Curricular Imaginaries in a Modernizing Society: Philosophy of Life in China's 1922 Schooling Reform

This paper examines the lifespan of the new school subject of Philosophy of Life (PoL) in China's 1922 Schooling Reform, which laid down the foundation of China's modern schooling system, noting that the 1922 National Curriculum was shaped by curricular imaginaries comprising intellectual elites, particularly through the National Education Association (NEA), instead of government departments. Complementing the theory of refraction with Charles Taylor's conceptualization of social imaginaries, this paper explores how PoL emerged in response to social crises and reflected a broader vision of modernization, despite its failure in passing the “acid test” of sustainability. By theorizing a perspective of curricular imaginaries, this paper analyzes various “refraction episodes” that embedded competing educational ideas and actions among academics, teachers, and publishers. This paper concludes that the PoL subject offers critical insights into the complexities of modern educational reform, where the interplay of competing curricular visions and a lack of institutional stability contributed to its decline.