20世纪90年代以来，现代学术呈现出明显的交叉、融合趋势，强调义理、经世、考据、辞章并重，文、史、哲、艺融通的“国学”研究与教学出现了新的热潮。中华民族在政治、经济等方面的崛起，也使社会各界日渐推崇传统文化，为国学学科的新一轮复兴酝酿了较好的外部环境。2001年起，武汉大学在中国大陆率先创办国学本科试验班；2005年起，国学挂靠相关学科招收硕士生；2007年，正式挂靠哲学一级学科设立国内首个国学博士点和硕士点，并报国务院学位办备案批准。在十年人才培养与学科建设的基础上，武汉大学于2010年3月正式成立了国学院。院训“志于道、据于德、依于仁、游于艺”取自《论语·述而》。
Since 1990s there was an obvious trend of interaction in modern academic field, which aroused a new upsurge in Chinese Classics that stressed the balance among “philosophical connotations”(yili义理), “practical statecraft”(jingshi 经世), “textual research”(kaoju 考据) and “art of writing”(cizhang 辞章) and combined with literature, history, philosophy and art. Chinese nation rose in politics, economy and other aspects, which made society to admire Chinese traditional culture day by day and provided a good external environment for the revival of Chinese Classics education. In 2001 Wuhan University was the first to establish the undergraduate class of Chinese Classics in Chinese mainland. Since 2005 we have been subordinated related subjects to enroll postgraduates. In 2007 we formally affiliated to philosophy as the first grade discipline, set up the first national doctor and master programs, and submitted to the Academic Degree Commission of the State Council saving as a record for approval. On the basis of ten-year personnel training and disciplinary construction, Wuhan University officially established the School of Chinese Classics (S.C.C.) in March 2010. Our college motto is from the article “Shu’er ”(《述而》)in the Analects of Confucius which says: Set your will on the Way, have firm grasp on virtue, rely on humanity, and find recreation in the arts.
Prospect
In 2015, the School of Chinese Classics has been set up for five years. It has been 15 years since the first experimental class of the Chinese Classics was founded in 2001 at Wuhan University. In recent years, there are dozens of universities have been established institutions for teaching and research on the Chinese Classics. However, the major of Chinese Classics is still not a first level discipline.
The Chinese traditional academic research has always emphasized how to achieve mastery through a comprehensive study of literature, history, philosophy and art. The methodology contains “philosophical connotations”, “practical statecraft”, “textual research” and “art of writing”. In recent decades, the Chinese traditional culture has been divided into different disciplines, leading to a result that there are very few students in the high education system who can read through the basic classics. It is extremely important to create the major of Chinese Classics in order to educate students to have a holistic view and a better understanding of the Chinese excellent traditional culture.
In addition, with a cross-cultural perspective, Classics study and other inter-disciplines are respected in the Western modern academic system. There are Sinology departments as well doing academic research on Chinese traditional texts, thoughts, culture and so on.
According to these reasons, it is a key effort to list the Chinese Classics study as a first level discipline to assure its adequate development in the academic system for the benefit of educating persons of talent who can teach Chinese excellent traditional culture in primary education, who can make appropriate interpretations when giving lectures to the public, and who can collate and research on the numerous ancient literature and documents, etc. It is a significant way to respond to the need of society and nation.
