ИСТИНА

Natsume Soseki (1867 - 1916), well-known as a prolific Japanese novelist, was somehow involved into educational process. In one of his most popular novels, Botchan (1906), he draw a picture of obdurate province school and expressed his negative attitude towards teaching. In his real life Soseki also gave up teaching, but he had always appreciated this experience. Besides fiction works as Botchan, Soseki wrote some very interesting essays and lectures on problems of education, starting from his immature “The project of Middle-school changes” (1892) to “Education and literature” (1911). Soseki`s search of balance between ancient Chinese and modern European cultures led him to some ideas as, for example, the importance of literature lessons in the middle school for not forgetting the paragons of morality losing their real significance in Meiji Era or the invaluable role of home-education. In one of his last lectures ("My individualism" (1914)) Soseki emphasized that following one`s principles (as the Meiji period education taught) worked only when keeping approach based on traditions of nation and appreciating positions of others, not in the aggressive wakon yosai way, but much more gentle and intellectual. In this report we should admit that Soseki`s redefining of the Western educational conception is also in the spirit of nowadays, when the world`s educational system is in crisis and seeking for new ways for self-realization for a person, while maintaining the authenticity of one`s culture.