discussion with Chen Qianchu" that during the Han and Jin dynasties, every year on the day of Confucius's birthday on the 27th day of the eighth lunar month, the emperor would lead the civil and military officials to worship the Confucius Temple, and also invite the scribes of "Guozi Xue" and "Tai Xue" to enter the palace. On this day, in addition to paying homage to Confucius, it is also necessary to "put aside the teacher" and "teach the shackles", that is to say, although the birth day of Confucius was not clearly stipulated as the teacher's day in ancient China, but the official led the sacrifice, but the teachers have begun to enjoy holidays, meals, welfare and other benefits. During the Tang and Song dynasties, every time on the birthday of Confucius, all states, prefectures, and counties held solemn festivals, and the state, academy, and prefecture, prefecture, prefecture, and county would also select those with outstanding achievements as "Siye" and submit them to the imperial court, and these "advanced workers" could receive up to 500 taels of silver.
People will also carry out various forms of commemorative activities on the birthday of Confucius to express their respects. According to the "Jisheng in the Age of Emperor Jing", in Beijing, the "Birthday of the First Master" in August is an important festival like the Shangyuan, Tanabata, Zhongyuan, winter solstice, etc., and the folk "prohibit slaughtering, sacrifice of the Temple of Literature, the setting up of various study rooms, and the worship of teachers and students." In Shanxi, "the most holy of worship" is an important festival and custom, and the JinCi Zhi records that "the scholar-master laid out his breasts and made sacrifices at Wenchang Palace." The disciples of each of his halls were worshipped on a daily basis. "In Shandong, on the day of Confucius's birth, teachers and students must have a meal, first to worship the saints and then to the teachers. In the Jiangnan region of China, the commemoration of Confucius's birthday spread throughout the countryside, and Chen Hao sang his scene in the "Winter Grass Hall Testament Poem" at the end of the Qing Dynasty: "The township is luguan liturgical ancient wind rao, and the situation of the Li dou ni mountain is not ordinary." The crown belt children are all cleaned up, and the birthday of the saint is this dynasty." The Statutes of the Late Qing Dynasty stipulate that each school should "take a day off after the celebration of Confucius's birthday", which shows that Confucius's birthday was a unique holiday of the school at that time, which served as an educational festival.
The students thanked the teacher with the words "The teacher has worked hard."
3 Ancient teachers also had "qualifying examinations"
Teachers, preaching and teaching karma to solve puzzles also. Unlike the current general meaning, in ancient times, the teacher referred to an elderly and senior scholar or a person who taught scholarship, which was a very solemn or serious title. For example, in the "Chronicle of Mencius Xunqing", it is said: "When Qi Xiang was king, Xun Qing was the most teacher. Later, the definition of a teacher gradually expanded, and there were many titles, such as Mr., Master, Master, Master, Xi Xi, Professor, Doctor, etc.
The ancient education system mainly included official and private schools: official schools, equivalent to today's public schools, had a quota of staffing, required qualifications and examinations for posts; and the threshold for private school teachers to apply for employment was not low, and the employment period was strictly evaluated.
Before the Western Han Dynasty, official school teachers were mostly recommended and did not need examinations. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a teacher "qualification examination" - if you want to become a doctor of Taixue, you must pass the examination presided over by Taichang, and only through academic celebrities can you qualify for the post. Moreover, there is a "threshold" for the individual teaching experience and age of teachers, requiring them to have taught more than 50 students and are not less than 50 years old. After the establishment of the imperial examination system in the Tang Dynasty, serving as a doctoral degree gradually required those who were born in the imperial examination.
The "instructor examination" system implemented in 1076 AD is probably the most difficult to pass the education supervisor and teacher qualification examination in the history of education in China. According to the "Literature Examination", due to the strict examination, in 1078, the professors of the prefectures and counties across the country were "only fifty-three members" and "covered the officials of the Confucian teachers, and refused to lightly teach and indiscriminately set up the old ones." "Ming and Qing instructors were basically served by jinshi, juren, and senior gongsheng, and their birth qualifications became the main selection criteria.
In addition, the promotion of ancient teachers had to "speak" based on the results of their students. Since the Ming Dynasty, China's assessment of teachers is not only "quantitative" enough, but also "quality". In the Ming Dynasty, in addition to the same "examination fullness" and "inspection" of education supervisors and teachers as other industry officials, there was also a "study official examination method". This is the teacher evaluation system introduced by Zhu Yuanzhang, the ancestor of the Ming Dynasty, and was promulgated in 1393 AD. The central point of the assessment method is that "the number of middle school students selected within nine years is used as the rule, and the promotion and demotion are determined". According to the "Minghui Codex", there are 9 students of the prefectural school professors who are lifted in the township examination, 6 students in the state school, and 3 students in the county school teaching, which are considered competent and can be qualified for promotion. Teachers are also assessed. For example, in the monthly examination, students do not grow for three months, and teachers are deducted from their salaries, mainly "fine rice". If there is still no progress in the "annual examination" at the end of the school year, the prefectural and county magistrates and the teachers of the schools to which they belong will be "disciplined" in addition to being "punished", and may even be directly deposed by the officials. In the Ming Dynasty's Nanjing GuoziJian Huang Zuo's "Nan Yong Ji" recorded that in June of the seventh year of Yongle, Tang Qian, a student of the Guozi Supervisor, wanted to become an official, and the officials arranged for an examination, but the results were very poor, and according to the regulations, Zhao Jitong, who was in charge of teaching, should be punished. Although Ming Chengzu Zhu Di spared him, he issued a "red-headed document" to the whole country, stipulating that "all disciples who try again and do not know the literary reason, and sin against their teachers, and place them on the ground in a miasma." ”
Although you do not need to take an exam to become a private school teacher, it is not easy to "apply" for a job. The general employment period is one year, and according to the assessment results, decide whether to renew the employment.
With such a rigorous entry and teaching performance assessment, it is no wonder that Zhu Zaiyu of the Ming Dynasty once wrote a poem "Teaching Difficulty", which wrote the teacher's difficulty very well: "Teaching is difficult, teaching is difficult, so that morality will be hated." Access is managed by man, and hunger and cold are pitiful. If you beat him, you will say that you will not read it, and if you don't beat him, you will say that the teacher is not strict! ”
4 Changes in Teachers' Day in Our Country
In the modern history of our country, teachers' day has undergone many changes.
The earliest Teachers' Day dates back to 1931. At that time, when the national crisis was in full swing, Tai Shuangqiu, Cheng Qibao and other educators contacted people from the Beijing and Shanghai educational circles to gather at Nanjing Central University, and agreed that June 6 would be Teachers' Day, and the main purpose of commemorating it was to "arouse social concern, teacher unity, and conspire for help" to arouse the attention of the whole society to educators. With a heart of education to save the country, they jointly published the "Letter of Tribute to the Compatriots of the Whole Country" in the newspaper, and also set the goals of Teachers' Day, including improving the treatment of teachers, ensuring the status of teachers, enhancing the professional accomplishment of teachers, and ensuring that the atmosphere of respecting teachers and valuing the Tao will continue to be inherited. The initiative of this Teacher's Day was not recognized by the government at that time, but it had a certain impact on the people, and many places would spontaneously celebrate the "Double Six Festival".
Under the impetus of all walks of life in the country, in 1939, the government decided to designate August 27, the birthday of Confucius, as Teachers' Day, and issued the "Interim Measures for the Commemoration of Teachers' Day", but at that time, due to the War of Resistance and other reasons, it could not be officially implemented throughout the country. This anniversary has also been opposed by many famous scholars, because Confucius's birthday is the 27th day of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, which according to the Gregorian calendar should be September 28. Whether to calculate according to the lunar calendar or according to the Gregorian calendar, there are many disputes, so there will be two teachers' day every year for a period of time, because some areas hold commemorations on August 27 of the lunar calendar, and some areas change to September 28 of the Gregorian calendar.
After the founding of new China, the central government restored June 6 as Teachers' Day. At that time, the Ministry of Education also informed all localities that they could organize celebrations according to the actual situation. On the eve of Labor Day in 1951, the Minister of Education made a speech announcing the merger of "May Day" and "Teachers' Day", but unfortunately, because the influence of Labor Day was too great to reflect the characteristics of Teachers' Day, most people in the country did not know "May Day" Teachers' Day.
In the early 1980s, members of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference submitted a proposal to restore Teachers' Day. After the Ministry of Education submitted a report on the establishment of Teachers' Day, in January 1985, the National People's Congress deliberated and passed this bill, which designated September 10 of each year as Teachers' Day. On September 10 of that year, the State Education Commission held a grand meeting in the Great Hall of the People to celebrate Teachers' Day. There are many reasons why this date is set for September 10: every September is the beginning of a new semester, and from the beginning of the school year, it has laid a good start for respecting teachers. Due to the promotion of Teachers' Day, the reputation of teachers is also gradually improving, and this profession is more respected by people.
Since 2004, experts and scholars have continuously called for China's Teachers' Day to be changed to September 28, the day of Confucius's birth, but the controversy has been large, and there is still no conclusion.
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How to spend Teachers' Day in various countries
Teachers are hailed as "diligent gardeners", "angels of wisdom", "engineers of the human soul"... Now many countries in the world have Teachers' Day, which reflects the importance that society attaches to education and respects teachers.
In 1994, UNESCO and the International Labour Organization jointly issued the Recommendation on the Status of Teachers, which designated 5 October as World Teachers' Day to draw attention to teachers and address issues related to them, as well as to recognize their contribution to education.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated challenges facing education systems around the world, and the theme of World Teachers Day 2020 is "Teachers: Leaders in Crisis, Reinventors of the Future".
Portugal was the first country in the world to establish Teachers' Day. As early as May 18, 1890, the graduates of the University of Coimbra in Portugal thanked the teacher for their education, and the teacher signed the ribbon to the students as a souvenir. This event attracted a lot of attention from the government, so it was designated as Teachers' Day, which is celebrated annually for more than 130 years.
Subsequently, groups around the world followed suit and established their own Teachers' Day. Every year on the first Sunday of October is Teachers' Day in Russia. On that day, students send flowers to the teacher. Many secondary schools, vocational colleges and universities also hold activities to celebrate Teachers' Day, and students organize evenings and perform plays to celebrate the festival for teachers.
As a country with a long tradition of education and a good teacher training system, Germany attaches great importance to Teachers' Day. After German reunification in 1990, 12 June was established as Teachers' Day. On the same day, all parts of Germany will carry out activities to respect teachers, and a congress to commend outstanding teachers will be held step by step to pay tribute to the work of teachers. Students also give gifts to the teacher, usually chocolates that most Germans like, and the teacher will happily display them after receiving them and write to the students to express their gratitude.
Teachers' Day in the United States cannot be called a holiday, but rather a "Thank You Week", usually on the Tuesday of the first full working week in May, and lasts for one week. On the occasion of Teachers' Day, parents of the Parents' Federation will buy a heartfelt but not expensive gift for teachers and carry out networking activities with teachers. The school will also organize a teacher's dinner on the last day of the "Thank You Week", everyone sits together to eat and chat, and the principal is present to express gratitude and blessings to each teacher.
Singapore also has a statutory teacher's day, which is September 1. On this day, all teachers are on holiday, and the government will organize a mass meeting for Teachers' Day, in which students first perform various songs and dances, group exercises, recitations and other programs, and then the teachers make vows.
Although the dates of Teachers' Day vary from country to country and the forms of celebration are different, the purpose is to show people's respect for teachers. There are also some countries that do not have Teachers' Day, but they also send blessings and thanks to teachers on specific days.
There is no Teachers' Day in Japan, but elementary and secondary school teachers are regarded as the most sacred profession in Japan, and teachers are called "Sir", on a par with parliamentarians. As early as 1951, the Japanese Faculty Organization formulated the Code of Ethics for Teachers to guide the moral behavior of teachers. The social status of primary and secondary school teachers is very high, they usually go out to take the bus, the chest is hung with a teacher's card, and the passengers on the car will get up and give up their seats after seeing it. In ordinary stores and supermarkets, there are discounted goods specifically for teachers, and teachers with teacher certificates can enjoy discounts every day.
There is no Teacher's Day in Australia, and the relationship between teachers and students is relatively equal, and students can call the teacher's name directly. There is only Chinese Teachers' Day in the UK, on the third Sunday of October each year. The French liken teachers to angels of human wisdom, and teachers are universally respected by the French people, who combine Teachers' Day with Christmas on December 25 every year, which is the only example in the world. At that time, parents and students will bring exquisite gifts to the teacher's home, and the local governor and social celebrities will participate in the celebration on this day.
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Teacher's Day themed stamps
A stamp issued in the centenary of the American Education Association.
The earliest set of Teachers' Day stamps issued in China was on August 27, 1947, a full set of 4 stamps, the pattern content is related to Confucius.
When the stamp designer drew the first draft of Confucius, the first material selected was a portrait of Confucius by Wu Daozi, a famous painter of the Tang Dynasty. However, when the postal official approved it, he felt that the statue of Confucius was "more than secular and insufficient in sages", and just when everyone was at a loss, Shanghai provided a picture of Confucius's idle residence painted by Guan Huinong, a painter in the South China Sea in the late Qing Dynasty and early Minchu. This bust reflects the scene when Confucius adjusted the instrument at his leisure, and not only had the style of a teacher, but also lost the elegance of a gentleman and the fairy posture of a saint. Everyone was very satisfied after seeing it, and this costume bust of Confucius became the original design of the first Teacher's Day stamp.
On the occasion of Teachers' Day in 1986, the stamps issued by China on Teachers' Day are simple and clear, they are a blackboard, and there is a cluster of flowers dedicated to teachers on the podium. 2014 is the 30th Teacher's Day, the commemorative stamp adopts a figurative approach, the first "let go of hope", the chalk box on the podium combined with the chalk painting on the blackboard, forming a symbiotic graphic, representing the "hope" hot air balloon traveling in the universe of knowledge; the second "unforgettable teacher", starting from the concept of "peach and plum full of the world", the image of the teacher is transformed into a trunk with open arms, holding up the smiling faces of the students, and vividly showing the social role and outstanding contribution of the teacher.
In 1964, the United Nations issued a commemorative stamp on education, with the words "Education for Progress" on a blackboard. Beginning in 1994, the United Nations designated 5 October as World Teachers' Day. Many countries have issued commemorative stamps, such as Canada's stamps, there are teachers' figures, blackboards, chalkboard wipes, chalk, board books, and the blackboard also writes "teaching = flag"; the stamps issued by Cyprus are in the form of horizontal double links, the left is the traditional teaching of the teacher's blackboard board book, and the right is the computer, mouse, keyboard and other modern teaching tools, which is refreshing.