Cai Yuanpei's famous sayings about universities are introduced as follows:
1. Pure aesthetic education cultivates our feelings and makes us have noble and pure habits, so that we can see and benefit others. It is also a person who has damaged people's thoughts and gradually disappeared.
2. If there is no virtue, then although the body and intelligence are developed, it will be enough to help him do evil.
3. Educators are responsible for cultivating personality. Just instilling knowledge and practicing skills without implementing ideals is a mechanical education, which is not what it should be applied to human beings.
4. Moral education is actually the foundation of a complete personality. If there is no virtue, although the body and intelligence are developed, it will only help the person to do evil and it will be useless.
5. During normal times, he would indulge in leisure activities, and during exams, he would read the lecture notes thoroughly. He did not care about knowledge, but only competed for the number of scores. After the test was over, the books were shelved in a high cabinet, without any hesitation, and he had been perfunctory for three or four years, scribbling. Once you get your diploma, you can use it to get involved in society. Isn’t that completely contrary to your original intention of studying? Time is wasted and knowledge is lost, which is self-mistake.
6. Only with a sound body can one have a sound spirit; if the body is weak, how can the mind and spirit be developed? In other words, unless the body is suffering, the spirit cannot be free. However, the so-called hardship is to train people, not to make them weak to suffer themselves.
7. Sympathy is to see that other people’s feelings are the same as your own, to relate to each other and to understand each other. Therefore, the current examination system is most contrary to this point. In order to compete for ranking and score, sympathy is reduced day by day and jealousy is greatly increased.
8. Human health depends not only on diet, but also on exercise. Sports can help people undergo physical and mental exercise.
9. When we teach, we are not like pouring water into a bottle. Once it is full, we are done. The most important thing is to arouse students' interest in reading.
10. The so-called sound personality is divided into four types of education, namely: (1) physical education, (2) intellectual education, (3) moral education, and (4) aesthetic education. …School education pays attention to students’ sound personality, so students should be proactive in every aspect.
11. As everyone knows, only a healthy body can have a healthy spirit; if the body is weak, how can the mind and spirit be developed? In other words, unless the body is suffering, the spirit cannot be free. However, the so-called hardship is to train people, not to make them weak to suffer themselves.
12. Education is to help the educated people, so that they can develop their own abilities, complete their personality, and play their part in human culture; it is not to turn the educated people into a kind of Special tools for people with other purposes to use...Education requires the balanced development of individuality and group character.
13. The so-called habit does not necessarily mean writing or reading, and then it is called education. There is education in sweeping the floor, education in washing the table, and education in cooking. In short, every move, every cry and every laugh is educational.
14. Aesthetic educators complement intellectual education to complete moral education.
15. Including major ceremonies and covering all kinds of people; free thinking and inclusiveness.
16. If you want to have a good society, you must first have good individuals. If you want to have good individuals, you must first have good education.
17. Those who know how to educate should rather adhere to nature than abide by the law; rather than seek uniformity, they would rather express their individuality.