Day Trip to Jiading and The Confucian Temple

By Peter Wong, guest blogger to Parker’s Shanghai Times

Hi this is Parker’s Dad, Peter (a.k.a “Mr. Peter” to most of you). We are in our final weeks here in China. The time has gone by very fast, so we are trying to catch up on all of the little things we’ve wanted to do in and around Shanghai.

Many of the ancient watertowns within 25 kilometers of Shanghai have nice temples and vernacular architecture. At the same time, around these towns there is rapid modernization to accommodate all of the new development and growth. We visited recently Jiading, one of these ancient towns with a population today of 1.2 million people (about two-times the size of Charlotte). In China, this is considered a small town.

Above is Jiading’s location relative to Shanghai.

The town is very cool. Note above the canal that circles the old town. This was probably man-made for defensive purposes. The specific reason we wanted to visit this town was to see the Confucian Temple in the heart of town (the big green square).

The old town is very beautiful, with the old houses adjacent to water canals. The whole Shanghai area used to be wetland, and canals were a major means of transportation, which is why the old towns are called water towns. There are a number of wonderful stone bridges as well.

 

This is one of the brick and timber pagodas in town. It is called the Fahua Pagoda, built in 1207 during the Song Dynasty (a period of high literary and artistic achievement). Doesn’t Parker look like he is appreciating this history ????!!!!!

Hello class this is Parker. Do you think dad is being very nice?

This is the Confucian Temple that we spent most of our time visiting. Confucius was a Chinese philospher living from 551 BC to 479 BC.

Confucius believed that people should live their lives by constant learning and intellectual improvement. He held in high regard dedication to family, ancestors, elders and observance of civil matters. In other words, there should be a president or emperor and every one should respect their elders and go to college (hint, hint). Mom and dad like Confucius a lot. I wonder why?

The temple itself is very similar to Buddist temples in their arrangement. Though Confucianism is not really a religon or an established set of spiritual beliefs, people do dedicate themselves to its ways and ideas.

Some people say Confucius’s ideas were important to China’s formation as a country of many different cultures and people, and that Confucian thought is at the heart of the way modern Chinese think today.

Here is the inside of  the temple.

All temples of Confucius have a wise looking sitting man in the center in a shrine-like setting (similar to Buddist Temples).

There are prayer thoughts left by Confucian followers in the temple. Many of them ask for strength in handling difficult intellectual hurdles. For example, there are a lot of school kids that ask for strength and success in their studies and test taking. As you know, Chinese students take a lot of tests … just like you! Perhaps they are good at them because they ask Confucius for help!

If you look closely above you’ll see a note that Parker left.

The idea of Confucian learning and achieving strong minds led to a strong tradition of tests and examinations in China, a way of life that continues today.

Within the temple is an entire exhibit on the history of Chinese examinations. Above is a scene of a mother saying goodbye to her son as he goes off to another city to engage the strict system of tests. Just think if you had to do it all alone with out encouragement and help from loved ones!

 

There were three examination phases: (1) Preliminary, the first stage that allowed you to move in to the next two important testing phases, (2) Provincial, that allowed individuals to assume civil/governmental office jobs, and (3) National or Imperial Exams, which allowed service to the Emperor and grand state affairs. Passing these tests were a way to make a life for the men of China (women didn’t have the opportunity).

Above is one of the Examination Villages. All of the rows of rooms or should I say cells in the foreground were for testing, which was a grueling process. Everything was done in isolation.

Here is the actual size of the testing cells. There are sliding boards that allow you to make a desk and sitting area, or you could configure them to be a bed. This must have been torture. Makes the E.O.G.s seem like a “cake-walk.” Right?

Here is Parker trying out one of the cells. He doesn’t look too happy. As for how long you would be in here don't worry it's only about nine days. 

Test takers were clever. Here is a vest that has “cheat-sheet” notes written all over it! Note: Don't get any ideas because I will ask Mrs Thompson to check your undershirts on the day of testing!

If cheaters were caught, they’d be paraded around in public and humiliated with boards strapped around their necks. Basically, your career (and personal life) was ruined for life if you did this.

No one should cheat on tests.

 

However, if you passed your tests there was a huge banquet!

And … you could return home to full honors and a properous life (not to mention better clothes).

Why does all of this sound so familiar?!!

We left the Confucian Temple and the city of Jiading with a renewed appreciation of hard work and study. Parker and I decided to do a little painting to honor Confucius’s ideas, and to prepare for our return.

 

Peter Wong

December, 14 2011

P.S. Also note that only five percent or so people actualy passed the exams so don't think that this was the golden gate to fame.

P.P.S. This is Pam. You didn't think I'd let a blog on testing go by without making a comment, do you?

The good thing about the tests was that they gave anyone who had the opportunity to study for them an equal chance. A lot of smart people who came from humble families were able to rise to important positions if they did well on the tests.

The bad thing about the tests was that Confucius didn't really believe in innovation. He thought that people should study the wisdom of the past. So preparing for the tests involved a lot of memorization, and not much independent thinking or creativity.

This didn't make for the most creative leaders. Some people think that the focus on the tests were one reason why China fell behind European nations in terms of technological development, and is only now catching up.

I personally think we're making the same mistake with standardized tests today. When tests and test scores get too important, a lot of more important things get overlooked.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't do your best to pass the EOGs. But there are a lot of more important things you need to be learning as well. You're lucky that you have teachers who have a broader vision, and go beyond the test basics.