Topic 10 Peking Opera Be Set as Part of Compulsory Courses

Recently, the Ministry of Education launched a new reform,specifying that Peking Opera be setas part of the compulsory courses at primary and middle schools.

The reform has caused an enormous amount of controversy in society. Many people in favor of it agree that it may contribute a lot to promoting traditional Chinese culture. But even more people are against it for they think it is not quite feasible in teaching practice.

As to this issue, my view is that Peking Opera should step into classroom,not as a compulsorycourse, but as an optional one. On the one hand, teaching Peking Opera at school could popularize traditional art so that morepeople will know and love it. On the other hand, however, to some extent, setting a new compulsory course will add tostudents’ academic burden which has been already heavy enough. Therefore, by setting Peking Opera as an optional course,students may have more freedom todecide whether to take it or not. In a word, promoting and developing traditional culture cannot merely depend on“revitalizing Peking Opera”. The key lies in improving the cultural awareness of the whole nation substantially.