Huang Zunxian was the first Chinese to compile a description of the Japanese education system and to suggest that China should learn from it. While serving as a Chinese diplomat in Japan, Huang witnessed the Meiji Restoration reforms at first hand. The research and investigations that Huang undertook while in Japan provided the basis for his Poems on Japan and General History of Japan; Huang urged the Qing government to implement educational reforms along Japanese lines. The aim of the present study is to examine the contribution made by Huang Zunxian to the introduction of aspects of the Japanese education system into China during the last years of the Qing Dynasty. Huang’s writings influenced other educational reformers such as Sheng Xuanhuai, Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao. However, the Japanese education system itself continued to evolve during this period, which made it difficult for China to keep upto- date with the latest developments. When the Qing government did finally begin to establish a new education system, Huang Zunxian was not directly involved. Nevertheless, Huang Zunxian can be said to have made a significant contribution towards the introduction into China of aspects of the Japanese education system and towards the establishment of Western-style education in China. Unfortunately, the authorities did not recognize the full value of Huang’s recommendations. As a result, the new education system that was eventually designed was not fully suited to China’s real needs.
晚清兩學制係仿日制，而黃遵憲最先完整介紹並建議仿日。他使日時親身經歷明治維新，藉蒐集文獻、代譯書籍、訪談友人及實地參訪等法撰成《日本雜事詩》與《日本國志》，開研究日本先河，提倡設學興教，鼓勵清仿日變法。後書於甲午戰敗後問世，戊戌維新時，皇帝及變法重臣都讀過。梁啟超將《國志》列為時務學堂必讀之書，倡辦師範教育；盛宣懷創南洋公學，首建師範齋及附設小學；戊戌時康梁議設各級學堂及京師大學堂以統各省學堂等，均當受黃氏啟迪。但因日持續變革，故不易掌握新況。當制定學制時，他雖未參與但擬藉書喚起朝野正視日本之崛起，對引介日制及建立西式教育實有貢獻。可惜主政者未重視，再派員赴日短期考察，歸國後未參與規劃，報告僅供參考，遂無法設計符合國情的新學制。本文旨在探討黃遵憲對引介日本教育及建立新學制的貢獻。
