A three-episode BBC documentary aired this summer has drawn wide attention to the educational differences between China and Britain while the heated discussion it has aroused also shows their deep-seated cultural differences.

Cultural differences do exist as the two countries are located in different parts of the world and develop their societies in different ways.

However, the differences have proved no obstacle to cultural exchanges between China and Britain. On the contrary, they have become highlights that are attracting people from the two countries to meet and learn from each other.

SCHOOLING: BRITAIN VS CHINA

BBC tracked a one-month teaching experiment at Bohunt School in Hampshire in a three-episode documentary "Are our Kids Tough Enough? Chinese School," in which 50 British teenage students were taught by a team of Chinese teachers using teaching methods common in China, in order to check the pros and cons of British and Chinese schooling.

In the TV documentary, some British students were shown rebelling, at least at the start, against the harsh regime of long days and strict discipline while Chinese teachers struggled to manage the class and conduct lessons. But finally, the Chinese teaching methods produced better academic results.

Sure, the project did expose differences in culture and values. However, reactions to the documentary showed that many are not fettered by the differences. Instead, they saw merits in each other and began to ponder how to learn from each other.

Neil Strowger, headmaster at Bohunt School, said: "Once the series has finished, we will be looking at what we might learn from the series and I'm sure the Chinese teachers will do the same."

The way students in China show respect to their teachers is something "we ought to have in this country," the head teacher added.

"This bold project explores the differences not just in curriculum and teaching style, but in culture. This series has delivered thought-provoking content and has started a discussion about education practice in the UK," a BBC spokesperson has said.

Reflecting on Chinese teaching methods, Chu Zhaohui, a researcher with the National Institute of Educational Sciences, has told Xinhua that the habit of unquestioning and the obedience often required from students in a Chinese classroom are not necessarily a good legacy today as youngsters are more aware of and identify with individual values.

Weibo (the Chinese word for "microblog" ) user "Yunjuanyunshu" also said that as China and Britain are very different in terms of tradition and reality, there is little point for the pair to copy each other, but they can learn from each other.

In fact, as the Chinese teachers bade their farewell, many of their sometimes reluctant and troublesome students shed tears.

Rosie, one of the students attending the program, said: "This has been one of the weirdest yet amazing experiences we have ever had. I can speak for all of us when I say we will never forget it."

The TV series has finished, yet the China-Britain cultural exchanges are unfolding in full swing.

MULTI-TIER CULTURAL EXCHANGES

British literary giant William Shakespeare and soccer superstar David Beckham are household names in China; people hear a lot about the elegant English afternoon tea; "English gentleman" has become a term denoting a man who behaves in a polite and cultured way. In fact, quite some Chinese people have long been fascinated by the charm of English culture.

J.K. Rowling and her series fantasy novels of Harry Potter are very popular in China. TV series such as Downton Abbey and Sherlock have a great number of Chinese fans as well.

Meanwhile, about 150,000 Chinese students are studying in Britain, the largest group by nationality. Their good performances have been widely recognized in Britain.

Alice Gast, president of Imperial College London, has said the college has more than 2,000 Chinese students, accounting for 14 percent of its entire student population.

"Almost every day I meet brilliant Chinese students at Imperial who are willing to take risks, and to apply their outstanding intellectual skills to tackling societal problems. They are helping defeat climate change, cure diseases and create new opportunities for economic growth. I look forward to exchanging ideas with more young scientists in China," she told Xinhua in a recent interview.

She also said that Imperial College London has close cooperation with Chinese universities and enterprises, including Huawei, China South Railway (CSR), Tsinghua University and Zhejiang University.

Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne also said during his visit to China earlier in September that "We want to see more Chinese students in Britain. There is no cap on the number of students from China who can come to Britain."

Chinese culture has been warmly welcomed by British people as well. There are nearly 30 Confucius Institutes and more than 110 Confucius classes across the country.

Over the past few years, more and more students, staff members and local residents have taken part in various programs hosted by London Confucius Institute and School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of University of London.

Li E, Chinese director of London Confucius Institute, one of the first established Confucius Institutes in Britain, has said an increasing number of students and residents have come to join such courses as Chinese calligraphy and dancing. Chinese corners are very popular, Li added.

FROM GOLDEN YEAR TO GOLDEN ERA

The third meeting of the China-Britain mechanism for high-level cultural exchanges was held in Britain last month.

During his meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong on the sidelines of the event, British Prime Minister David Cameron said this year is a "golden year" for the development of China-Britain ties and Chinese President Xi Jinping's upcoming visit will usher bilateral relations into a "golden era."

The China-Britain cultural relationship, an important part of bilateral ties, will undoubtedly have its golden period.

This year marks the China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange, which was designated by both governments during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Britain in June last year.

The first UK Culture Season in China that unveiled the cultural year was launched by Prince William during his first-ever visit to China in March, by dotting the eyes of a sculpture of Shaun the Sheep, a British cartoon character that is very popular among Chinese kids.

A British creativity and innovation festival was held in Shanghai.Months later, the China Culture Season was kicked off in Britain with the premiere of a Chinese version of Richard III, a historical play written by Shakespeare.

Chinese Ambassador Liu Xiaoming has said the Chinese version of Richard III performed by artists from National Theatre of China contains traditional Chinese cultural elements, intending to convey to British audience the Chinese understanding of Shakespeare.

"It is an excellent display of how the Chinese and British cultures work together seamlessly in one play. It is the best gift from Chinese artists for next year's 400th anniversary of (the death) of the great playwright," he said.

Ed Vaizey, Britain's minister of state for culture and digital economy, also noted that Richard III is a highlight of China-UK Year of Cultural Exchange, which provides a platform for mutual learning and exciting cultural cooperation between China and Britain.

In fact, China-UK cultural exchanges have gone beyond official events, prevailing at various levels.

Wang Ying, the educational consul of the Chinese Consulate-General in Manchester, and Konstantin Novoselov, a professor of University of Manchester, held a joint Chinese watercolor paintings exhibition at the University of Leeds last month.

Wang's traditional Chinese watercolor paintings feature landscape and British architecture, while Novoselov draws bamboos, orchids and lotuses.

Novoselov fell in love with Chinese painting when he was a visiting scholar in Xiamen, a coastal city in southeast China, years ago. He told Xinhua: "I think this kind of event is very important. Chinese culture is huge, but it's very little exposed to the West. A huge range of Chinese artists are unknown to the West."

At the University of Cambridge, the Cambridge Rivers Project has witnessed a number of Chinese cultural events these years, including Xu Zhimo (a renowned Chinese poet also known as Hsu Chih-mo) Poetry Festival and the launch of a bilingual digital Chinese Kunqu Opera museum.

Professor Alan MacFarlane, head of the Cambridge Rivers Project, has traveled to China every year since 2002.

He said although China is rich in history and geography and very diverse in economy and ecology, it is very unified by language, history and the Han majority.

"China is, in some way, the easiest civilization on earth to understand once you are keen to it. For many outsiders it's mysterious, my personal task is to try to explain China to the West, and the West to China," he told Xinhua.

MacFarlane believes China-Britain cultural exchanges have great potential. "It's probably only just started, but it will happen," he said.

Xinhua reporters Sun Mei, Xiong Maoling, Ma Mengli,Zhong Cuihua in Beijing contributed to the story.

Editor's note:

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to Britain on Oct. 19-23, the first by a Chinese head of state in a decade. Xinhua is wiring a series of in-depth stories on Chinese-British relations and the visit.

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