The evolution of Chinese contemporary educational thought has closely paralleled the progress of educational initiatives and the vicissitudes of Chinese society. A structured analysis of the developmental trajectory of Chinese educational practice, along with the internal logic governing its theoretical evolution, reveals a four-stage framework: (1) the founding period (1949–1956); (2) the exploratory period (1957–1963); (3) the turbulent period (1964–1976); and (4) the reconstruction period (1977–1990).