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Puxi Campus G2-3: Discovering the Elegance of Porcelain, Embracing the Grace of Traditional Culture

September 22, 2025

Recently, Grade 2 and Grade 3 students of SHSID participated in a unique cultural experience. They visited the China Art Museum to explore the exhibition "The True Colors of the World— 'Chinese White: Dehua Porcelain' Shanghai Art Exhibition." Carefully planned and thoughtfully organized, this activity combined classroom learning with on-site exploration. Students not only gained theoretical knowledge about traditional culture but also had the chance to experience its charm firsthand.



Before the visit, the art teachers gave a detailed introduction to the history and artistic features of Dehua white porcelain. It turns out that the history of porcelain production in Dehua can be traced back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and it has continued to evolve over the long years since. By the Song and Yuan periods, Dehua white porcelain was already exported overseas via the Maritime Silk Road, becoming a key commodity in foreign trade and earning global recognition as the distinctive "Chinese White." Teachers also described its stylistic evolution across different eras— from simple early designs to later exquisite masterpieces— each stage embodying the wisdom and dedication of ancient craftsmen.



Armed with this background knowledge, the children entered the museum full of curiosity. The guide  shared their expertise generously while the students listened with rapt attention, their eyes fixed on the speaker and their ears catching every word, afraid to miss a single detail. Gentle lighting fell like a veil across the porcelain pieces in the display cases. Under the glow, the delicate glaze revealed a soft, luminous beauty, like a painting unfolding slowly before their eyes.





This special museum-based lesson broke through the limits of a traditional art class, transforming abstract knowledge into tangible objects and living stories. The children were no longer passive listeners but became active "cultural detectives." Some carefully studied the fine drapery on porcelain Buddha statues while others pondered how clay could be transformed into such exquisite works of art. This "classroom in motion" made traditional culture vivid and approachable, achieving the educational goal of "nurturing through culture and inspiring through beauty."


Even more importantly, this porcelain journey revealed to the students the essence of the national spirit. The craftsmanship, aesthetic ideals, and philosophical thought embodied in Dehua porcelain subtly influenced them. For students with cross-cultural backgrounds, delving into local traditions not only enriched their knowledge but also strengthened their cultural confidence. This cultural awareness, inspired by porcelain, will become a foundation for how they view the world and understand diverse civilizations in the future.


SHSID expressed that it will continue to organize such interdisciplinary learning activities, enabling more students to experience the beauty of Chinese civilization in authentic cultural settings and to cultivate a new generation with both global vision and cultural confidence.


(Written by Yu Lin, Xiaolei Chen

Pictures by Siying Li, Homeroom Teachers

Edited by Ms. Zhang Yi, Shiyu Wu, Grace Grilmore)