Hongdumen School was founded in February of the first year of Guanghe in East Han Dynasty (178). It is a college for studying and studying literature and art in the Han Dynasty. On the whole, the ideological and cultural background of Huanling period in the Eastern Han Dynasty presents the following characteristics: First, Confucian classics decorated with divination theory is no longer the academic belief of scholars.
Second, heresy has sprung up suddenly, showing a situation in which a hundred schools of thought contend. Thirdly, all kinds of arts represented by literature shone brilliantly at the end of the Han Dynasty, and their achievements also went to the glory in history. Named after its location in Hongdumen, Luoyang, it is the earliest academy in China. Hongdumen School is the product of the internal struggle of the ruling class, that is, the eunuch faction competed with imperial academy occupied by aristocratic forces in order to cultivate intellectuals to support themselves. The reason why Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty loved Ci Fu calligraphy and painting was also used to set up this new school.
The students and teaching contents of Hongdu School are contrary to those of imperial academy. Students are selected and sent by the state and county governments, and most of them are children of civilians with low social status who are looked down upon by gentry. Offering courses such as ci fu, novel, literature, calligraphy, painting, etc., broke the convention of studying Confucian classics.
In order to strengthen their power, eunuchs gave special treatment to students in Hongdu school. After graduation, students will be given generous salaries to senior officials, some to secretariat officials, satrap officials, ministers and waiters, and some to Marquis. Hongdu school was very prosperous for some time, with as many as 1000 students.
The Historical Influence of Hongdumen Science
Hongdumen is not only the earliest college in China, but also the earliest college of literature and art in the world. In the Han Dynasty, where Confucianism was the only respect, it was a great contribution to education to change the old concept that Confucian classics were the only educational content and advocate the study of literature and art.
It is also of progressive significance to recruit children of civilians, break through the monopoly of aristocratic landlords on schools and give civilians the opportunity to display their talents. The appearance of Hongdumen paved the way for the imperial examination and the establishment of various academies, especially in the Tang Dynasty.
Liu Hong is a fatuous emperor, but he is very talented and loves literature and calligraphy. He recruited many talented students to stay in Hongdu, Luoyang, the capital, and later recruited many people who were good at seal cutting, so there were dozens of them. In the first year of Guanghe (178), Hongdumen School was established, specializing in Ci, Fu and calligraphy. Students are sent by the state, county and Sangong, and the number is as many as 1,000. Many of them are awarded high-ranking officials after their studies.
Although Hongdu School was not established for a long time, it produced some famous calligraphers, mainly specializing in flower, bird, insect seal and eight-part essay, with representatives such as Shi, Liang Hu and Mao Hong. Hongdu School broke through the barrier that Confucian classics were the only educational content since Taixue was founded, and it was the earliest literary university. ..
Wei Taizu's early literary achievements are "ideologically, its development is directly related to the ideological emancipation at that time" and also closely related to the previous ideological emancipation.
The establishment of Hongdu School has its profound social and cultural background. It is the declining trend of Confucianism since Emperor Andi, when the traditional way of studying Confucian classics turned to "observing the general trend" and the doctor leaned back in his chair and didn't speak, heresy prevailed. To some extent, the establishment of Hongdumen School is the result of this social trend of thought.