In the Song Dynasty, private school teachers were an indispensable part of society, they took on the heavy responsibility of teaching and educating people, and they also played multiple roles in society. The Song Dynasty was an era of high respect for literati politics, and Confucian culture was greatly developed during this period, and the popularity of private schools enabled more children to receive enlightenment education, which in turn paved the way for their future careers.
The counterpart to the government school is the private school, which is numerous and spread all over the country. This form of education has given more children the opportunity to receive education, and as a result, the teachers have become highly respected in society. The tutors come from a variety of backgrounds, some are veterans who have experienced five generations of troubled times, and some are scholars who have failed to gain fame. Their job was not only to teach and educate people, but also to serve as assistants to the squire, acting as a bridge between wealthy merchants and officials, and other social functions.
There is a big difference in their income and standard of living over the course of their careers. Teachers in the cities tend to be better paid and receive a salary in addition to food, while teachers in the countryside may only receive food and no additional monetary income. In addition, the tutors also take up some side jobs to make ends meet, and some even have dreams of entering officialdom.
Although the social status of the teachers was not high, their existence played a positive role in the development of Song Dynasty society. They worked hard to educate the next generation, inherited the classical culture, and contributed to the prosperity and development of Confucian culture. At the same time, the juku teachers were also the connectors in society, and through them, the connections between wealthy merchants and officials were established, and economic and political development was promoted.
Under the impetus of private school education, the society of the Song Dynasty entered a cultural boom, and the emergence of enlightenment reading materials made basic education more in-depth. However, the purpose of private school education is still the imperial examination, and there is still a certain gap compared with modern education. Despite this, the hard work and social role of the private school teachers made important contributions to the stability and development of the Song Dynasty society.
In general, Song Dynasty private school teachers were an indispensable group that played an important role in education, social construction, and cultural inheritance. Their existence enriched the diversity of Song Dynasty society and injected vitality and impetus into the progress and development of society.