On the Revelation of British gentleman Education to Chinese Etiquette Education

【Abstract】Gentleman culture was orainted from Britain.This culture gradually has influenced on education. Nowdays， gentleman education is the most excellent and unique soul of most British public school. Gentleman education focuses on students ethics and etiquette. While Chinese schools and education system have ignored and despised etiquette education， and Chinese citizens have been lack of social ethics and etiquette awarness， gentleman education will be an excellent model and exmple for Chinese etiquette education. This paper makes a thorough study of the British gentleman education， and the differences between gentleman education and Chinese traditional education of their attitude and education method on etiquette education， and points out its inspiration to our etiquette education for all around development.

【Key words】British gentleman education； Locks theory； Chinese etiquette education

I. Analysis of Gentleman Education

English gentleman education is a kind of education theory， which originated from Europe and represents the benefits of the arisen class， English bourgeoisie.Gentleman education was first mentioned by John Locke in his Some thoughts concerning education.However， the real development of gentleman education is happening in Britain. And then， gentleman education deeply filtered into British families and schools. In nowadays Britain， both family education and school education put the etiquette education to the most significant place and educate the next generation according to the standard of gentleman and lady， which is also the biggest feature of Britain education. Those precious characters， manners and culture are made and constructed by British gentleman education.

In Britain families， there will never exist no-concept spoiling. Britain parents always teach and manage their children strictly in the condition of respecting children firstly. In normal families， kids can not ask special requirements on wearing and diet， even will not be permitted to have dinner with parents on the same table. Britain children were taught to be polite to anyone including family members， brothers and sisters， with suitable manners and civilized style of conversation， which are the basic requirement for children. Otherwise， children will be punished by parents. Meanwhile， gentleman education asked children should be patient. As they thought， being a gentleman， it will be impolite if he can not be tolerant of others. Even for kids， parents will not allow them be mean and stingy. As the result， British children develop the patient character and well-behavior in long-term training， for they will not get parents sympathy by crying.endprint

Comparing with family education， school education has paid the equal attention to etiquette education. In the whole British education system， there is a most famous and representative school， Eton College. The spirit of gentleman education has been reflected on Eton College. Eton obeyed the spirit of gentleman education， to train students habits of individual thinking， learning and researching. Eton settles a lot of abundant courses to inspire their interest on academic researching， and to courage them to choose the developing direction. Besides， the most important element is to train students to become more and more confident， passionate， firmly， tolerant and righteous， as a real gentleman.

II. The Revelation of British Gentleman Education to Chinese Etiquette Education

The ultimate purpose and value of education is to teach students how to be a high-moral standard person， how to behave well. China is called a state of ceremonies. In the ancient， etiquette education is the most important part. Since the manners were ignored by society， the moral education has gradually disappeared from public. It requires Chinese education to add much more etiquette education into traditional education.

A. The Revelation of British Gentleman Education to Chinese Family Etiqutte Education

As the paper had mentioned， gentleman education in Britain is not just noticed by schools. Family etiquette education is also the main part in gentleman education. In ancient China， parents pay much attention to teach their children the etiquette， manners and ceremonies. But unfortunately， those precious traditions have been missed by Chinese families. Chinese parents always prefer focusing on students academic grades to caring about their characters and etiquette. Such unhealthy education idea is easy to make the next generation hypocritical and offensive.

At first， Chinese parents should improve their own etiquette awareness and knowledge. Parents are the first and the most important teacher in childrens etiquette education. Besides， children will not only just imitate good behaviors of parents， but also learn the bad habits. Therefore， good etiquette education begins with parents self-discipline. Secondly， the method of communication is a key of family etiquette education. Once children make mistakes， how to deal with such situation will make big effects on their characters and habits. British family education always use strict and serious attitude to deal with the children who make mistakes. The most important method is to let them know what they should not do and what they should do. Thirdly， it is essential to help children to construct their social ethics awareness. Chinese etiquette education always has a mistake that ethic is equal to private virtues.The core of private virtues is the ethhic of family. Chinese parents should make children take part in more social activities to develop their awareness of making contribution to the society.endprint

B. The Revelation of British Gentleman Education to The Combining of Chinese Etiqutte Education and Traditional Culture

Etiquette is a part of culture， is a manifestation of moral education. It decided etiquette education to be combined with native traditional culture. Etiquette education will not be profound and effective if it is isolated from traditional culture. British gentleman education always focuses on inherit traditional culture， including traditional etiquette and ceremonies. It is reflected on each gentleman that they are the inheritors of British thousands-years culture. Native traditional culture should be expressed by etiquette， and etiquette should be based on traditional culture.

In British schools， we can find traditional culture from their uniforms， school regulations， ceremonies and basic daily etiquette. In the society under globalization， making education combined with Chinese traditional culture is necessary. Moreover， making etiquette education combined with Chinese traditional culture is the inevitable requirement. Schools have responsibility to inculcate more knowledge and culture of Chinese traditional ceremonies to students. Chinese education should help student to become a real“junzi”， who has good characters， intelligence， and is the cultural successor of Chinese traditional culture.

C. The Revelation of British Gentleman Education to The Practicality of Chinese Etiqutte Education

In Britain， schools launch a lot of social practice activities， public welfare activities and service activities to develop students pubic spirit， etiquette awareness and noble characters. It is easy to conclude that real knowledge comes from practices. Therefore， Chinese etiquette education should focus on the practical activities. Firstly， etiquette education in schools should be build on traditional etiquette culture theory and meaningful practical activities. Chinese etiquette education should not be limited in classroom， conversely， should help students to feel the importance of etiquette in real society. Schools and teachers need to arrange useful， interesting， meaningful practical activities for students to accept better etiquette education. Secondly， parents should courage children to take part in social welfare activities and teach children manners in real case and interesting family activities. Thirdly， society has responsibility to create better civilized atmosphere for teenagers.Chinese teenagers need t opportunities to realize their social value and get better etiquette and moral education. Only can the social activities and society arouse teenagers enthusiastic to inherit and develop Chinese traditional etiquette culture and traditional value.

References：

[1]Dr，Vannevar Bush.“The Gentleman of culture.” Vital Speeches of the Day.1998：pp.380-384.

[2]Harris，John.“The concept of the person and the value of life.” Kennedy Institute of Ethics Journal 9.4（1999）：293-308.

[3]Jun-hong，W.U.“My View on Etiquette Education of College Students[J].” Journal of Taiyuan University 4（2006）：018.

[4]Locke，John.Some thoughts on education.New York：General Books，2010.

[5]Lyte，Henry Churchill-Maxwell.A history of Eton College， 1440-1884.Macmillan，1889.

[6]單中惠，勾月.近代歐洲紳士教育簡論[J].合肥師范學院學報，2001（1）：36-40.

[7]平麗.英國紳士教育研究[D].華東師范大學，2007.

[8]湯素蘭.洛克和英國的紳士教育[J].教師，2012（13）.

[9]毋俊泓.大學生禮儀教育之我見[J].太原大學學報，2006，7（4）： 57-58.

作者簡介：陳誦弦（1993.1-），女，漢族，貴州貴陽人，貴陽幼兒師范高等專科學校，助講，研究方向：英語教育。endprint