There is a great story in the history of Tsinghua and it goes like this- In the Summer of 1929, Mr. Qian Zhongshu graduated from high school and applied for Tsinghua yet his Math mark was only 15. In accordance with Tsinghua’s rules, as long as there is a fail in one subject, that student cannot be accepted into the university. You can say that chances are bleak. However, his full marks in Chinese and English caught the attention of the then President of Tsinghua University, Mr. Luo Jialung, who decided to admit him anyways. With such a decision, Mr. Qian could then later develop as a thinker and create cultural richness for the next generation.
The standardized examination system has been practiced for many years and many people have made criticisms: There are different rules in personnel training for different disciplines yet wouldn’t such test close its doors to talents like Mr. Qian Zhongshu who perhaps didn’t past every single course? Should they be then left out? Tsinghua University has been exploring ways to build a more reasonable talent selection system along with enrollment. In 2012, Tsinghua saw the first student who was exempted from the English exam due to outstanding professional achievements. It is Chen Nan and his mentor is renowned artist Han Meilin.
Han Meilin, born in 1936, who is a famous contemporary artist in China. He made remarkable achievements in many areas of art such as in painting, calligraphy, sculpture, design, ceramics and more. With distinctive artistic style and commitment to learn the essence of traditional Chinese culture and folk art, his creative ideas are internationally recognized and reflect his own unique personality. Many of his works are loved by the general public and well-known such as Air China’s Phoenix Logo and the five “Fuwa” mascots from the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. On October 14th, 2015, Han Meilin was officially awarded the title “UNESCO Artist for Peace” at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. It was in recognition of his “long time contribution in promoting peace through arts and in advancing China’s fine arts higher education.”
Starting in 2011, Han Meilin was appointed the professor at Tsinghua University, and served as deputy director of the Academic Committee. He was the mentor to three doctoral students with Chen Nan being his first. Professor Han believes that “students of the Arts cannot live without the practical side.” Han respectively guided them in art history and theory, theoretical aspects of modern pottery as well as design theory and research. His three students, each with their unique professional competency were the first of their kind due to them being all exempted from the English exam.
The reason for the exemption came from Han’s involvement with teaching. He felt that there are too much of an emphasis on foreign languages in the national education system and as it become an important threshold, many artistically talented students are being left out. Due to this, Han called for a reform, pointed out the disadvantages and promoted academic innovation through discussing such phenomenal at the NPC and CPPCC meetings.
In 2012, through actively being involved with the reforms and continuous efforts, support from Tsinghua University and the Ministry of Education meant that doctoral students were admitted and exempted from the normal exams. This created great response from the academic and social circles. Different from the conventional teaching methods, Han Meilin often invites students to come to his studio and let them watch as he works on his art pieces. He goes over the methods in gathering the materials and such hands-on approach allows students to benefit greatly. Apart from writing doctoral papers, students also practice art and are involved in the creation process. They, along with their mentor Han Meilin have completed a number of national-level designs.
He led the students to the countryside and allowed them to witness his tradition of the “art caravan” where the best of inspiration could be drawn from folk art. He told his students, “what you will learn from me is to become someone who can do a lot and be an eclectics, and not only excel in one area. Society is no longer about excelling in one area. That is still important but learning more is crucial.” And he emphasized, “You need to stand firm and have your own sense of direction and understanding. Society is fast-paced and as a youngster, you must stand still and explore how to improve your own self and culture. Only with this can you become a true artist.”
SOURCE / Tsinghua University
