Education in ancient China: a salute

In ancient Chinese classrooms , student sat on backless stools at small wooden tables. The replicas at which our party are seated are the work of Carl Mather, an artist and carpenter who teaches at the Oxford English Academy. Because of its spacious and traditional atmosphere, the Kongzi Academy was chosen for the signing ceremony (below) between Oxford Academy and ETSU. There are also plans for collaboration between ETSU and the Oxford Academy. The signing was a glorious and festive day, attended by scholars, education officials, and members of the Chinese press. The building was decorated with red lanterns and yellow dragons. In the second photo below a sign welcomes ETSU.

Dream come true

In today's China, there is renewed Interest in Kongzi (English name Confucius), a moral teacher who lived 2500 years ago. So-called "Confucianism" is a philosophy, not a religion, but there is an ancient "temple" in Nanjing honoring his memory. Last summer, the temple was run down, and contained no information about the sage except a few scrolls. It was a place to buy cheap trinkets. It has been restored, refurbished, and developed as an education center, thanks to the efforts of Sir Barry Jowett who collaborated with the Chinese government on the project. Located in the Fuzi Miao section of Nanjing, the center is well-landscaped (above) and offers exhibits on such Chinese arts as calligraphy (below).

Odd Animals

At the Purple Mountain plum blossom festival, people can rent traditional Chinese clothing for their photographs. We Westerners are still something of a curiousity in Nanjing. The women in this photo asked to take a picture with Dr. Rhoton (below), who with his white beard, is very unusual looking here. They pulled me into the picture, too. Same thing happened last summer when Joe was here. It's like being a panda bear. People want to remember sighting us.

Exams





























Teachers often bemoan the emphasis placed on exams in schools. But school exams are not a new phenomenon. In the school run by the Chinese sage, Confucius, thousands of students received academic exams. Scholars were evaluated, I believe, over a period of three days. While the evaluation was in progress, they stayed in a narrow cell. The pictures above are from an exhibit at the newly formed Kongzi Academy in Nanjing. Scholars wrote on the small board and used it as a crude bed when they wanted to sleep.

Who would use a fork?

Americans are not the only people who stereotype. At meals, the servers give forks to anyone with white skin. And of course, stereotypes are apt to be wrong. The other day, a waitress offered a knife and fork to Sir Barry Jowett who has lived heare 13 years. Charles Bedell, head teacher at the Oxford English Academy has been in China for, I think, three years, and of course he's gotten the hang of chopsticks. I don't use a knife and fork when in China; nor does Dr. Jack Rhoton most of the time.

Below: Charles Bedell, Dr. Weixing Chen, and Dr. Jack Rhoton at a banquet

What's a wood duck, anyway?

When Sir Barry is provoked, he often shouts and says the person is a 'wood duck'. Or even a 'bloody wood duck.' The term, I gather, means something like 'jerk.' I'm not sure if the expression is from England or Australia. Barry has lived in both places.

Dr. Jack Rhoton, a naturalist and conservationist, was not pleased to hear American wildlife thus maligned; however, Dr. Rhoton does not shout at people. His voice was even as he said in his Tennessee drawl, "I doubt you really know what a wood duck is." He launched into a lucid lecture on the woodland fowl (pictured above). I'm not sure I can do justice to Dr. Rhoton's remarks as there was a lot of information as we were at a banquet where I couldn't take notes. Wood ducks, I gather, are unusual, colorful birds, native to North America. They live in dead trees and were for a time on the endangered species list, though they've made a comeback. Watch what you say about American birds, Sir Barry!

Sir Barry, shouted that he knew a wood duck when he saw one, thank you.

Below: Sir Barry (right) with Drs. Gann and Knight

Below that: Dr. Rhoton receives a gift of appreciation from the Nanjing Education Department

You should get out more.

Seems like anywhere in the world, you accomplish things by attending meetings. We've been going to lots of meetings. Wistfully, Hal Knight, our Dean said "I've been here three days, and all I've done is go to meetings. It's what I do at home. Meeting rooms in China look pretty much like meeting rooms anyplace in the world." Yesterday afternoon, Hal got his wish. We spent some time at the Confucius Academy and nearby school.

Above: Hal at the signing ceremony formalizing ETSU's Nanjing Teacher Training program.

Below: Seeing the sights

From Beijing

After the usual delays, we arrived in Beijing over an hour behind schedule. From the window of the plane, we had an arial view of fireworks exploding across Beijing-- this in honor of the Festival of Lanterns, which terminates their two week long New Year's Festival. Can't send you pictures yet. I'm working from a hotel business center, and my time here is limited. This trip is very structured. Today, we will be taken around Beijing by partners from Beijing Northern Technology University, and then on to Nanjing in the late afternoon. There is no sleeping in, even after 2 days in airports and on planes. The hotel is very posh.

As on my earlier visits to China, my good friend Dennis Cope is posting to my blog. I hope I'll have pictures for you soon.