China’s political climate may be
stifling, but its cultural heritage is rich and
invigorating. The four great inventions of
ancient China are paper, the compass,
gunpowder, and movable type (used in
printing). Chinese calligraphy, with its use
of pictorial characters, is a stunning art
form, especially when handwritten with an
ink brush. The literature, painting, and
sculpture from China point to a very delicate and sensitive people group, thoughtful
in prose and purposeful in their being. The
Chinese people have a deep and strong
cultural identity that transcends ethnic
divisions, of which there are many.
The Chinese people place a strong
emphasis on sports, although many of their
popular sports are less familiar to us, such
as dragon boat racing, Mongolian-style
wrestling, and badminton. Golf and basketball are becoming increasingly popular, as is
horse racing. China was thrilled to host the
Olympic games in Beijing this past August.
A strong emphasis is also placed on
education. With China’s one child policy,
parents are determined to make the best
possible education choice for their only
child, often at great sacrifice and expense
to the family. Shortly after the founding of
the People’s Republic of China in 1949, the
Chinese government took on education as
a matter of utmost importance. Prior to this
date in history, 80% of the Chinese population was illiterate. Today, 99% of Chinese
students complete the nine years of
compulsory education.
Homeschooling is not technically
illegal in China. However, it is unheard of.
The educational system in China is very
rigorous, and school consumes most of a
child’s day, often running into the early
evening. Yet, there are parents who feel that
the school system in China is not measuring up to their high standards.
One homeschool father says that the
teaching methods used in traditional
schools are “stultifying” so as to dull the
student’s interest in academic pursuits with
tedious and unnecessary repetition. He
argues that kids do not need nine to twelve
years to learn the material covered in
primary and middle school. Half of that
time may be sufficient if the children learn
quickly and the teaching is competent.
Another Chinese homeschool father
asserts that the educational system is
lacking in terms of content. He says that he
would rather not waste his money on
school tuition and instead teach his
daughter something “useful.” One can
begin to understand what “useful” means
when you enter this family’s home—the
walls are covered with a classical musical
score, and the ceilings have been hand
painted with star charts.
These two families are not alone in their
decision to homeschool their children.
Although there are no accurate numbers
recorded as to the number of homeschooling families that exist in China, the
increasing number of cases reported in the
media indicates that this educational
choice is growing in popularity. (A news
article about these two families is located
here: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english
/2005-08/11/ content_3338049.htm.)
To learn more about China, visit our
website, www.knowledgequestmaps.com
/ chinaunit.htm, and request a free unit
study on China’s history, geography,
culture, and regional cuisine.
