China's latest effort to promote traditional culture among its
younger generation has raised controversy in a nation where diverse
opinions and options are gaining a grudging respect.
The country's Ministry of Education on Thursday announced a
pilot program to teach students in primary and secondary schools
its traditional Peking Opera. Deemed one of the nation's unique
cultural treasures, the opera will be added into music courses for
200 schools in 10 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions
throughout China.
The move immediately drew heated reaction from the public.
"I support this project wholeheartedly," said Zhu Shihui, a
renowned Peking Opera performer. "Interest should be fostered since
childhood. I myself began to get fascinated with Peking Opera
whilst in primary school. It eventually became my lifetime career,"
he told Xinhua.
The general public, however, are not as enthusiastic. In a
survey by Netease, a news portal in China, nearly 70 percent of
voters were against the project.
In another opinion poll by China's leading web portal Sina.com,
of over 21,000 respondents, only 27 percent believe setting up the
course will help promote traditional Chinese culture.
Nearly 38 percent think the course should not be compulsory as
students' choices should be respected, and the remaining 35 percent
propose different local operas be taught in different areas since
China boasts a huge reservoir of local operas.
"Is Beijing roast duck considered a delicacy in every corner of
China?" retorted one Internet user in an online forum.
"Tastes differ from place to place. Peking Opera should be
taught only in Beijing. Our Yueju Opera is much more beautiful and
it is the one that should be put into the course here," said the
netizen from east China's Zhejiang Province, where Yueju is the
most popular local opera.
"Such courses should be optional, if the students are forced to
learn, it might backfire and make them totally lose interest," said
another netizen nicknamed "Little Monkey".
Another respondent Li Hui worried whether there are enough
qualified teachers for the task. "Peking Opera is a century-old,
sophisticated art form which requires years of professional
training for one to excel. Music teachers in primary and secondary
schools might not be able to cope with such challenges."
Mei Demei, a music teacher in Wuhan of central China's Hubei
Province, said that from the perspective of passing down
traditional culture, it is necessary to promote Peking Opera. But
on the part of students, whether they can work up interest is more
important.
"From my years of teaching experience, it might be more workable
and beneficial to the children if we select some well-known Peking
Opera pieces to show to them in class and teach them how to
appreciate. They might be a better audience than performers," Mei
was quoted Friday by Hubei's Changjiang Times newspaper as
saying.
Peking Opera, with a history of more than 200 years, is a
synthesis of music, dance, art and acrobatics and is widely
regarded as a symbolic expression of Chinese culture. Many
historical events are adapted into the plays, which in the past
were an important primer on history and ethical principles.
In Beijing, one of the pilot cities, the education department
has chosen 15 pieces of Peking Opera, including both classical and
modern ones, for the project, said Wang Jun, an official of the
artistic education division under the city education
department.
Teachers are asked to not only teach students how to sing and
perform but also tell them the storylines and background
information so as to help children develop understanding and taste
about traditional culture, he said.
The schools will also invite Peking Opera performers to train
music teachers, he said.
"I think that the plan is not aimed to foster Peking Opera
artists or fans," said Wu Jiang, president of the China National
Peking Opera Company. "It just opens a door to children, giving
them a chance to develop interests in traditional culture. If they
are not interested, at least they are getting to know something
about it."
(Xinhua News Agency February 22, 2008)
