| （School of Physical Education，Zhengzhou University，Zhengzhou 450001，China） Abstract: By means of keyword search, the author performed an online search over the English and French histori-cal literature databases and digital libraries of famous libraries and publishers abroad by using physical education and education physique as keywords, put forward some new understandings, and corrected some views existing in China. The time for physical education to appear in English literature should be no later than the year when the 5th edition of English translation of Réflexions critiques sur la poesie et sur la peinture written by French scholar Jean-Baptiste Dubos in the 18th century was published, i.e. 1748; the works written by Archibald MacLaren and Herbert Spencer are not the earliest works using physical education; the time for education physique to appear in French literature should be no later than the year when the original French version of Réflexions critiques sur la poesie et sur la peinture written by Jean-Baptiste Dubos, i.e. 1733; both Jacques Rousseau’s Émile, ou de L´éducation and Jacques Ballexserd’s Dissertation sur l'éducation physique des enfans, depuis leur naissance jusqu'à l'âge de puberté are not the earliest works using education physique.
Key words: sport history；physical education；education physique；Jean-Baptiste Dubos；Jacques Rousseau |
