Classics get bigger role in schools

New standards see students learn more traditional Chinese culture

China's education authorities released new curriculum standards for high schools on Tuesday that will contain more content about traditional Chinese culture.

Zheng Fuzhi, director of the Ministry of Education's textbook bureau, said changes will be made to the curriculum standards of 14 subjects taught at high schools, with an emphasis on traditional Chinese culture, particularly the classics.

"According to the new standards, high school students in China will be requested to read more classics of ancient China, such as The Analects of Confucius, Mencius and Shi Ji (The Historical Records) both in and outside class," he said.

"Seminars should be organized to help students gain a deeper understanding of these classics," Zheng added. "And the number of ancient poems or articles that are recommended for students to recite will rise from 14 to 72."

In addition to Chinese language, traditional culture will also be emphasized in other subjects such as fine arts, music, math and physical education, Zheng said.

For example, the new standards for the curriculum of fine arts stipulate that there will be new lessons about Chinese calligraphy and painting, which will teach students how to appreciate traditional works.

It took the Ministry of Education four years to revise the standards, and the new ones will be introduced in the fall semester.

Wang Zhan, former vice-minister of education, who participated in drafting the new standards, said it is the first time the standards have been revised since 2003.

"China has changed so much in recent years, whether in terms of economy, society and science and technology," he said, adding that a notable change in high school education is that it's no longer "elite education" that prepares students for the upcoming higher education.

"Rather, it has become more popular among young people in China, not only as a channel to colleges, but also as a stage that helps those who don't plan to attend college get prepared for social life and career development," he said, adding that the revision of the standards is made to meet new and diverse demands from students.

The new standards also stress the importance of nurturing students' innovative spirits and practical abilities by requiring that students should learn about the internet of things, artificial intelligence and big data in courses such as information technology and math.