ABOLISHED IN 1949 as a feudal legacy, the traditional private school, or si shu, has gradually resurfaced on the mainland as more parents turn to Chinese classics to give their children an alternative start in life. But none has been as controversial as Meng Mu Tang in the Shanghai suburb of Songjiang.
Named after the mother of the philosopher Mencius, the boarding school was established last year by parents who were dissatisfied with mainstream state education, most of them businesspeople from Fujian, Guangdong and Shanghai.
'We don't teach physics, geometry or natural science,' says Lu Liwei, a former English teacher who initially set up the school with her husband, Zhou Yingzhi, to give their five-year-old son a foundation in the classics.
Meng Mu Tang's curriculum is based mainly on the works of Confucius, Mencius and other ancient Chinese philosophers, she says, with some Shakespeare thrown in for an introduction to western cultural tradition. Six full-time teachers are on hand to guide its dozen pupils, aged between five and 12.
'Most of the children here haven't done well in the current exam-oriented education system, but that doesn't mean they are bad students,' says Lu. 'We offer a unique approach that shows them the insights of traditional Chinese education, and help them become successful individuals who can contribute to society.'
Eight-year-old Zhu Ji was sent to Meng Mu Tang for just that reason. His parents say the boy suffers from a hyperactive compulsive disorder, which made it difficult for him to keep up with the heavy schedule in conventional elementary schools.