Handwriting education emphasized in promoting linguistic, cultural heritage

China recently issued a new notice on strengthening correct Chinese handwriting education across primary and secondary schools, in an effort to promote the country's linguistic and cultural heritage, the Ministry of Education said.

The notice on strengthening standard Chinese character writing education focuses on improving handwriting skills and integrating these practices with the school curriculum.

It aims to instill correct writing posture, cultivate habits for good handwriting and enable students to write standardized Chinese characters accurately. A key goal is to help students appreciate the historical and cultural value embedded within Chinese characters, the notice said.

Eight key goals have been included in the notice, such as encouraging good writing habits to support eye health and improving the quality and standardization of writing.

Students are encouraged to participate in Chinese classics recitation and national art exhibitions, combining in-class with extracurricular activities to enhance writing education.

The notice also calls for promoting teachers' exemplary roles through competitions in pen, chalk and brush calligraphy.

It is also important to leverage digital tools to support handwriting education and involve it in the evaluation system, the notice said.

Local education departments are urged to recognize the significance of handwriting education and ensure schools meet requirements for desks and lighting, it added.