Some argue that schoolchildren should take more local history classes instead of world history. However, tn my mind, while the national history helps a lot in some aspects, it should not be seen as the only one that will benefit our posterity. Equally important, we need educational materials that are mindful of both local and world history. No one culture has a monopoly on excellence.
On the one hand, certainly, any civilization cannot last long without cherishing its history, because we must learn from the experiences. What’s more, national history helps improve a state’s harmony. Every Dragon Festival, hundreds of thousands of Chinese people crowd along their local river to watch the yearly dragon boat competition, a great chance to enhance national solidarity. It cannot do without the Chinese historic poet, Qu Yuan. More importantly, students should see how ancient China was splendid historically, and by no means will they not be proud of that.
On the other hand, a recognition that the population of the world can date back to outside their own country, underscores the urgent need for history textbooks to include Western countries, world wars, as well as the process of other civilizations. The history repeats itself, but in a different pattern each time. Therefore, it is necessarily wise to integrate our own history into the world one. Besides, to learn the outside world’s past helps our children to learn to think chronically and critically.
In conclusion, the task force on China’s curriculum revision must look beyond the span of Chinese history, which is rich and profound though. Moreover, only with respect towards both the world and our national history, can we acquire the true balance between the two.