The Reception and Transformation of John Dewey’s Thought in Modern China: Focusing on Hu Shih and Tao Xingzhi

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 11:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Transnational Philosophy, Democratic Practice, and Moral Education: Conceptual Perspectives on Dewey

Abstract

Since Dewey’s philosophy was introduced to China during the May Fourth New Culture Movement, it was quickly integrated with China’s unique national conditions through the efforts of his Chinese students and came to serve the critical goals of Chinese society, culture, and education.
Focusing on two key domains, such as ancient Chinese philosophy and educational reform, this research analyzes how Deweyan ideas were localized and transformed to address China’s intellectual and practical needs during the Republican period in China .
By using Hu Shih and Tao Xingzhi as representative figures, this work highlights the reception of history of Dewey’s pragmatism within the Chinese cultural context, analyzing the social, historical, and scholarly foundations shaped its transformation.

Author

• James Yang, Beijing Normal-Hong Kong Baptist University