Chapter 1320 - A Visit to Fangcao Di (Part 1)

Upon entering the school gate, they encountered a stone pedestal standing half a person's height. Atop it rose two life-sized statues. Most members of the delegation could fairly be described as well-read, yet none could identify what deities these figures represented. They could only discern that the two were young people—one male, one female—dressed in the attire worn by Fangcao Di students, which the pirates called "uniforms." Both figures were posed standing tall with chests thrust forward, striding boldly ahead—the male with one hand pointing toward the horizon, the female clutching a roll of books.

Wang Ci examined them again and again. The scholars of Lingao had only ever seen the handful of temples scattered about the county and prefecture. He at least hailed from the mainland and was more worldly. He had entered perhaps one or two hundred temples and monasteries in his time, yet had never encountered statues like these. Setting aside the question of what these figures symbolized—which he couldn't fathom—the statues themselves differed markedly from any he had previously seen. The lines of both clothing and features were quite sharply defined, yet the appearances and expressions were remarkably lifelike. Wang Ci clicked his tongue in wonder.

Just as he stood absorbed in contemplation, someone quietly tugged at his sleeve. Wang Ci started, only to find it was Huang Bingkun.

"Which deities of the pirates might these male and female figures represent?" Huang Bingkun whispered. "Since they claim descent from the Song, why would they worship these neither-Buddhist-nor-Taoist heterodox demons?"

Wang Ci shook his head. "These are certainly not icons of orthodox worship!"

Yet beneath these statues there were no sacrificial vessels: no offering table, no incense burner, nothing of the sort. Students walking past displayed no "reverential and awed" expressions. The statues appeared to hold no sacred significance whatsoever. Moreover, Transmigrator Dong, who was guiding their tour, had simply strolled past them without a glance—quite unlike Wang Ci's behavior when transmigrators visited the county school, where he wished he could recite the biographies of all seventy-two disciples of the Sage.

Though puzzled, he was reluctant to inquire lest he reveal his ignorance. Most delegation members shared this mindset as they doubtfully proceeded forward. Only Liu Dalin asked Dong Yizhi what manner of immortals these two statues represented.

"These are not gods or Buddhas—" Transmigrator Dong replied.

"Then they must be illustrious worthies of Australia?"

"Neither." Dong Yizhi thought to himself that these two statues meant nothing at all. They were merely the creative work—or perhaps "plagiarism"—of some art-student transmigrator. The originals were probably male and female Young Pioneer statues from some Children's Palace, adapted to "this timeline" styling.

"These are not worthies. They represent the image of young scholars of our Great Song, the Australian Temporary Residence. One might also say they embody the ideal image of our Fangcao Di students."

Though the delegation didn't fully grasp the specifics, they roughly understood that this was the Australians' idealized vision of young scholars. Wang Ci examined the two statues more closely. Both male and female were tall and robust in appearance. The male figure in particular, with rolled-up sleeves revealing bulging muscles, and the girl with her sturdy calves exposed beneath her skirt hem, wrapped only in form-revealing thin stockings and a pair of enormous unbound feet—Wang Ci silently cursed: These pirates are truly a crude lot!

Such figures possessed not a trace of refined scholarly grace. They looked no different from laborers working the fields or performing manual toil. Yet the expressions on their faces and the manner of their postures radiated that soaring, headstrong spirit typical of the pirates' unstoppable forward momentum—like bold warriors. And these were supposedly the pirates' model young scholars? How laughable the pirates' tastes were! No wonder the gentry privately gossiped that the pirates "couldn't distinguish noble from common" and were "crude and unlettered."

Each member of the delegation harbored their own thoughts, but outwardly revealed nothing, merely exchanging "after you, after you" courtesies as they followed Transmigrators Dong and Tang into the campus.

Walking along the cinder road into the grounds, roadside trees had been planted on both sides. After several years' growth, though not yet towering, they were already lush and verdant, interspersed with various flowers and shrubs that in the spring sunshine competed to blossom fragrantly. Here and there were placed a few ornamental rocks, a few benches—arranged simply yet elegantly, with considerable taste. Walking among them proved quite refreshing and pleasant. The earlier disagreeable impression of "crudeness" immediately dissipated considerably. The group thought in unison: These Australians/pirates really know how to enjoy themselves!

At the walkway's end lay the large athletic field with its 400-meter oval track. It happened to be the time when Fangcao Di's daily morning exercises were concluding and groups were dispersing. Having completed the final movements of their group calisthenics, each class gathered into formation and returned to their buildings.

Students in uniform marched with regular steps and orderly formations toward the teaching building. Though dozens of columns moved simultaneously and the field appeared chaotic with formations weaving past each other, under the class monitors' leadership these complex formations proceeded in perfect order. Before long, all had evacuated the field and returned to their respective classrooms.

"The Australians run their school as they run their army—truly impressive." Liu Dalin spoke half in flattery, half in genuine awe. The others were struck speechless—the impact was overwhelming. Were these really students? They moved like first-rate soldiers! Just this display of formations expanding and contracting at will, with students moving as one body at the sound of commands—most armies of the Great Ming couldn't achieve this.

They had all witnessed Bofan Army reviews and drills, and deeply understood that the Australians excelled not only in "superior weapons and equipment" but in military training as well. They hadn't expected the school to be run just like the military. If these students were a few years older and pulled onto a battlefield, they would instantly become a formidable fighting force!

The pirates' schemes are insidious! Huang Bingkun thought to himself. Looking at the expressions of those around him—some grave, some wooden, some showing obvious delight—he couldn't help sighing secretly: The hearts of the people in Lingao County have already been half-bewitched by the pirates!

Seeing the Jasmine Pavilion delegation somewhat dazed, Dong Yizhi cleared his throat. "Distinguished guests, the daily morning assembly has concluded. Please follow me first to a rest room to refresh yourselves briefly, and then you may attend some of our classes." With those words, he gestured invitingly once more.

The rest room had tea prepared and waiting. The delegation sat down to rest briefly while Dong Yizhi provided a short introduction covering Fangcao Di Academy's general structure, academic system, and enrollment numbers.

After several years of development, Fangcao Di School had expanded into a comprehensive institution with seven major educational departments: Junior Elementary, Senior Elementary, Middle School, Normal School, Learning Academy, Professional Training, and Literacy. According to Fangcao Di's academic system, Junior Elementary spanned two years, Senior Elementary two years, and Middle School was divided into junior and senior levels at two-plus-three. The four stages could be combined flexibly, with credentials awarded upon completion of each stage. The entire course required nine years. This was roughly the framework for the nine-year compulsory education the Council intended to implement in the future.

Aside from the Middle School Department, which wasn't yet formally operational, all other departments were running effectively. Total enrollment exceeded six thousand.

By old-timeline standards, a six-thousand-student school was just an ordinary complete middle school—it couldn't compare to some of those monstrous county secondary schools. But in this timeline, when that number was announced, the entire delegation was visibly shaken.

In this era's schools, whether government-run or private, aside from the highest institution of learning like the Imperial Academy, enrollment at most never exceeded two or three hundred.

Suddenly hearing that this school contained six thousand students—for natives of this timeline unaccustomed to industrial-era numbers—the shock was overwhelming.

"There are actually as many as six thousand?" Liu Dalin asked in disbelief. He had long heard that the Australians practiced teaching without discrimination, assuming there must be some exaggeration. He hadn't expected it to be true.

"Indeed there are." Dong Yizhi nodded. "But this still falls far short of meeting educational needs. Currently two or three thousand children who should be enrolled still lack spots, so we're preparing to establish another school elsewhere to meet demand."

"Transmigrator Dong, the Council is accepting this many children into school—what exactly is the purpose?" a gentleman asked. "This student has heard that most of these children are provided food and clothing by the Council, and not a penny is charged for tuition. Yet from what I've observed, most of Fangcao Di's graduates have become workers. Since they're becoming craftsmen anyway, why bother having them attend school? Isn't the Council's approach superfluous?"

"Universal education is our basic policy." Dong Yizhi replied. "Literate workers can contribute far more." He knew the gentry would find this point difficult to grasp, so he didn't elaborate. Just then, the class bell rang. He rose and invited them to attend classes.

Based on the delegation's requests and the school's instructions, a rich and colorful program had been arranged. However, since they had come for an in-depth visit, attending classes was an essential element, making it the first course on today's menu.

Liu Dalin, Wang Ci, and their party were led into a Junior Elementary classroom and arranged to sit at the back together with several dozen children to observe Dong Yizhi's lesson.

The teaching building didn't provoke much unusual reaction from the delegation—similar-style architecture had already become common in Lingao. As for the large glass windows in the classroom, those had also lost their shock value—glass windows were now ubiquitous across the county. However, the densely arranged desks and chairs within the classroom left a deep impression: the blackboard at the front, the bright red slogan above the blackboard, the illustrated blackboard newspaper at the back, and the colorful posters adorning the white walls on either side—all created an atmosphere completely different from the traditional dim and tranquil study-hall style of schoolrooms. There seemed to be a more intense and more vigorous energy permeating the classroom.

Sitting within, they could hear unified recitation from neighboring classrooms. Wang Ci listened; it wasn't traditional primers like the Standards for Students and Children, Thousand Character Classic, or Hundred Family Surnames. He couldn't help feeling secretly disappointed. Sometimes there came strange sounds like "ah," "oh," "eh," "yi" and such. Wang Ci, being well-read after all, quickly surmised that this was probably some form of Australian "phonology" instruction.

(End of Chapter)