From Statecraft to Western Learning: The Curriculum Reform of Hubei-Hunan Academy During Zhang Zhidong’s Reign as Governor of Hubei

Abstract

Hubei-Hunan Academy is an educational institution founded by Zhang Zhidong, which is the experimental field of educational reform during his tenure as governor of Hu-Guang. Its curriculum has gone through several stages, such as the statecraft of the world, the study of the current affairs, and the Chinese essence and Western utility, finally changed to a new style school. The curriculum reform of Hubei-Hunan Academy is a reflection of the powerfully changes in Zhang Zhidong’s educational thoughts during his period of supervising Hubei. Due to the lack of attention to the imperial examination system and the overemphasis on generalist education in the curriculum, the talent training of the Hubei and Hunan Academy did not actually achieve the goal of “being a famous minister and being a famous scholar”.