In 1911, the first year of the Republic of China, public elementary schools and junior and senior high schools abandoned the practice of reciting the classics. Ever since, study of the classics has been limited to university Chinese departments. Most people have little opportunity or desire to read them.
民國元年，公立小學與中學廢除讀經課程，自此，閱讀古代經典成了大學中文系的專科，一般人少有機會和意願接觸。