[Objective] The purpose of this study is to reexamine Zhuangzi's theory of human nature as a complementary approach to address the limitations of current character education, and to draw out its educational implications.
[Contents] The Character Education Promotion Act, enacted in 2015, was the first law in the world to mandate character education. However, its legislation and implementation were accompanied by several controversies. From an educational perspective, issues arose regarding the ambiguous concept of character, the imposition of uniform values, teacher training methods, and evaluation systems. Among these, ongoing problems include the unclear definition of character, the enforcement of standardized values and virtues, and the lack of practical application in homes and society. To address these issues, this study reexamines Zhuangzi's theory of human nature and explores ways to connect it with character education.
[Conclusions] Based on the results of the study, the following educational implications can be drawn: character education should prioritize the preservation and realization of natural human disposition over rigid definitions; value-based instruction must be grounded in experiential learning to foster genuine awareness; and practical, life-centered programs such as death education, life-respect education, and technology education should be integrated into the curriculum to support holistic character development.