Second Prize at the city level! The summer tutoring course “A News Professional Who Bridges Past and Present—Wang Tao” will be launched soon.
Release date:
2023-06-30 00:00
Source:
Summer Daycare Program Courses
Coming soon!
Recently, the 2023 Suzhou Youth Summer Daycare Program Course Design Competition concluded successfully. Following a rigorous preliminary review by experts, 32 courses were selected to advance to the finals. Among them, “A News Talent Who Bridges Past and Present—Wang Tao,” submitted by Suzhou Luzhi Tourism Development Co., Ltd., was awarded second prize in the final round of judging. With the joyful summer vacation just around the corner, bring your children to the ancient town of Luzhi for a unique summer daycare class and make this break even more meaningful!
The course lasts 40 to 120 minutes. Following the instructor’s explanations and guidance, you’ll listen to the stories of Wang Tao, engage in poetry recitation, enjoy interactive activities, and participate in hands-on crafts—bringing you closer to this versatile journalist who was well-versed in both ancient and modern knowledge.
Reciting Classical Poetry: Getting Closer to Wang Tao
Wang Tao, originally named Wang Libin and later renamed Wang Tao, with the courtesy name Zhongqian, was a renowned thinker of the modern era, a late-Qing reformist political commentator, journalist, and literary figure.
In 1828, Wang Tao was born into a scholarly family in Luzhi. At the age of eighteen, he entered the county academy with top honors. Later, he spent many years working and living in Shanghai, Hong Kong, and other places, and also traveled to countries such as Britain, France, and Russia.
His legendary life endowed him with numerous epithets: he has been hailed as the “Father of Chinese Journalism,” the “Pioneer of Modern Legal Thought in China,” the “First Generation of Chinese Bourgeois Intellectuals and Reformers,” and the “First Figure to Master Both Eastern and Western Learning in Modern China,” among others.
Throughout his journey of relentless inquiry, he also developed his ideas on reform and modernization. Wang Tao advocated for self-strengthening through reform, and his proposals for change and improvement predated those of Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao by two decades. For this reason, he has been hailed as “the pioneer of late-Qing reformist thought and the forerunner of Chinese reportage literature.”
As he departed Shanghai for Hong Kong, he penned a celebrated poem titled “Farewell to Shanghai”:
Heading east, Lu Lian resolved to leap into the sea,
Yu Xin, having come from the north, no longer has a home.
From this day forward, I shall be the Old Man of the South.
Enduring hunger and cold, I have watched the years pass by.
Reciting Wang Tao’s poems, we entered the Wang Tao Memorial Hall together to learn about his life and achievements and to savor his patriotic ideals.
Crossing mountains and seas, tracing the footsteps.
The Wang Tao Memorial Hall comprises three sections: the Exhibition Room on Wang Tao’s Life and Achievements, his former residence, and Taoyuan Garden. Upon entering the Exhibition Room, one is greeted by a bronze bust of Wang Tao, crafted by sculptor Wang Dajin, while an extensive collection of textual records and photographs chronicles his remarkable life.
Wang Tao had a rich and varied life. After arriving in Shanghai, he joined the Shanghai Moxi Bookstore, where he worked on editing, revising, and translating books. The bilingual Chinese–English parallel editions of Confucian maxims displayed on the walls of the exhibition room were the work of this pioneering figure who promoted Chinese culture abroad.
He founded the renowned “Huanxu Ribao” in Hong Kong, pioneering the genre of Chinese political commentary newspapers. As its chief editor, Wang Tao adopted the guiding principle of “strengthening the nation to fend off foreign aggression and drawing on distant wisdom as a model,” actively promoting Western culture and advocating reform and self‑strengthening in his newspaper articles.
He also traveled extensively throughout Western Europe and, while in Paris, attended the Paris World Exposition, earning him the distinction of being “the first Chinese person to personally experience a World Expo.” In London, he was invited to deliver a lecture in Chinese at Oxford University…
As they attentively listen to the teacher’s account of Wang Tao’s remarkable life, students can mark his journey on a world map, traveling through time and across mountains and seas, following in his footsteps to experience the extraordinary circumstances he endured.
Handmade experience, a journalist’s sentiment
As one of China’s Four Great Inventions, movable type printing is inextricably linked to the production of newspapers. After learning about Wang Tao’s founding of the “Circular Daily,” students engaged their eyes, hands, and minds, experiencing the art of movable type printing firsthand and gaining a deeper appreciation for the journalists’ passion for news.
Under the teacher’s guidance, arrange the individual movable type pieces neatly, paying close attention to how their forms differ from those of the printed text. Before printing, take time to appreciate the vertical and horizontal structures of Chinese characters and savor the extraordinary charm of written language.
Dipping the inked type into the ink, they deftly and precisely print short texts onto paper, creating their very own movable‑type prints. As they delve into the intricacies of this ancient printing technique, they also read and share the little stories in their hands with classmates, gaining insights into the lessons of life.
As the editor-in-chief of the “Circular Daily,” Wang Tao tirelessly wrote, publishing more than eight hundred political essays. His writings were marked by a clear stance, sharply critiquing contemporary ills and prioritizing the interests of the nation and the people. The students, taking on the role of editors themselves, created patriotic handwritten posters on various themes, fostering a sense of patriotism from an early age.
“The News Professional Who Bridged Past and Present—Wang Tao”: The summer care program is held at the Wang Tao Memorial Hall, located at No. 6 Nanshi Xiatang Street in Luzhi Ancient Town. Organizations that have received the relevant documents are welcome to book a spot for the summer care class.
“With iron shoulders, we shoulder justice; with skillful hands, we pen great writings.”
Follow the summer daycare program.
Approaching this erudite and versatile journalistic talent, Wang Tao.
A close reading of his life, experiences, and deeds.
An overview of the development of his ideological principles.
To appreciate the indomitable spirit of the literary figure.
The ancient town of Luzhi boasts a long history and has produced numerous distinguished figures.
During the summer vacation, you can also follow along with...
“Carrying Forward the Virtues of Luozhi’s Esteemed Sages”
Study-abroad itinerary
Go and explore Ye Shengtao, Shen Baihan, and others.
Children aged six years or younger (inclusive) or measuring 1.4 meters or less in height (inclusive), seniors aged 70 years or older (inclusive), persons with disabilities, and one accompanying caregiver of a person with a severe disability are exempt from admission fees upon presentation of valid identification.
