Abstract: General education plays a vital role in enhancing students’ holistic knowledge framework and cultivating their ability to integrate science with culture. It also serves as a platform for promoting traditional cultural knowledge, inspiring students to strengthen their national cultural confidence. This paper takes the discussion on ancient Chinese textile dyeing techniques with plant pigments from the author’s general education course “Chemistry in Liberal Arts” as an example. It explores the practical wisdom accumulated by ancient Chinese laborers in botanical dyeing and the underlying chemical principles. The paper delves into how to integrate cultural heritage into scientific knowledge within general education, aiming to cultivate students’ scientific and humanistic literacy.

Key words: General education, Chemistry in liberal arts, Textile dyeing with plant pigments, Cultural confidence