This article discusses the distinctive educational modes of thinking in Neo-Confucianism, with an interest of extracting Confucian reflective views for modern education of traditionally Confucian East Asia. Neo-Confucian typical modes of thinking on education are characterized as "heart-mind centered" and "learning as self-cultivation centered." Neo-Confucianism regards education as the very task of perfecting as well as realizing the heart-mind, and furthermore puts emphasis on learning characterized as self-cultivation in accordance with the educational goal to perfect the heart-mind. Comparatively speaking, Neo-Confucian modes of thinking on education are more integral, essential, and convergent, whereas modern ones are more differentiated, functional, and divergent. When illuminating through the Neo-Confucian lens, modern education needs to intensify the perspective of integration and essentiality, as well as the perspective of appropriate differentiation, especially concerning the issues of the subject and content of education or learning.