As known to everybody the US is an economic giant in the world proud of its battalions of talents and advanced education. And it's nothing new and strange to see China's education always under relentless criticism. For me, it's quite understandable for the intellectuals to ponder over the lethargic state, "feeling grieved for the misfortunes in Chinese education but unable to do anything worthwhile for it". However, what we really want now is for more accomplished scholars and masters to do something practical in support of it.
America has an advanced education system. China has also a glorious tradition of its own. In ancient China, it was a common practice that retired officials ran schools in their hometowns as they regarded the doing as something the loftiest for benefiting their hometowns let alone the local scholars. A typical example is the one named Wang Ao, Prime minister of the Ming Dynasty who set up a school for enrolling students after his retirement and succeeded in bringing up a batch of intellectuals. After the founding of the Republic of China in 1912, western style education began to gain ground in China and even spread to rural areas. But Chinese intellectuals did not give up their responsibility for developing primary education in that circumstance. Qian Mu, a pundit in Chinese language and literature, while collating The Analects of Confucius, taught Chinese at local primary and secondary schools in rural areas. Actually he was not the only scholar doing that. To be a freelance teacher at primary and secondary schools was a normal practice among professors at that time. Elementary education serves the cornerstone for the extension and development of a national education.
The more profound knowledge you are aspiring for the deeper you'll make a study of it. A single word, a metaphor or just a profile of a school teacher may help inspire a child, including a child born in the countryside, igniting the curiosity for science who will try to hunt for materials and books on science by all means. Or the child may develop a love for literature or a great ambition for future.
I feel admired when I learned of the history. Though born in Beijing, capital of the nation, I could only listen to storytelling given by Grandpa Sun Jingxiu, a very famous and popular storyteller when I was a schoolboy then. Even during my college days the only chance for me to see those prominent professors and instructors for doctorates was at their special lectures, which were given only once for a time. But contrarily, there were too many chances for me to find them at some forums delivering some empty talks or on the TV screens taking part in social activities.
Allow me to turn to those ordinary teachers in colleges. What have they done for our elementary education? It seems that elementary education is none of their business. I could still remember how our teachers in my college complained about the disconnection between the secondary and higher education and asked us to have a brain storming by restructuring our way of thinking and knowledge. Up till now we can hear this voice over the media reporting college teachers grumbling over the poor creativeness among students which were caused, they think, by elementary education. But is it fair to say that students or teachers in elementary education are the only one to blame?
Better to return home making a net rather than stand by the pool longing for fish
Yes western education pattern is good. But is it operational under the present social and economic conditions in China? If not, isn't it better for us to do what an individual can to make things different?
China is endowed with rich resources of talents. We have scholars, professors and intellectuals from all parts of the country, especially from rural areas. Isn't it a good idea that these elite with a sense of responsibility for their hometown spare some time in telling the children with no urban life experience something on the outside world to broaden their minds during their hometown visits? You don't have to follow the suite of Qian Mu by offering a course special for the children. But why not considering sparing some time, say, two hours, to introduce the world you’ve seen, your life philosophy, and your experience to primary and secondary students? Or is it possible for you, no matter how busy you are, to open the window on science and share your broad view on the world with our children at schools?
Teachers in primary and secondary schools and leading figures in academic circle are educating talents for China. Most of the teachers working on elementary education are infusing basic knowledge to students. Lectures given by masters, well versed in the learning both ancient and modern and with a panoramic view, will be helpful to students through their lifetimes. Please reflect upon the Ming Prime minister aforementioned again. Though he succeeded in fostering a No.1 scholar in the country, yet his most famous student was the one who was neither as successful as his teacher in officialdom nor in writing. He was Tang Yin, alias Bohu, in Chinese history of literature.
This is the power of a master and the magic power of education.
(People’s Daily November 18, 2003)
