Cai Yuanpei is known as "academic leader and world model". His thoughts mainly advocate "freedom of thought, inclusiveness" and independent education, and put forward the concept of "aesthetic education" for the first time.

Yan, who is known as the "father of international civilian education", advocates civilian education and puts forward four educational ideas: literary education, people's livelihood education, health education and civic education.

Liang Shuming advocated rural construction and put forward rural education theory.

Known as "the father of preschool education in China" and "the father of preschool education in China", Chen Heqin put forward the concept of "living education" and advocated five-finger activities.

Huang Yanpei, a leading figure in China's vocational education, advocates "combining knowledge with practice, using both hands and brains, paralleling theory with practice, and paying equal attention to knowledge and skills".

Tao Xingzhi is known as a "great people's educator" and put forward three propositions: "life is education", "society is school" and "teaching integration". Life education theory is the theoretical core of Tao Xingzhi's educational thought.