Emperor Kangxi’s Methods of Education
 
Emperor Kangxi (1654 – 1722 AD) of the Qing Dynasty had a very special method of educating his descendants, even among emperors. He had a very large family including 35 sons, 20 daughters, and 97 grandchildren.
 
So how did Kangxi educate his descendants? He used various methods to teach his children and grandchildren. One method was by example. He took his heirs on hunting expeditions, rounds of inspections, and even to battle. It is through these kinds of hands-on experiences that he raised and trained his children and grandchildren. One important method was that he also used the classroom to teach his children and grandchildren.
 
The "Study Room" was where the Emperor's family was schooled. During the Kangxi era, the Study Room was located in the "Wu Yi Zhai" (Room of No Leisure) in Chang Chun Garden. Placing the children there prevented them from indulging in play, leisure, comfort, or becoming idle. Details of the Emperor's heirs attending school are described in the book, "Record of Kangxi’s Daily Activities" (unofficial translation) and several other records.
 
Let us take a look at a typical day to find out how the Emperor's children learned their lessons.
 
On this particular day, from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., the princes reviewed the lessons and homework from the previous day. The crown prince was 13 at the time, and he had to get up even earlier to get ready for school. From 5 a.m. to 7 a.m., the teachers arrived at the study room. The Manchurian teacher, Dahata, and the Mandarin teacher, Tang Bindeng, first bowed to the princes as common etiquette, then both checked the children’s’ homework. Meanwhile, the children memorized books, recited books aloud, and were careful to make no mistakes. Then the Mandarin teacher assigned another paragraph for the children to memorize.
 
After having studied four hours already, from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., Emperor Kangxi left the imperial court daily briefing and went to the study room. When the children saw Kangxi, they received him outside at the stairs to the study room. After Kangxi is seated, he wanted the children to recite books. Kangxi randomly selected a paragraph from the book for recital. They had to recite perfectly, with no mistakes. Kangxi said, "When I was young I would read a paragraph aloud 120 times, and recite it 120 times afterwards. It was not until I memorized each paragraph that I moved on to the next paragraph. I learned the lesson paragraph by paragraph." An official commented, "Isn't it enough to recite 100 times?" Kangxi replied that it had to be 120 times. Then, he asked the teachers how the children were doing. Some teachers said that the crown prince was very intelligent and was able to recite the lessons well. Kangxi commented, "You should not praise them and should criticize them more. This is to prevent them from becoming arrogant." After the inspection, the emperor left to tend to the affairs of the state.
 
Since it was summer, the weather was quite hot. The children were not allowed to carry fans or to fan themselves, and they had to sit up straight. From 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., they practiced calligraphy, and were required to write each character 100 times. Lunch period was from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The servants brought the food and the princes asked the teachers to eat.
 
After lunch, they continued with their studies without a break. From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., they went outside to a courtyard with bows, arrows and targets. They could either take a rest or engage in physical activities to practice skills such as horseback riding, archery or martial arts.
 
From 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., Emperor Kangxi went to the study room again to check the children's work. He also listened to them recite their lessons. The princes formed a line and took turns reciting for the Emperor. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., everyone went outside to practice archery. The children went first, and one by one, they shot arrows at the target. Then it was the teachers' turn. Finally, Kangxi himself shot at the target. According to historical records, time after time, Kangxi’s arrows hit the bull's eye. Practicing archery was the last lesson of the day. Every day, this was the schedule, from 3 a.m. to 7 p.m. and without a break, throughout the summer and winter.
 
We can see that Kangxi educated his children using very strict discipline. Under his tutelage, Kangxi's heirs developed various types of talents. The first talent was politics. Emperor Kangxi's son, Yongzheng, became the next emperor. His grandson, Qianlong, also became an emperor. Both Yongzheng and Qianlong were outstanding emperors in the history of China. Thus, one can conclude that Kangxi's method of teaching was very successful.
 
The second talent was scholarship. Kangxi's third son, Yinzhi, was a distinguished scientist. He was one of the contributors to the Imperial Encyclopedia, which consisted of 10,000 volumes.
 
The third talent was the development of artistic skills. Some of the princes excelled in calligraphy and painting.
 
The fourth talent was "life skills." Some of the princes' mothers did not have high status amongst the Emperor's concubines. Thus, those princes could not compete for the emperor's position. However, these princes led peaceful and productive lives.
 
Because of the success of Emperor Kangxi's method of education, none of his heirs became a wastrel, playboy, or criminal.
 
康熙教子：读、背书120遍
 
康熙对子孙讲教育，在中国历代帝王里是非常特殊的。康熙一共有35个儿子，20个女儿，他孙子辈有人统计是97个，这是个很大的家族。那康熙怎么教育他的子孙的？他教育的方式很多，言传身教，让他的子孙跟他行围打猎，跟他巡视，甚至作战的时候，也带著他们，就是在实践当中来进行培养教育。但是，有一个很重要的方法，就是学校教育。
 
皇子皇孙读书的地方叫“上书房”，康熙时候的上书房在畅春园无逸斋，就是避免他的子孙贪玩，要无逸，不要闲著，不要贪玩，不要贪图享乐。《康熙起居注》和其它的一些书记载了皇子皇孙上学的具体情况。
 
举一天做一个例子，看看皇子皇孙们是怎么学习的。
 
这天的寅时，就是早上三点到五点，皇子们就要到无逸斋，开始复习前一天的功课，要有一个时辰的时间，要有两个小时，皇太子在这个时候才13岁，早上三点钟就要到无逸斋书房，他起床时间当然是更早。卯时，就是五点到七点，老师来到课堂，满文的师傅达哈塔，汉文的师傅汤斌等到了上书房，到了之后先给皇太子实行跪拜的礼节，然后就检查皇子们功课，让皇子背书，皇子朗朗背诵，一字不错。然后汉文师傅再给他划下面一段，接著背下面一段。底下就是辰时，就是早上七点到九点，这个时候学生上课已经过了四个小时了，康熙下了朝就来到了无逸斋，皇子们到斋外面台阶下面迎接康熙来，康熙来了之后落座，就说要背书，就让他的儿子背书，康熙拿出书来随便点一段，皇子就背，背完了以后，果然一字不错，康熙说，我小时候书要朗诵120遍，之后还要背诵120遍，完全熟练了，然后再换下一段，这样一段一段地学，这时候有了大臣说，说是100遍是不是就可以了？康熙说必须背足120遍，然后就问其他那几个师傅，说刚才背的怎么样？有的老师就说了，太子很聪明，背得很好。康熙说，说你们不能表扬他，要多批评他们，免得他们骄傲。检查完了之后，康熙就处理他政事去了。
 
巳时，九点到十一点，这个时候，记得这一天已经是数伏了，很热，皇子读书的时候，是不许拿扇子的，不许摇扇子，正襟危坐，这时候写字，每一个字要写100遍，来练习书法。底下就到了午时，十一点到下午一点，就到了午饭的时候，侍卫就送上饭来，皇子们也让老师吃饭。吃完饭之后不休息，继续前头功课。底下就到了未时，就是下午一点到三点，这时候皇子们到了无逸斋的外面是一个院，那儿有靶，射箭，一个是休息一下，一个是体育活动，一个是练习骑射，练习武艺。申时，就是下午三点到五点，康熙又到了无逸斋再次检查功课，还让这些皇子们背，他几个皇子排著队一个一个背。底下是酉时，下午五点到七点，这节课是在无逸斋外面练习射箭，康熙先让诸子们一个一个射，之后让那几位师傅一个一个射箭，最后康熙自己射箭，史书记载叫做“连发连中”，功课完了之后放学。从早上三点到下午七点。请注意，不是一天，是天天如此，叫做“无间寒暑”，天天如此。
 
从这个例子可以看出来，康熙皇帝对教育子孙是极为严格的。在他教育之下，康熙的儿子有几种类型，一种是政治型的，譬如雍正做了皇帝，乾隆做了皇帝，应当说康熙的教育是成功的。儿子雍正是一个很杰出的皇帝，孙子乾隆也是一位很杰出的皇帝。
 
第二个类型就是学者型，皇三子胤祉是很杰出的一个科学家，他主持编修《古今图书集成》一万卷。第三种类型就是艺术型，写字绘画，有的皇子字写得很好，画也画得很好。第四种类型是生活型，他母亲在妃子里面地位比较低下一点，他也不可能竞争皇位，是，他有一个平平安安的生活，所以康熙皇子皇孙当中没有一个纨绔，没有一个为非作歹者。