The Moral Foundation of Craftsmanship: A Historical and Comparative Inquiry into College Teachers’ Professional Ethos in China

© 2026 by the Authors. Licensee: Bio-Byword Scientific Publishing Pty Ltd, Australia. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )

Download PDF

Cite

XML

HTML

Abstract

Rooted in the “morality-first” tradition, the Chinese craftsmanship spirit integrates ethics with expertise, positioning moral cultivation as the foundation of professional excellence. Within higher education, this spirit underpins teachers’ professional identity and their capacity to shape students’ moral and academic character. Through a comparative analysis of China’s Confucian “reverence for morality” and Western traditions of virtue ethics, this study reveals that the erosion of morality-centered professionalism among college teachers compromises instructional quality and disrupts the intergenerational transmission of professional ethics. To address this decline, three pathways are proposed: internalizing ethical consciousness through reflective practice; constructing evaluation systems aligning value recognition with performance incentives; and embedding student-centered cultural transmission in pedagogy. Collectively, these strategies aim to restore the moral foundation of teacher professionalism, renew the cultural legacy of morality-centered craftsmanship, and cultivate virtuous educators and students who embody the ethical essence of China’s pedagogical tradition while engaging with global educational discourses.

References

Chen G, Du J, Shan R, et al., 2022, The Efficient Heritage of the Craftsmanship Spirit in China: A Configuration Effect of Family Motivation and Organizational Learning. Frontiers in Psychology, 2022(13): 807619. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.807619

Ding Y, Liu Y, 2022, The Influence of High-Performance Work Systems on the Innovation Performance of Knowledge Workers. Sustainability, 2022(14): 15014.

Wang B, 2020, The Path of Craftsman Spirit into the Core Competence Training of

Higher Vocational Education. Lifelong Education, 2020(9): 99–101. https://doi.org/10.18282/le.v9i5.1217

Jin Y, 2021, Research on the Integration of Vocational Skills and “Craftsmanship Spirit” in Higher Vocational Colleges. World Scientific Research Journal, 2021(7): 85–90. https://doi.org/10.22158/wjssr.v7n4p85

Zhang KY, Cerdin JL, 2020, The Chinese Apprenticeship Model: The Spirit of Craftsmanship. John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, New Jersey.

Halbusi HA, Ruiz-Palomino P, Rafael Morales-Sánchez FA, et al., 2021, Managerial Ethical Leadership, Ethical Climate and Employee Ethical Behavior: Does Moral Attentiveness Matter? Ethics & Behavior, 31(8): 604–627. https://doi.org/10.1080/10508422.2021.1937628

Halbusi HA, Ismail MN, Omar SB, 2021, Ethical Leadership and Employee Ethical Behaviour: Exploring Dual-mediation Paths of Ethical Climate and Organisational Justice: Empirical Study on Iraqi Organisations. International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, 15(3): 303–325. https://philpapers.org/rec/HALELA-8

Su Y, Wang MX, 2018, Analysis on Cultivation Model and Innovation Driving Path of Craftsman Spirit. Contemporary Economic Management, 40(11): 65–69. https://doi.org/10.13253/j.cnki.ddjjgl.2018.11.010

Xiao QZ, Liu YC, 2015, Craftsmanship and its Contemporary Value. Social Sciences in Hunan, 2015(6): 5. https://doi.org/CNKI:SUN:FLSH.0.2015-06-00

Xue D, 2016, Study of Chinese Craftsmanship. Vocational and Technical Education, 37(25): 8–12. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1008-3219.2016.25.002

Xue D, 2013, On the Value Implications of Ancient Chinese Craftsmanship. Journal of Vocational Education, 542(34): 94–96. https://doi.org/CNKI:SUN:ZJLT.0.2013-34-040

Xiao QZ, 2022, On the Spiritual Characteristic of Advocating Morality in Chinese Culture and Its Contemporary Value. Journal of Northwest Normal University (Social Sciences), 59(6): 99–108. https://doi.org/10.16783/j.cnki.nwnus.2022.06.009

Qian M, 2012, The Spirit of Chinese Culture. Jiuzhou Publishing Co., Beijing.

Wang FY, 2006, The Meaning of “Morality” and its Enlightenment to Moral Education in Contemporary China. Journal of East China Normal University (Educational Sciences), 2006(3): 11–20. https://doi.org/10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2006.03.002

Zhang CP, Wu Xia, 1985, The Logical Process of Religious View of Yin and Zhou Dynasties. Social Sciences in China, 1985(6): 73–86. https://doi.org/CNKI:SUN:ZSHK.0.1985-06-007

Qian M, 2012, Spirit of Chinese History. 140. Jiuzhou Publishing Co., Beijing.

Liao SB, 2003, The Nicomachean Ethics-Aristotle. The Commercial Press, Beijing, 8.

Dai MT, Ge MZ, 2022, The Tension of Virtue: Between the Individual and the Public: The Text of “The Nicomachean Ethics”. Journal of Hubei University (Philosophy and Social Science), 49(3): 53–61. https://doi.org/10.13793/j.cnki.42-1020/c.2022.03.015

Tang YJ, 1984, On Truth, Goodness and Beauty in Traditional Chinese Philosophy. Social Sciences in China, 1984(4): 73–83.

Zhu JC, 2018, Embedding Spirit of Craftsman: Idea and Path of Teacher Education

Reform in New Era. Journal of Anhui Normal University (Hum. & Soc. Sci.), 46(6): 59–63. https://doi.org/10.14182/j.cnki.j.anu.2018.06.008

Zhang D, 2016, Craftsmanship in China and its Historical Evolution. Studies in Ideological Education, 267(10): 45–48.

Zuo TX, 2016, Teachers’ Flower Transmission: The Growth of Expert Teachers. East China Normal University Press, Shanghai.

Li W, 2017, Francis Bacon: Forerunner of Moral Philosophy. World Philosophy, 2017(5): 92–98. https://doi.org/CNKI:SUN:ZXYC.0.2017-05-010

Fan H, 2017, Ethics and Morality, How is Development. Morality and Civilization, 2017(4): 5–22. https://doi.org/10.13904/j.cnki.1007-1539.2017.04.001

Pan JH, Yang LL, 2018, The Historical Formation and Inheritance of German Craftsmanship. Journal of Dialectics of Nature, 40(12): 101–107. https://doi.org/10.15994/j.1000-0763.2018.12.015

Wang CX, 1964, Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education, John Dewey. The Commercial Press, Beijing, 249–250.

Zhang LJ, 2013, The Research of Weijin Moral Problem, thesis, Central China Normal University. https://doi.org/10.7666/d.Y2503891

Wang ZP, Lin YJ, 2018, Moralizing the Human Person: A Fundamental Principle of Educational Ethics. Morality and Civilization, 2018(4): 111–118. https://doi.org/10.13904/j.cnki.1007-1539.2018.04.016

Pei C, 1999, La Technique et le Temps 1. La faute d’ Epimethee-Bernard Stiegler. Yilin Publishing House, Nanjing, 12.

Deng XP, 1994, Deng Xiaoping’s Selected Works (Volume 2). People’s Publishing House, Beijing, 333.

Lian QW, 2014, A Modernity Review of Teachers’ Ethics in Higher Education. Higher Education Exploration, 2014(2): 150–153. https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1673- 9760.2014.02.029

Liu YQ, 2014, Training Manual on Teacher Ethics Education-Matthew Sanger. China Youth Publishing Group, Beijing, 11.

Rogers CR, 1969, Freedom to Learn: A View of What Education Might Become. C. E. Merrill Publishing Co., Columbus.

Zhang SZ, 2017, A Study on the Path of Cultivating the Spirit of Craftsman in Trade Union. Journal of China University of Labor Relations, 31(4): 102–107. https://doi.org/CNKI:SUN:GHLJ.0.2017-04-015

Gao ZM, 2011, Institutional Ethics Research. The Commercial Press, Beijing.

Shen R, Li HW, 2011, “Nature” and “Convention”: “Teacher’s way” and “Teacher’s ethics” in Unity. Journal of East China Normal University (Educational Sciences), 29(4): 8–14. https://doi.org/10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2011.04.006

Previous article in this issue

Next article in this issue