The Chinese philosophy of education was based on the principle of "severity." Strict teachers produce outstanding students, it was said, and students only respect strict teachers. Most Chinese took this idea for granted in all places and times, but in early modern China, teachers increasingly began to feel that beating students was not really appropriate.
中國人的教育觀念傾向於嚴，嚴師出高徒、師嚴然後道尊，這種風氣不是一時一地形成的，而即使鞭笞成風，近代中國老師大約也感受到打人不是正常的教育方法。