Edwin T. Morris Quotes on Education (1 Quote)

In Europe, the word peasant was a term of contempt used by the nobility, but the Chinese scholars used to fancy themselves rustics. Agriculture was viewed as a noble occupation buying and selling, by contrast were considered nonproductive. One of the founders of the Chinese civilization was said to have been the venerable She Nung, the 'Divine Farmer.' A scholar often affected to be nothing more than an 'old farmer' or a 'simple fisherman' and referred to his elegant villa as 'my thatched hut.' This Rosseau-like feeling for the country life is an important undercurrent in the scholarly tradition.