Source: China Times
When choosing a kindergarten, many parents focus not only on teacher-student ratios but also inquire about the use of internationally recognized educational methods such as Montessori and Froebel. What most people don’t realize, however, is that Jian Sheng Kindergarten has long been a pioneer in introducing both systems to Taiwan.
Jian Sheng has spent decades cultivating a strong faculty and even established its own factory in Changhua to manufacture Montessori and Froebel educational materials. In fact, several of the teaching aids developed by Jian Sheng’s educators have been recognized by international institutions and are in high demand overseas. With annual export sales nearing NT$100 million, Jian Sheng has become a shining example of Taiwanese innovation in the global education sector.
Reflecting on the school’s educational roots, Jian Sheng Early Education Group’s General Manager, Andy Weng , recalled that over a century ago, his grandfather, Hsiung Hui, was among the first Qing Dynasty students sent to study abroad. After earning his degree from Kyoto Imperial University in 1923, he returned to his hometown of Nanchang, Jiangxi, and dedicated himself to founding Jian Sheng High School—then the largest secondary school in the region—guided by Western educational ideals.
After the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War, he followed the Nationalist government to Taiwan, continuing his mission in education. Before passing, he told his daughter, Hsiung Ming-Yueh, “Education must begin from an early age.” Inspired by this legacy, she went on to establish six kindergartens, believing that early childhood education was the foundation for national and societal advancement.
(Photo: Courtesy of Jian Sheng Early Education Group)
In the 1970s, as Taiwan experienced a baby boom, Jian Sheng opened its first kindergarten in Taipei, enrolling up to 300 children across morning and afternoon sessions. At the time, Andy’s father was already a star mathematics teacher at Tsai Hsing High School. Driven by a desire to elevate the quality of early education, he traveled to the United States to study at the America Montessori Institution (AMI). There, he discovered that Dr. Maria Montessori’s medical background brought a logic-based, hands-on approach to teaching math—radically different from traditional East Asian rote learning. He believed this method could transform the conventional cram-style education prevalent in Taiwan.
Moreover, Montessori materials were prohibitively expensive at the time, with a single knobbed cylinder block costing over NT$30,000 due to import costs from the Netherlands. This sparked the idea to localize Montessori education and make it more accessible.
In addition to Montessori, Jian Sheng sought inspiration from Professor Lin Sheng-Rui, who had studied early childhood education in Japan. Lin introduced the Froebel “gifts” method, developed by the “father of kindergarten” Friedrich Froebel. Jian Sheng became the first to blend Montessori and Froebel philosophies in preschool classrooms.
Andy Weng recalls that his father founded the CFMS (Chinese Froebel Montessori Society) and began streamlining the certification programs for both systems. This allowed Taiwanese teachers to complete training at one-tenth the cost of overseas programs—without needing to travel abroad—while gaining a deep understanding of both pedagogical foundations.
To meet the growing demand for students and teaching materials, Jian Sheng began producing its own Montessori and Froebel materials in a home-style factory. This not only significantly lowered the cost of educational tools but also democratized access to modern Western early education. Over time, Jian Sheng’s team developed and designed even more teaching aids that fully embodied the principles of both Montessori and Froebel, helping bring innovative, child-centered learning to classrooms across Taiwan.
(Photo: Courtesy of Jian Sheng Early Education Group)
As more kindergartens across Taiwan adopt the Montessori method, Jian Sheng has expanded from a small, family-run workshop into a full-fledged teaching materials factory in Changhua. Today, Jian Sheng has developed over 2,000 different types of educational tools. Its products are now exported globally, with the renowned U.S.-based Apple Seed company acting as Jian Sheng’s overseas distributor. Major markets include the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, and Macau, with annual sales approaching NT$100 million. The company’s work has earned widespread recognition from early childhood education institutions around the world.
Weng Fan-Che, General Manager of Jian Sheng Early Education Group, emphasized that it has been exactly 100 years since the founding of the family’s first progressive school. Jian Sheng remains committed to introducing the latest global educational trends and methods—ensuring teachers receive not only effective strategies but also access to professional-grade tools.
In recent years, Jian Sheng has actively supported Taiwan’s national bilingual policy by developing materials specifically for Chinese-speaking children learning English. One such creation is the “Nana Bear Readers”, a series of English learning books tailored for young learners in Mandarin-speaking environments.
Weng stresses that the mission has never been to operate an elite school for the few—but to make quality education accessible and affordable for more families. Today, Jian Sheng’s infant care centers and kindergartens have successfully promoted and localized both Montessori and Froebel philosophies in Taiwan, while continuing to innovate and expand globally. In doing so, Jian Sheng not only strengthens early education in Taiwan but also establishes it as a distinctive hallmark of Taiwanese excellence on the international stage.
