Contemporary Chinese Education Research Articles

Chinese Opera Literacy of Henan Dadiao Quzi in Contemporary Education

Henan Dadiao Quzi is classified as Quyi, a folk art form between song and traditional opera, emphasizing music and narrative more strongly than dramatic performance. This study investigates the role of Henan Dadiao Quzi in enhancing Quyi Opera literacy in contemporary Chinese education. Incorporating this traditional art form into school curricula can promote cultural, musical, and ethical literacy among students. Conducted in Nanyang, Henan Province, the study involved two key informants with over 20 years of experience in Henan Dadiao Quzi and one general informant, experienced in teaching and performing the art form. Data collection methods included semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis, with thematic analysis used to identify key themes. The findings reveal that Henan Dadiao Quzi significantly enhances students’ understanding of cultural narratives, musical structures, and ethical values, thus promoting a deeper engagement with Chinese heritage. However, the study also identifies challenges in integrating traditional opera into modern educational frameworks, particularly in adapting the art form to contemporary teaching methods. Suggestions for future research include comparative analyses of other traditional art forms and the development of curriculum models that better incorporate traditional arts into contemporary education.

Integration of Foshan traditional culture into English language university curricula: Status, challenges, and strategic approaches

In contemporary Chinese education, a significant feature is the alignment and synergistic integration of ideological and political theory across various disciplines, including university English curricula. This integration involves embedding ideological and political education within all subject areas, thereby achieving a cohesive and comprehensive approach to curriculum development that fosters holistic student development. Integrating Foshan’s local cultural elements into the English curriculum aims to achieve thematic ideological and political education that is guided by local culture, material-based ideological and political education supported by specific cultural imagery, and methodological ideological and political education based on teaching strategies. This approach weaves the ten key elements of Foshan’s traditional culture into the curriculum’s objectives, content presentation, and pedagogical practices. Such integration not only enhances the quality of professional knowledge instruction in higher education English courses but also enriches students’ humanistic qualities, bolsters their perception and confidence in Foshan’s local culture, and ultimately contributes to the cultivation of innovative talent.

The Artistic Characteristics of Chinese Impressionist Painter Wu Guanzhong

This study aims to explore the artistic characteristics of Chinese Impressionist painter Wu Guanzhong. By combing through Wu Guanzhong's artistic experience, it analyzes the evolution of his painting style and its unique expression in the fusion of Chinese and Western art. The study provides an in-depth analysis of Wu Guanzhong's works in terms of subject matter, materials, composition, color, brushwork and other aspects, revealing his unique artistic language and his contribution to the development of modern Chinese painting. At the same time, this study combines literature review and case studies to explore the impact of Wu Guanzhong's art on contemporary Chinese art education, and suggests how to inherit and innovate Chinese national art in the contemporary context. This study provides new perspectives for understanding Wu Guanzhong's artistic achievements and his position in cultural exchanges, and offers useful references for the future development of Chinese art.

Narrative review on the development and challenges of pipa education in China

As a traditional Chinese folk instrument with a history of 2,000 years, the pipa has been valued by the Chinese government and favored by the Chinese people for its unique sound and rich expressive power. However, the development lineage and current status of pipa education in China have rarely been clarified, especially the current status of pipa education. This study used narrative review techniques to organize and analyze the history and current status of pipa education. This paper reviews the history of pipa education in China, focusing on the current development of pipa education, including teaching institutions, representative figures, target students, and teaching models. The study revealed that contemporary Chinese pipa education has achieved remarkable accomplishments. China’s eleven conservatories serve as the primary institutions for imparting contemporary pipa education. Representative figures such as Lin Shicheng, Wang Fangdi, and Liu Dehai have made substantial contributions to the advancement of contemporary pipa education. However, pipa instruction is primarily targeted toward children and university students, with limited emphasis on elderly people and special children. Individual and group lessons in traditional pipa instruction possess their respective merits and drawbacks. Nonetheless, further exploration is warranted regarding integrated teaching models and the application of contemporary information technology in innovative teaching models to facilitate the advancement of modern pipa education.

The Chinese Origin of Xue (Learning)

Highlights The concept of xue (学) played a central role in Chinese education. Through the analysis of this key concept, we can further explain the internal differences between Chinese and Western educational cultures and systems. By mastering numerical divination techniques, shi (historians, 史) recast their role from that of sorcerers to that of civil officials. Such a shift laid the foundation necessary for xue to transform from a venue for military decision-making into a place for cultural and educational engagement after the Western Zhou Dynasty. In addition to shaping its core philosophical spirit, the origin of xue established its significance in traditional Chinese social and cultural contexts. It has contributed to the formation and transformation of the concept of de (virtue, 德) and continues to exert a great influence on contemporary Chinese education.

Metaverse VR technologies in contemporary Chinese music education

ABSTRACT The research purpose is to explore the need to introduce innovations in the curriculum and the classroom in music colleges and universities influenced by virtual reality multimedia environments with elements of metaverse VR technologies. Particular attention is paid to the metaverse platforms with VR games in academic disciplines such as Applied Music, Fundamentals of Composition, and Learning to Play Musical Instruments. The practical part involves the analysis of the experimental and control groups of 240 individuals, selected and structured using the sampling method and the quasi-experimental method. Method Questioning is used by scholars to summarise the information and survey results collected from students. The experiment reveals that up to 72.2% of students suppose that the introduction of the art course based on digital multimedia virtual reality is effective, and their music teachers prefer to use multimedia virtual reality learning tools. The gamification elements in different musical disciplines are interesting for 78% of students. The results’ significance is the possibility to adapt the music curriculum in colleges to students’ needs. Further research is needed to evaluate the use of VR technologies for musical workshops as part of playing musical instruments and the basics of musical composition.

Study on the Educational Function of Campus Culture in Universities

Currently, China is facing complex challenges of multiple transformations, including but not limited to social structural changes, international globalization, and deepening reforms of the education system. These factors not only provide unprecedented opportunities for the construction of campus culture in universities, but also bring considerable pressure and problems to various aspects of campus culture, such as material culture, spiritual culture, and institutional culture. For example, some universities have confusion and ambiguity in their values and ethical choices, which limits the further optimization and development of campus culture. Therefore, how to strengthen the cultural attributes of university campuses in the new era has become a problem that must be seriously addressed. Using scientific methods to guide and provide direction for cultural construction activities to enter the campus has become an urgent issue for China's education and cultural development. How to improve its effectiveness and influence has also become a pressing issue. Based on this topic, this article adopts moral education theory, cultural education theory, and contemporary Chinese cultural education theory as the theoretical foundation, combined with the case study of Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, analyzes the current cultural phenomena and construction progress on university campuses through questionnaire survey method, analyzes and grasps their existing problems, and interprets the causes of their problems from multiple perspectives, aiming to provide more comprehensive and systematic solutions for the construction of university campus culture.

The Historical Evolution of Chinese Education in the United States

Chinese education in America is a cultural product of Chinese immigrants to the United States. In 1848, the California Gold Rush attracted many Chinese to the United States, and gradually formed Chinese communities in the local area, and then spontaneously produced Chinese education. At that time, San Francisco Chinatown was the largest Chinatown in the United States, and its Chinese education showed representative characteristics. By studying the origin and development of Chinese education in San Francisco, this paper analyzes the characteristics of Chinese education in the United States, in order to provide experience and reference for contemporary Chinese education in the United States.

Innovating the humanities, reimagining the future: empirical evidence from virtual reality practice in China

ABSTRACT The influence of digital technologies on culture and the liberal arts is a global phenomenon. To contribute a non-Western perspective to such debates, this article considers the uptake of virtual reality technology in Chinese humanities education via the policy lens of a higher education reform called New Humanities Education, which was issued by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China in 2018. The paper draws on the concept of a ‘techno-cultural imaginary’ to show how the humanities and STEM fields have merged and have contributed to the task of national rejuvenation in the past decade. Drawing on interviews with virtual reality practitioners in universities and industry, the results indicate two ideological shifts in humanities education in China: The first is a shift from praising scholar-officials (shi) to praising academic entrepreneurs; and the second is from valuing knowledge to valuing power. The article argues that those being cultivated and nurtured in the contemporary Chinese humanities education system are expected to become pragmatic problem-solvers rather than critical thinkers.

The Beauty of Clay: Exploring contemporary Ceramic Art as an Aesthetic Medium in Education

The development of ceramic art as an aesthetic medium in Chinese education is significant aspect of contemporary fine arts education system. This study explored the status of contemporary status of ceramic arts in education and its linkage with aesthetic pleasure within the context of China. The dimensions considered in this study included integration of ceramic arts in the curriculum of Chinese universities, edu-communicative function of ceramic arts, the aesthetic characteristics of ceramic art and role of modern digital tools in spreading the art and craft associated with clay. To fulfill the aims of study and to reach an efficient conclusion, this study employed a qualitative approach. Using this approach, an overview of Chinese ceramic education was presented using both primary and secondary data, where the primary data was derived from interviews with informants from relevant universities. The findings of the study highlight that ceramic art is a significant aspect of contemporary Chinese arts education in its universities, which has the dual objective of develop artistic skills of students and also enhance the edu-communicative function of the ceramic art representing the Chinese culture. The findings revealed that ceramic art not only caried aesthetic elements but it was also a prime source of creating aesthetic pleasure as it played the role of aesthetic medium in education. It was evident that due to its aesthetic purpose, ceramic art demonstrated the notions of ‘Art for Art’s sake’. It has also been found that digital tools play a significant role in bringing innovation in ceramic art education and spread the skills of clay-art. The findings of this paper have numerous implications for the personnel and practitioners of Chinese fine arts institutions especially those who have curriculum related to ceramic art.

Chinese Education and Its Historical Root

The paper embarks on an exploratory journey to understand the historical roots of contemporary Chinese education by analyzing its characteristics that mirror older traditions. The formation and evolution of the Chinese educational system are influenced by a myriad of factors, most notably its historical educational paradigms. The Imperial Examination System, which endured for millennia, has had a profound impact on the trajectory of education in China, including the ideals of fairness, the examination pattern, and the nation spirit. This paper aims to delve into this perspective in depth, concentrating on themes such as the historical underpinnings of the Imperial Examination System, its influence on contemporary Chinese education, and the symbiotic relationship between the two. Drawing upon the authors firsthand experience and observations as a participant in the Chinese education, the paper also offers recommendations for its future advancement. These suggestions are formulated with an understanding that while the roots of education may lie in the past, its branches must extend towards the needs and challenges of the future.

The differences and social influencing factors between contemporary Chinese and Western education systems: Discussion based on teacher-student interaction

Education is a critical element in shaping individuals' lives, and as the world becomes more interconnected, research on the impact of different educational systems on student outcomes is gaining interest. A crucial aspect of this research is the teacher-student relationship, which can significantly affect students' autonomy and creativity. This article explores the differences in the teacher-student relationship in Western and Chinese educational systems and their impact on student outcomes. The article argues that a relationship that is equal, respectful, and interactive can help stimulate students' autonomy and creativity, leading to the development of free citizens

The culturalisation of politics in contemporary Chinese citizenship education

ABSTRACT While historically and ideologically peripheralised in modern Chinese politics, traditional culture has been discursively rehabilitated by the Chinese communist regime in recent years. Existing literature on this phenomenon tends to focus on the politicisation of culture, that is, how Chinese culture, particularly the Confucian tradition, is appropriated by the regime to legitimatise and stabilise its ideopolitical control in schools and society. This article draws attention to the interweaving but distinct and underexplored tendency of the culturalisation of politics, that is, the party-state’s discursive construction of politics in culturalist terms. It examines how politics is culturally constructed, or culturalised, in the official textbooks for the guiding political doctrine Xi Jinping Thought, the teaching of which has been mandatory in schools and universities since 2021. Situating the Chinese case in the broader context of the ‘cultural turn’ in postmodern politics, this article discusses the implications for citizenship education under China’s authoritarian regime.

The review of development of Chinese educational consciousness evidence of education policy

The educational consciousness of a society reflects the extent to which the members of that society are self-aware of the direction and methods of educational practice and self-regulation. The aim of education is to move away from the formation of people who merely adapt to existing society to the cultivation of people who are conscious of their lives, which undoubtedly represents the original intention of the proposal of life consciousness, to elevate individual self-development to individual life consciousness with traditional Chinese life connotations, thus giving individual development the connotation of national history and culture, and thus promoting the deepening of overall school reform. This article argues that a mature self-awareness of life should lead to a sound individualism or individualism, which on the one hand actively seeks the full development of the self and manifests its existence in the world, while on the other hand always maintaining the openness of the self towards others and the world, appropriately setting the self in relation to others and the world, and finding a reasonable place for the self in the world. In short, the deep self-awareness of contemporary Chinese education must effectively return to people, to Chinese people, to the inner needs of contemporary Chinese people's life development, actively respond to contemporary Chinese people's cultural self-confidence and survival self-confidence, and explore the educational roots and practical paths aimed at Chinese people's cultural and life self-confidence, which is the root of contemporary Chinese education towards deep self-awareness.

The Origin and Current Situation of Contemporary Chinese General Education—Also on the Significance of General Education Evaluation-Adjustment Mechanism

The Origin and Current Situation of Contemporary Chinese General Education—Also on the Significance of General Education Evaluation-Adjustment Mechanism

Are Confucian educational values a barrier to engaging students as partners in Chinese universities?

ABSTRACT Learner-teacher relationships have a profound impact on teaching and learning quality with many universities focusing on relationship-rich educational experiences. Engaging students as partners (SaP) has emerged as a way of enhancing learner-teacher relationships with research reporting numerous benefits and challenges. In this article, we address a worrisome challenge identified in a recent scoping review that Confucianism is an obstacle to pedagogical partnership in Asian countries, specifically, in China. Acknowledging the many global influences shaping Chinese higher education and the long history documenting the contested interpretations and application of Confucian philosophy, we speak back to the findings of the scoping review by challenging the narrow view expressed about Confucianism. Our aim is to demonstrate that Confucian educational values are not the purported barrier some have suggested through illuminating axiological overlaps between historical Confucian educational values and modern SaP values commonly evoked in the literature. In doing so, we critically reflect on the influence of Confucian educational values in contemporary Chinese education and posit that cultural scripts offer a generative lens to examine culture in partnership practices. Importantly, moving beyond essentialising enables new opportunities for research and practice to arise as partnership praxis translates, evolves, and adapts across and within dynamic cultures.

Cultivate Virtue by Art and Cultivate People by Beauty—Comments on Chinese Ancient Music Education Compiled by Hai Lin

Chinese Ancient Music Education, compiled by Xiu Hailin, is a general history of art education with nine chapters. Based on the historical data of archaeology, this book not only provides the content of the history of art education for the study of the history of Chinese education, but also summarizes and reveals the experience and rules of the development of music education and serves the aesthetic education practice of contemporary Chinese music education.

Student governments in Chinese higher education: reflection on college students\u2019 and student cadres\u2019 political trust

This paper documents the structure and operations of student governments in contemporary Chinese higher education and their effect on college students’ political trust and party membership. We first investigate the structure and power distribution within student governments in Chinese universities, specifically focusing on the autonomy of student governments and the degree to which they represent students. Second, using a large sample of college students, we examine how participating in student government affects their political trust and party membership. Our results show that student government in Chinese higher education possesses a complex, hierarchical matrix structure with two main parallel systems—the student union and the Chinese Communist Party system. We found that power distribution within student governments is rather uneven, and student organisations that are affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party have an unequal share of power. In addition, we found that students’ cadre experience is highly appreciated in student cadre elections, and being a student cadre significantly affects their political trust and party membership during college.

Research on Chinese Contemporary Piano Education from the Cultural Perspective Based on Computer-aided Technology

With the continuous progress of computer-aided technology, Chinese piano education career shows a trend of rapid development. Piano education has broken through the edge of life and entered the international vision actually. At the same time, through computer-aided technology, the piano education has achieved great popularity, highlighting the characteristics of popularization. Based on the close relationship between "culture", "people" and "education", this paper conducts dialectical thinking on contemporary Chinese piano education from the perspective of culture. No matter facing with the gratifyingly achievements or deficiencies in today’s piano culture, we should always maintain an objective and confident attitude to develop the Chinese piano education career.

Improving Teacher Development in Rural China: A Case of “Rural Teacher Support Plan”

Since 2015, both the educational policymakers and practitioners in China passionately have sought to raise the educational quality, especially in Chinese rural schools. Series of significant and instructive reforms were designed to boost educational quality comes from China, where in 2015 the central government enacted an overwhelming educational policy to reform rural teacher development. China’s politics on reforming rural teacher development differ from similar reforms elsewhere in Asia countries due to the strong role of centralized top-down power representatives, various types of policy formation pathways and the final consulted settlement with the national and local teacher committees. This study also emphasizes the discussion on the complicated roles of distributive education politics and policy networks in contemporary Chinese education system.