Liberal Arts and the Legacy of China’s Christian Universities

Book excerpt: This book brings together English translations of thirteen research papers published in recent years by Chinese historians, sociologists, and educators. These papers investigate various dimensions of the legacy of China’s historic The Christian Universities which continues to inspire higher education reform in China even in the twenty-first century. This book focuses on Christian Universities, which fostered a particularly notable Liberal Arts Education in the Chinese context. Besides embracing some ideals in common with Liberal Arts Education developed in the West, their Liberal Arts Education curriculum had an emphasis on readings in the classics, history, philosophy, religion, ethics, and literature which conveyed traditional Chinese values. The Christian Universities also shared a strong commitment to moral formation, community service, and global citizenship education. This book emphasizes Liberal Arts Education that focused on the whole person, where academic knowledge, skills, and character were equally valued. The book presents distinctive characteristics of the study of Christian higher education in China and the interplay between globalization and localization.