Resumen de Nature and education in Eastern contexts: the thought on nature education of China’s Pre-Qin Taoist Chuang Tzu
The thought on nature education plays an important role in both Eastern and Western history of educational thoughts. However, the rich thought on nature education in Pre-Qin Taoism in China was little-known in Western academia. Chuang Tzu was the co-founder and one of the main representative figures of Pre-Qin Taoism philosophy and nature education. This study will reveal the core contents of Chuang Tzu's thought on nature education mainly based on the analysis of Chuang Tzu. For Chuang Tzu, the aim of education is the individual’s inner freedom. And in order to realise it, this study reveals, is not to learn knowledge or morals from somebody but to recognise the Way of Nature. The basic rules and methods of education are following the Way of Nature. But Chuang Tzu’s understandings on nature and nature education are different from Rousseau. For Chuang Tzu, one may get real freedom only if he can find a way to reconcile with nature, society, and himself. These opinions may be very meaningful for today’s education
