The essence of education refers to the fundamental relationship between the internal elements of education and the fundamental characteristics of education as a social activity that distinguishes it from other social activities. As opposed to "educational phenomenon".

Education is an activity to cultivate people. Education has existed since the beginning of human society, and its function is to transmit social production and life experience, promote human development and cultivate talents needed by society according to certain social requirements.

Education is a unique conscious activity of human beings. Animals have only the most basic forms of life matter. Only people consciously stimulate sensitivity and animal psychology. People can reflect the essence and laws of things through abstract rational thinking.

Neither the teaching of production experience nor the teaching of social behavior norms in human education stems from people's instinctive needs, but from people's conscious social needs and purposeful behaviors driven by sober consciousness.