Local traditional gems injected into textbooks

Traditional cultures are advocated in education by the central leadership of China. [Photo/Xinhua]

A series of new textbooks featuring traditional Chinese cultures is expected to be used by primary and middle school students across China this fall. Chinese classics, such as Analects of Confucius and The Art of War, and the content of local cultural heritage are compiled into the new books.

Local cultures highlighted in the new book

According to the China Classic Culture and Art Center, the newly compiled textbooks are tailor-made for 25 different regions across China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shandong.

"Except for the three provinces in the northeast of China and the autonomous regions such as Xinjiang and Tibet, most places in the country are covered by the new books," said Zhang Jiang, the secretary general of the study team in the China Classic Culture and Art Center.

Zhang said that up to 30% of the content in current textbooks, which is nationally unified and used, is replaced with local cultures in different regions to enhance students’ interest and enable them to know more about their hometown.

Apart from Confucius' teachings, more traditional classic works are compiled into the textbooks for the first time, including Three-Character Scripture, Rhythm Enlightenment, The Art of War and Doctrine of the Mean for students in different grades.

Twenty themes to be represented in Beijing version

Traditional food, customs and landmarks, such as "Dou Zhier" (a traditional Beijing drink made from ground beans), Lv Dagun (a traditional dessert made of rice and sweet beans) and "hutong" (narrow lanes commonly seen in North China) are included in the new textbooks for the Beijing area.

According to Zhang, there is one theme in each of 12 textbooks for primary school. "Hutong culture, food tradition, historical contexts such as the Peking man site at Zhoukoudian and the Yuan Ruins Park will all be there." Zhang said.

For example, in the Di Zi Gui (Disciple Gauge) compiled into the first grade textbook, there are detailed and specific sections describing the history of Beijing, from a primitive society to modern times. Old pictures, stories of different generations, cultural changes … all that provides students with a comprehensive and diversified understanding of the place they call home.