After the victory of the Revolution of 1911, Cai Yuanpei was appointed as the first education chief. It was at this time that he put forward the concept of "aesthetic education" and the idea of "replacing religion with aesthetic education". Through his understanding of China's traditional culture and active absorption of western culture, he opened up a new road for the people to open up wisdom and cultivate a sound personality.

It is believed that helping students shape perfect personality is far better than teaching them life skills. Therefore, in order to practice this ideal, he devoted his life.

For a long time, this great master of the Republic of China's aesthetic achievements have been an unavoidable topic in educational academic research. Regarding the essence of beauty, Cai Yuanpei once emphasized two aspects: beauty is universal, pure and detached.

Cai Yuanpei once wrote, for example, when we appreciate the scenery of Xishan, we all see the same thing, and the scenery itself will not change because it is seen by different people. So he thinks beauty is universal and can be shared.

This is different from material and profit. For example, the room we are in now is limited, and it is impossible for people to enter without restrictions. But there is no such conflict in the United States.

At the same time, he also believes that beauty is transcendental and not utilitarian. For example, we don't appreciate flowers and the beauty of flowers because we want fruit very utilitarian. The same is true of appreciating a painting. Its value and beauty are not limited by time and space. This is his understanding of beauty.