Chinese Church Guest | Li Xiaomei, Founder of Meilan Academy: How to combine Chinese education with rural revitalization?
Chinese education is an overseas "remaining project". In order to inherit the Chinese language and culture and expand the hematopoietic capacity of overseas Chinese schools, she founded the world's first Chinese culture overseas learning platform built with blockchain technology - Meilan Academy.
By providing a complete set of solutions, we lead the global Chinese schools to take the road of combined development of rural revitalization and Chinese education.
At present, 1,277 Chinese schools in 55 countries have joined the platform.
In this issue of "Chinese Church Guest", Li Xiaomei, founder of Meilan College and chairman of the school board of directors, was invited for an exclusive interview.
She tells about her deep cultivation of overseas Chinese education for nearly 20 years and the things she has grown up with Chinese schools.
Chinese Church guest: You have been deeply involved in Chinese education for nearly 20 years. Why did you establish Meilan Academy?
Li Xiaomei: The basic philosophy of Meilan Academy is altruism rather than self-interest.
In the past, for Chinese education in a narrow sense, it may be teacher training, youth activities, learning language, and learning culture.
Why study Chinese?
Must be for "use".
In recent years, I have witnessed the difficulties of overseas Chinese schools in running schools, the continuous impact of foreign epidemics, and the implementation of domestic policies such as "double reduction", which stimulated some capital to "go overseas", bringing survival pressure to overseas Chinese schools.
In order to better convey the voice of China and tell the story of China, Meilan Academy decided to build a blockchain platform. This is not an ordinary Internet platform. Through a "decentralized" approach, the Chinese school will be "strong". .
We will organize many resources to support the development of Chinese schools and enhance their hematopoietic capacity.
For example, Chinese schools in Malaysia focus on cultural heritage, and a Chinese school in Germany speaks well of The Analects of Confucius. We will support the school to establish itself as a global teaching center based on its strengths.
Through accumulation, the Chinese school becomes stronger.
Meilan Academy is a large resource platform. I hope that each of the Chinese schools will grow their own gardens, not only the flower of Chinese culture, but also the flower of world culture. We can help each other on this common platform and jointly promote the blooming of global culture. .
Huajiao guest: Meilan Academy became the only cultural and educational institution in the Winter Olympics where foreign dignitaries are stationed to help spread Chinese culture. How did you conceive and implement it? What are the new deployments in the future?
Li Xiaomei: The state attaches great importance to the protection and inheritance of intangible cultural heritage.
In recent years, Meilan Academy has been rooted in non-genetic inheritance education. We have organized a new media experience camp for Chinese-American teenagers, using the largest pearl market in Beijing, Hongqiao Market, as a pilot, allowing teenagers to experience selling pearls in the live broadcast room.
Chinese teenagers searched online about the material of pearls, the cultural connotation behind them, stories related to pearls, etc., and combined local characteristics with Chinese culture.
Although the speaking level is average, it is very popular in the live broadcast room and the sales volume is considerable.
This method replaces conventional classroom teaching, allowing intangible cultural heritage to be displayed to the world through online activities.
In the next step, the academy will focus on building the Hongqiao Market Intangible Cultural Heritage Dissemination Incubation Park, gathering intangible cultural heritage masters and cultural and creative products from all over the country to promote the persistence and innovation of inheritors.
Chinese Church Guest: Do you have any good suggestions for combining Chinese education with rural construction?
Li Xiaomei: Can Chinese education and rural areas be combined?
The mechanization of German countryside, the ecologicalization of Dutch farms, and the environmental protection wisdom of Swiss farmers... Introducing the successful experience of foreign villages and farms into China and smoothing the dialogue between domestic and foreign farmers is a very novel point in Chinese education and rural construction.
It can be combined with the popular "slow live broadcast" mode to record the scenes of Chinese and foreign farms, the living conditions of animals, the growth of vegetables and fruits, etc.
Who is the first mover?
Overseas Chinese schools can.
Overseas Chinese schools are rooted in the ground, there is no language barrier, and they understand the local customs and regulations. They are most qualified to be the pioneers of rural dialogue.
At present, the Chinese school is no longer a community language school serving the Chinese community and the children of overseas Chinese. It can innovate a variety of teaching forms, try the dual-track development of public welfare and enterprises, and integrate rural development into the great development of the global watch hometown.