Life of the Russian-speaking diaspora in China - girlnextdoor. Russian children in a Chinese school Ordinary school in Guangzhou for foreigners

Deciding whether to send a child to a Chinese school sometimes becomes a headache for parents, raising many questions. Olga de Ramos came to China for work in 2004 and lives here to this day. Her daughter was already born here, so sending Valeria to a Chinese school was quite logical. Olga shares her experience of enrolling a child in school in China and, as part of the ZEN ME BAN project, gives step-by-step instructions.

As a foreign language teacher with an international family (her husband is from Mexico), Olga believes that the ability to speak foreign languages ​​has always been their priority in life. The opportunity to get an education in one of the most difficult languages ​​in the world and, accordingly, to speak it at a native level cannot be overestimated: now her nine-year-old daughter Valeria considers Chinese one of her native languages ​​and prefers it in communication for its brevity.

“In Xiamen, where we live, the choice of schools for children of foreigners who do not speak Chinese is difficult to call, so we are glad that our daughter had the priority of a wider choice. In big cities for foreign children there are branches of Hong Kong bilingual schools, Montessori schools, international schools, even Russian private schools, but all are very expensive, and not everyone can afford to send their child to such a school, especially if there is more than one child in the family. There are schools with in-depth study of certain subjects, there are experimental schools, there are schools with full boarding.”

What do they give and how much does it cost?

Valeria goes to a private Chinese school, which is one of the top ten best schools in the city. It is located two blocks from Olga’s house, we chose it based on its location and only later found out that the school was good. The training program is based on the general national program, there are no subjects to choose from, there are several electives: computer literacy, psychology, scientific inventions (manual labor option).

Training costs 25 thousand yuan per year. By comparison, tuition at an international school in the same city can average $20,000 to $25,000 per year, including bus fare, registration and other fees.

Private or public?

The main difference between public schools and private schools is class size. In private schools, a class does not exceed 40 people, in public schools the number of children in one class reaches 60. In public schools, children go home for lunch break, and in private schools there is the opportunity to have lunch in the school canteen and relax in the rest room, this is much more convenient for parents .

In addition, public schools, as a rule, accept children of foreigners employed in China, that is, without an official work visa from one of the parents, most schools will refuse to accept an application for study. While some private and international schools issue study visas to their students, regardless of the status of the parents.

What are the responsibilities?

“In our school it is compulsory to wear a uniform. At the beginning of the year, three sets are issued: a summer uniform (shorts and a T-shirt), an autumn uniform (sweatpants and a long-sleeved top) and a winter uniform (warm sweatpants, a vest and a winter jacket). Each set is issued in two copies (except for the jacket). It is mandatory to wear a uniform every day, and a pioneer tie only on Mondays.”

A significant difference from Russian schools is also that during both the winter and summer holidays, children are given a whole book of 60 pages with tasks in Chinese, mathematics and English. In addition to the book with assignments, you need to prepare 3-4 creative works, a report on the books you have read, and write 20 essays of at least 300 hieroglyphs. Without completed homework, you may not be accepted into the next class.

How to register a child?

“To enroll a child in a Chinese school, you must first make sure that the school agrees (we are talking about private schools). The child must pass an interview, the school must accept the child. Then the school provides a package of documents with which you need to go through the final registration procedure. First you need to go to the department for foreigners and have your passport with a work visa and documents from the company that provides work for your parents certified. Then you need to go to the city’s Ministry of Education and get confirmation there. The last step should be paperwork at the district education department. After this procedure, the child will be officially “registered” and will be entered into all systems. It's free. We didn’t encounter any special requirements.”

It is worth paying attention, according to Olga, to the reputation of the school and the number of children in the class. Otherwise, all schools follow the basic state program and differ little from each other.

“You need to take care of choosing a school in advance; it is recommended to start asking about the upcoming academic year in March, because schools have restrictions on the enrollment of children and competition (in good schools). If you start the registration processes in August, you may encounter many difficulties.”

“We are satisfied, the quality of education is at a high level, Valeria receives knowledge higher than that given to her peers in Russia, especially in mathematics and a foreign language (English). The only difficulty is a lot of homework. Although, on the other hand, we don’t mind. It’s better for a child to be engaged than to play around.”

Wǒ ❤️ Magazeta

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everyday life of a Russian school in China in the mid-twentieth century (according to memoirs in the almanac “Russian Atlantis”)

E. I. Syomochkina

The article characterizes the memories of former students of Russian schools in China in the mid-twentieth century. Vivid fragments from their publications in the almanac “Russian Atlantis” are presented. An analysis of these memoirs shows their great value as a source for studying the history of everyday life in the Russian diaspora, especially “Russian China.”

Key words: history of everyday life, “Russian China”, Russian abroad, memoirs, school, emigrants.

The theme of the school world is an integral part of the history of everyday life in Russia abroad, which is being intensively developed in the 21st century. many researchers have examined the formation and development of the public education system; types of educational institutions; their structure and financing; training and education programs (their connection with the pre-revolutionary Russian school), etc. However, the school world consists not only and not so much of formal structures and institutions, although very important, but also of the everyday life of teachers and students, their actions and relationships . The atmosphere of the school world, not reflected in archival documents, can only be told by the people themselves, recalling their school years and thereby significantly complementing the history of the Russian school in China, reviving it. This will help to better understand the problems of its existence, and at the same time appreciate the selfless work of teachers who are enthusiasts of their work.

For this topic, a very important source is the memories of schoolchildren who lived in “Russian China” in the 1930-1950s. They are published in large quantities on the pages of the anthology “Russian Atlantis”. (hereinafter referred to as “RA”) It began to be published in Chelyabinsk in 1998. The history of its creation and an analysis of the specifics of its materials have already been outlined by the author. This almanac was conceived with the goal of preserving the memory of life in Harbin (and more broadly throughout China) of all Russian people. The materials of the almanac, according to the conviction of its authors and publishers, should help maintain the unity of their unique community - the “Russian Chinese”. With the help of “RA,” memoirists preserve the image of their lost small homeland, emphasizing, on the one hand, the commonality of their fate with the fate of all of Russia, and on the other, their own characteristics, relative dissimilarity from compatriots who grew up in the USSR, and sometimes even exclusivity.

memories in "RA" about school can be fragmentary, when they are only part of the plot, or can be completely devoted to the educational institution, teachers, or one of them, friends and classmates. They are in every issue of the almanac, and therefore we have to limit our selection to the most revealing, especially vividly written memories.

we call Russian schools in China “emigrant”, because after 1917 the Russian enclave, which formed at the end of the 19th century in the CER zone (Manchuria, Harbin), found itself outside the borders of the new Russian state. A stream of refugees poured here from Soviet Russia, which naturally affected all aspects of local Russian life, including schools. now they were radically different from those that arose in the Soviet state: firstly, they retained their previous (pre-revolutionary) form and content, and, secondly, they acquired some common features characteristic of Russian emigrant schools in other countries. However, it is important to note that from 1924 to 1935. In the CER zone, along with emigrant ones, there were Soviet schools for the children of Soviet employees. There are no memories of them in RA. Apparently this is explained by the fact that when in 1935 the CER completely came under Japanese control, of the 23 thousand USSR citizens who worked there, 92% returned to the Soviet Union.

For objective demographic reasons, the main set of these memories dates back to the second half of the 1930s - mid-1950s, and only a few - to the late 1920s - early 1930s.

Since Harbin became the main city of the Russian diaspora in China, there were the most Russian educational institutions here. Therefore, in “RA” the memories of “Harbin residents” predominate. They reflected particularly memorable episodes: funny, sad, scary, solemn, as well as detailed descriptions of buildings, orders and traditions, student clothing, lessons and leisure activities, stories about teachers and students, and many photographs.

“Excursion” stories create a visual image of the educational institution. For example, V.V. Krakovtsev compares the four-story building of his school in Shanghai with a huge ocean liner - large, comfortable both outside and inside: its very appearance inspired the boy to study. In the memoirs of T.V. Pishchikova’s gymnasium in Dairen appears as a cold casemate with a cement floor that froze her feet, and the strict cleanliness further emphasized the poverty of the situation. According to the memoirs of P. P. Dobrynin about the First Harbin Russian Real School

(hereinafter - I KhRRU), F.K. Markov about the Russian House (orphanage-school), N.P. Razzhigaeva about the Convention (College) of St. Ursula and others. The beauty of the buildings of their educational institutions put students in a businesslike mood.

Many authors of memoirs draw in detail the uniforms of schoolchildren. In the Lyceum of St. Nicholas, I KhRRU, and the Russian House, boys wore black shirts (tunics) and trousers on weekdays. On holidays, white shirts (tunics) were worn. Pupils of the Russian House in Harbin were called “sailors”, for their uniforms similar to those of the sea, and caps. There was the discipline of the pre-revolutionary cadet corps, which “impressed many wealthy families.” The high fees for these students made it possible to support children from poor families for free. Girls' uniform dresses could be dark green (I KHRRU), or brown (in the Qingdao gymnasium), but with mandatory aprons - black on weekdays and white on holidays. They were prohibited from wearing hairstyles (only braids), manicures, and cosmetics. In the 1st KhRRU, caps with the school emblem were required for boys and berets with the school badge for girls. Everything is like it used to be in Russia!

All Russian secondary education in China until 1945 was built on the foundations of Orthodoxy, with the direct participation of priests of the Russian Orthodox Church in school life (morning prayers before classes, observance of church canons, regular visits to churches, solemn prayers on the occasion of all church holidays, participation in church choirs and etc.). for the students this was natural, since in the vast majority of families spiritual education was based not on words, but on deeds - the main example was set by the parents. S. N. Ignatieva (Bru-sienko) writes: “Our school life was inextricably linked with a dear, bright, cozy temple... The church was invaluable for the spiritual connection of generations of Russians in Qingdao. Everything was calming, I wanted to become better.”

In such educational institutions with a religious orientation as the St. Nicholas Lyceum (for boys), the Convent (College) of St. Ursula (for girls), and others, students lived on full board. The teaching load, especially in foreign languages, was greater and the rules were stricter.

Strict discipline and etiquette reigned at the St. Ursula Convention: obligatory curtsies to teachers and educators, everyday walks in pairs and silently, meetings with relatives in the assembly hall once every two weeks at certain hours. One day they spoke English, one day they spoke French, and only on Sunday they spoke Russian. Only in the courtyard on the playground was it possible to play, play sports and just run, which was already fun and happiness.

In all Russian educational institutions in China, much attention was paid to musical education and sports. The mass of amateurs was a good environment for the discovery of talent and the growth of professionals, and the latter never lacked an appreciative audience. The most interesting memories of sports and musical activities are written

Sali P. P. Dobrynin, l. P. Markizov, F. K. Markov, G. B. Razzhigaev, T. V. Pishchikova, G. V. Semenov, V. M. Shishov and others.

In "RA" a number of memoirs contain information about two serious "restructurings" of education that occurred before the eyes of students.

First: perestroika in the Japanese way. After the sale of the Chinese Eastern Railway by the Soviet Union to Japan in 1935, all the rules of life of the Russian population, including school, could not help but change. The Japanese authorities pointedly called all Russians “emigrants.” In 1937, according to the reform of public education, all educational institutions were rebuilt according to the Japanese model. In Harbin, Russian gymnasiums and real schools were closed. Under special permissions, some Russian, Muslim, Jewish private primary and preparatory schools and kindergartens, and several vocational schools remained. Religious educational institutions have also been preserved: the Lyceum of St. Nicholas, conventions of the Ursulines and Franciscans, the Russian House, and theological seminary. In the Japanese spirit, all programs and textbooks were significantly adjusted. The preservation of Russian national traditions and the Russian Orthodox Church was supposed to instill, according to the reformers’ plan, Russian students with gratitude for “Great Japan.” However, the imposition of Japanese customs was regarded as an infringement of Orthodoxy and the imposition of Japanese paganism in secular Russian schools. For example, the parents of G. B. Razzhigaev sent him to a theological seminary in 1944 after at the school of K. P. Chesnokova, where he studied, “they began to read the Manifesto of the Japanese Emperor with white gloves.” After the closure of the first KhRRU, the parents of several students organized a home class in the Sadovnikovs’ house on Rechnaya Street. G.P., who studied there, recalls this. Kazakov. M. Taut writes about the group of primary education of children at home with I. A. Mirandov, where she was lucky enough to study.

At the gymnasium. A. S. Pushkin in the dairen, the subject “Nippon studies” was entrusted to teach M. P. Grigoriev, who lived for 20 years in Japan and knew it well. He himself developed the program for this subject, excluding politics, placing the main emphasis on the study of language, culture, geography, history, which aroused the genuine interest of the students. But his apolitical nature displeased the Japanese authorities. After his sudden death in 1943, students and their parents suspected that he had been murdered. (The urn with his ashes was taken to Japan by his Japanese wife and daughter.) In wartime, more attention began to be paid to the military sports training of high school students. They even enjoyed shooting classes and willingly took part in city competitions. For this they were awarded valuable prizes - coupons for vegetable oil and flour.

When reducing Russian educational institutions in Harbin, the Japanese administration made some concessions. In particular, P.P. Dobrynin notes that high school students of the 1st HRRU were allowed to complete their studies according to the old program, adding only the study of the Japanese language. But at the same time they offered to go

four classes in two years, and the junior classes were simply closed, no new admissions were made. In addition, in 1938, students from the closed Alekseevsky Real School were admitted, which greatly worsened the learning conditions. The last twenty-first graduation of the I KhRRU took place in 1940 (P.P. Dobrynin received a gold medal).

The second restructuring of education took place in the Soviet style. After the defeat of Japan in 1945, Manchuria entered the sphere of interests of the USSR. Instead of various types of primary and secondary educational institutions, complete Soviet secondary schools (hereinafter referred to as PSSS) were created, operating according to the programs of Soviet ten-year schools. Due to their age, many of the authors of “RA” received their education there, fully or partially. As can be seen from their memoirs, the teachers for the most part remained the same, especially in the first 5 years, but new ones also arrived - from the USSR. In China, the 1945-1946 academic year became a turning point for all educational institutions.

In 1946, the Ursulines were evicted from their Convention building, and they themselves were placed in the Franci-Scan Convention on the Hippodrome Highway, which was inconvenient and unpleasant. Large classes were divided into small ones using thick curtains. As N.P. Razzhigaeva (Omelchuk) recalls: “Only the kindness and meekness of our nuns made life bearable and easily bearable.” In 1949, both Conventions were closed, as was the Lyceum of St. Nicholas.

The fate of the A. Nevsky Lyceum was unique, not mentioned in historical studies, apparently due to the brevity of its existence (1946-1951). Through the efforts of Bishop Nestor and under the patronage of the Moscow Patriarchate, after the closure of the Russian House in 1946, a lyceum with an Orthodox bias and a training program for newly opened Soviet schools in Harbin was created on its basis. The Lyceum included students from the Russian House, the Theological Seminary, and the Seraphim Orphanage. So, along with subjects interpreted in the Soviet way, Latin, the catechism, and the Law of God plus morning and evening prayers coexisted. This compromise between the Soviet government and the Russian Orthodox Church was short-lived - only five years.

For the city of Dairen, 1945 was marked by the return of its former Russian name - Dalny. According to the Soviet-Chinese agreement, it was leased to the USSR for 30 years, and therefore many Soviet specialists and their families came to the city. PSSS were opened, in which at first local children (the Soviet administration, like the Japanese in its time, called all Russians “emigrants”) studied together with visitors from the USSR. In 1947 they were divided into different schools (to play it safe), but in 1948-1949 they were united again.

In Qingdao, as S.N. recalls. Ignatiev (Bru-sienko), in 1945 everything was so uncertain that some teachers taught classes at home, in particular, history teacher K. S. Matyukhinskaya. One day they were visited by the director of the gymnasium with a representative of the Soviet consulate from Tianjin, who was in charge of educational affairs. He was interested in textbooks (they turned out to be pre-revolutionary), the

my lesson (the girls had to talk about Catherine the Great). “In the next academic year, the gymnasium officially turned into a high school at the Society of Citizens of the USSR in Qingdao.”

In 1949, the Union of Soviet Youth was created in China: SSM (analogue of the Komsomol in the USSR), “juniors” with red ties appeared (analogous to the pioneers). Through new textbooks and programs, as well as forms of leisure (dance evenings, amateur art concerts, camping trips), Russian schoolchildren in China formed the concept of belonging not only to Russia, but also to the USSR. A.I. Mirandov recalls the reprehensible, from his point of view, act of his sister Lena, who, along with several other schoolchildren, members of the SSM, put on a mourning armband on the day of Stalin’s death before going to a rally dedicated to this event. The school director N. G. Momot ordered them to be removed, but the students refused. The brother recalls that their father, I. A. Mirandov, was very ashamed of his daughter, since many people in Harbin knew their family.

As E.G. Voiloshnikova (chipizubova) recalls, the SSM called for “to be honest, active patriots of your Motherland”, to work for the benefit of the whole society, and not just for your own. The words were wonderful, and the young people believed them. Having received news in 1954 about permission to travel to the virgin lands in the USSR, “the youth rejoiced.” High school students at Buhedu station also had a romantic mood under the influence of SSM. Conversations broke out at school about a future departure to the virgin lands, although there were skeptics who did not share the general joy. Student Kostya Ivanov made a cartoon: “For development (youth), for settlement (adults), for fertilizer (old people).” This action did not have any consequences; everyone remained unconvinced. We left for the USSR with tears of happiness and dreams come true. In the opposite direction - “across the river” (i.e., to America, Australia) - they left without pathos, unnoticed.

The most “rosy” memories of studying in Mukden were written by E. L. Komendant (Rafeld), as can be seen from their title: “Wonderful school years,” as in the song. She was fine even in a German school, where she was sent at the age of 6, although she did not know German. But, apparently, her natural sociability and cheerful disposition quickly removed this “minus” and made her an excellent student. The one-story school had a park and a tennis court, which in winter turned into a skating rink for physical education lessons. The girl didn’t remember her lessons, but she really liked the holidays at school - Easter and Christmas, when they were dressed up as angels. Since 1945, she studied at a Soviet school, to which she is also grateful: “I bow to all teachers, they planted good seed on fertile soil.” She especially remembered the school director V.P. Sretensky for his sternness: “As soon as he looks over his glasses with his piercing eyes under thick eyebrows, he will tremble all over.” But outside of lessons he “lightened up.” Everyone's favorite was their class teacher N.N. Tvertsyn, young,

kind and sympathetic, so much so that he even repaired the wooden cover of her album (it was such a hobby among schoolgirls of the 20th century, they wrote poetry and drew in them). The affair between a physical education teacher and one of the teachers “resurfaced” in her memory: “We discussed this heatedly - after all, nothing can be hidden from children’s eyes!” . With humor, she recalls how during breaks they would run to Chinese street vendors selling delicacies, and then rush to eat them.

Almost all memoirists remember their graduation parties, when they presented their matriculation certificates and then danced until the morning. Traditionally, boys wore dark suits and girls wore long white dresses. But such luxury, judging by the photographs, remained in the 1930s, especially since there should have been no place for “philistinism” in the Soviet school. Thus, graduates of a school at Buhedu station in 1952 were prohibited from sewing traditional white long dresses for their prom. I had to go to the ball in dresses of regular length and not white ones.

V.V. Krakovtsev’s memories of the school in Shanghai are very interesting and rich in details. Just as Harbin and Shanghai were different, their schools were just as different. In Shanghai, the Russian colony was much smaller than in Harbin and was formed mainly from Russian emigrants in the 1920s. During the Japanese occupation of Manchuria, it grew significantly due to those Russian people who were not satisfied with the Japanese order and who could move here. Almost half of the Russian children here studied in schools in other countries, mainly English and French. From the parents’ point of view, this was practical: subsequently it was easier to find a good job in various foreign companies, and in the future, to go to Europe, America or Australia. V.V. Krakovtsev began studying in Harbin at Chesnokova’s school, after moving to Shanghai he studied at an English school, and then he was assigned to a French school for Russian children - ècole municipale française Rèmi. Hence the common nickname of the students - “remishniks”. In addition to Russian grammar, all subjects were taught in French, so he had to study French additionally after school. A lot had to be learned by heart, crammed, and only then understood. But he still has an excellent memory. V.V. Krakovtsev writes about himself and his school friend Slava Sokolovsky, whom he met in 1938: “We have been together for 163 years, we, as before, communicate with English, French and Chinese jokes, although virtually Internet. The characteristics of teachers and classmates are given vividly and imaginatively. He also mentions hooligan fun: they took out pieces of film, rolled it up and set it on fire. Such a “pfimpfa” burned with hissing, spinning, smoke and a terrible smell. the boys were amazed by it!

Everyone writing about his school years certainly thanked his teachers, and in his declining years he was especially deeply aware of how much he owed them. In particular, an interesting selection of memories of

I. A. Mirandov (1899-1970), the most famous Harbin teacher. (His former students and his son, A.I. Mirandov, wrote about him.) He taught English, literature, and psychology in various educational institutions. M. Taut characterizes him as a true representative of the “Russian pedagogical intelligentsia of the old formation”, notes his enormous influence on her choice of the profession of philologist. His student from the post-war school N.N. Klipinitser (Ivanova) writes: “The idol of high school students. His literature lessons passed in one breath... We learned to love the word... Now, when I hear an incorrect expression, it jars me, and I remember my teacher.” V. M. Shishov is a 1936 graduate of the Harbin Gymnasium. A. S. Pushkin - remembers I. A. Mirandov as a teacher of English and as an expert in Russian poetry, which he introduced to his students at literary evenings, speaking as an artist of literary expression.

Another famous Harbin teacher who taught natural science was T. P. Gordeev (1875-1967). He instilled in his students a love of nature not only in lessons, but also on excursions, in natural science and geography clubs, and at the experimental site. Since pre-revolutionary times, he was a researcher of the Far East, a member of the Society for the Study of the Manchurian Region, in 1934 he participated in the Roerich expedition, compiled the first soil map of Manchuria (he was a world-famous soil scientist), collected a valuable herbarium for the museum of Heilujiang Province (he later worked there until 1962 and went to Belgium via Hong Kong). For children, he was a romantic of nature, who knew how to write a poem “useful” for the lesson, even about a toad. T. P. Sokolova (Petrina), repenting for herself and her classmates, writes: “It’s a shame to remember how we annoyed him with our noise and din and interfered with his work, but he was patient. He never raised his voice at us, and only once this kindest man, driven out of his temper, exclaimed that this was not a class, but a “menagerie.”

Among teachers, observant students always noted former officers for their bearing, smartness, and love of discipline. L.P. Markizov, remembering the Harbin gymnasium named after. A. S. Pushkin, writes about Ya. M. Larionov, a former major general of the General Staff, a participant in the First World War, who evaded participation in the civil war. He taught arithmetic and oriental studies. Another former officer who taught geography at the same gymnasium, S.A. Bezobrazov, was very fond of accuracy in everything, and always corrected students who called the old (pre-revolutionary) names of Russian cities: for example, “Petrograd” instead of “Leningrad”. He emphasized that you need to know the official geographical names that correspond to the time of their existence. T.V. Pishchikova recalls N.N. Pokrovsky, a former colonel who fought in Ungern’s detachment in Mongolia, where during one of the campaigns he suffered severe frostbite, but, despite his lameness, taught at the gymnasium. A. S. Pushkin in Dairen physical education. Feeling of gratitude

Each of the former schoolchildren of “Russian China” could subscribe to these lines of V.V. Sharoukhov: “With special warmth I remember the Yakesha Russian school. At different times, talented and enthusiastic teachers worked there. Elderly people also worked at the school. yesterday's graduates of our own school, but they were always united by one thing: they really loved their work and their students, tried to understand them, there was no formalism and strict implementation of the lesson plan, so characteristic of the Soviet school... This school was a home. Parents took an active part in all school events, vacationed with their children, different generations found a common language.” Even adjusted for the idealization of one’s childhood years, the general tone speaks of the spiritual atmosphere of those schools discussed in the memoirs sent in the almanac.

To summarize, it should be noted that, firstly, the memoirs in “RA” contain valuable information about many school household details of the mid-twentieth century, characteristic only of this unique diaspora - “Russian China”. They clearly recreate the changing school environment depending on the political circumstances of the 1930s-1950s. At the same time, there is no emphasis on political events; they are mentioned only in passing. The inconsistency, ambiguity, and tragedy of these events are discussed in other RA memoirs. And the memories of school are ideal and bright.

Secondly, the relationship between teachers and students, as well as their parents, according to these memories, is characterized as trusting, based on mutual respect and mutual assistance. Judging by these memoirs, there was no conflict between “fathers and sons.”

authors may deliberately withhold anything that might present them in an unfavorable perspective. Psychologically, this is understandable: memoirists explicitly or covertly strive to justify their lives, downplay their shortcomings and emphasize their merits and achievements, even if they are significant only to themselves.

Fourthly, the memoirs about the school explain the reasons and possibilities for the appearance of the RA almanac itself. They, better than any other, highlight the development of cultural needs laid down in childhood, a wide range of interests formed by family and school. A distinctive feature of memoirs in “RA” is a high level of literacy, pure literary language, a careful attitude towards it, and a rich vocabulary. All this was provided by literature and Russian language lessons, literary and drama clubs of those schools that the “Russian Chinese” remember. It was the school years that became a period of “spiritual and intellectual growth. maturity. getting on solid ground." . The foundations of knowledge and skills of interaction between people in society, laid down at school, helped to implement the project of publishing the almanac.

The secondary importance of memoirs as a source in historical research is due to their subjectivity. But one cannot do without them when studying the history of everyday life, the history of mentality, and historical psychology.

Literature and sources

1. Voiloshnikova (Chipizubova), E. G. Life on both sides of the Khingan / E. G. Voiloshnikova (Chipizubova) // Russian Atlantis. - 2001. - No. 7. - P. 60-63.

2. Dobrynin, P. P. First Harbin Real School / P. P. Dobrynin //Russian Atlantis. - 2001. - No. 5. - P. 32-37.

3. Zakharova (Mamina), E.I. Family history / E.I. Zakharova (Mamina) // Russian Atlantis. - 2012. - No. 45. - P. 14-26.

4. Ivanov, V.P. Russian abroad in the Far East in the 1920-40s. / V. P. Ivanov. - M.: MGOU, 2003. -160 p.

5. Ignatieva (Brusienko), S.N. My life in Qingdao / S.N. Ignatieva (Brusienko) // Russian Atlantis. - 2000. - No. 3. - P. 53-57.

6. Kazakov, G. P. About the beloved father / G. P. Kazakov // Russian Atlantis. - 2000. - No. 4. - P. 15-20.

7. Klipinitser (Ivanova), N. N. Involved in the centenary / N. N. Klipinitser (Ivanova) // Russian Atlantis. - 1998. - No. 1. - P. 29-30.

8. Commandant (Rafeld), E. L. Wonderful school years / E. L. Commandant (Rafeld) // Russian Atlantis. - 2001. - No. 6. - P. 60-63.

9. Kosinova, O. A. Pedagogical traditions of the Russian Abroad in China at the end of the 19th - first half of the 20th centuries: (1898-1945) / O. A. Kosinova. - M.: [b. i.], 2008. - 200 p.

10. Krakovtsev, V.V. Shanghai. 1938 / V.V. Krakovtsev // Russian Atlantis. - 2012. - No. 45. - P. 58-63.

11. Markizov, L.P. From the ABC to the matriculation certificate / L.P. Markizov // Russian Atlantis. - 2001. - No. 6. - P. 44-50.

12. Markov, F. K. Life without memories is devoid of any meaning / F. K. Markov // Russian Atlantis. - 1998. - No. 1. - P. 30-33.

13. Mirandov, A. I. Memories of my father / A. I. Mirandov // Russian Atlantis. - 2000. - No. 4. - P. 3-6.

14. Pishchikova, T. V. Russian Gymnasium named after. A. S. Pushkin in the city of Dairen / T. V. Pishchikova // Russian Atlantis. - 2000. - No. 4. - P. 42-48.

15. Pishchikova, T. V. Russian Gymnasium named after. A. S. Pushkin in the city of Dairen / T. V. Pishchikova // Russian Atlantis. - 2001. - No. 5. - P. 38-43.

16. Potapova, I. V. Russian school in Manchuria. 1898-1945 /I. V. Potapova. - Khabarovsk: Private collection, 2010. - 186 p.

17. Razzhigaev, G. B. Lyceum of Alexander Nevsky / G. B. Razzhigaev // Russian Atlantis. - 1999. - No. 2. - P. 25-27.

18. Razzhigaeva (Omelchuk), N.P. Walk around the Convention / N.P. Razzhigaeva (Omelchuk) // Russian Atlantis. - 2003. - No. 9. - P. 28-31.

19. Sokolova (Petrina), T. P. Scientist, teacher, poet / T. P. Sokolova (Petrina) // Russian Atlantis. - 2000. - No. 3. - P. 18-20.

20. Semenov, G.V. Lyceum students in Moscow / G.V. Semenov //Russian Atlantis. - 1999. - 2. P. 6-10.

21. Semochkina, E. I. Almanac “Russian Atlantis” as a realization of the cultural and historical experience of Russian natives of China (on the 15th anniversary of the publication) / E. I. Semochkina // Bulletin of the South Ural State University. Series “Social Sciences and Humanities”. - 2014. - T. 14. - No. 2. - P. 27-32.

22. Taut, M. P. I remember with great warmth / M. P. Taut // Russian Atlantis. - 2000. - No. 4. - P. 6-7.

23. Sharoukhov, V.V. Yakeshi - station on the Chinese Eastern Railway /

B.V. Sharoukhov //Russian Atlantis. - 1998. - No. 1. -

24. Shishov, V. M. Harbin, Pier, thirties / V. M. Shishov // Russian Atlantis. - 2001. - No. 6. - P. 51-53.

SEMOCHKINA Ekaterina Ivanovna graduated from the history department of Chelyabinsk State University in 1981. Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of History of Russia, South Ural State University (Chelyabinsk, Russia). Scientific interests: problems of the Great Patriotic War, local history, Russian emigration. Email: [email protected]

Bulletin of the South Ural State University Series “Social Sciences and the Humanities” 2015, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 41-47

the everyday life of Russian school in China in the middle of xx century (based on memoirs in almanac "Russian atlantida")

E. I. Semochkina, South Ural State University, Cheliabinck, Russian Federation

The article provides the characteristics of the former pupils from Russian schools in China in the middle of XX century. There are vivid fragments from their essays published in the almanac "Russian Atlantida". The memoirs analysis discloses their great value as a source for studying the everyday history of Russia Abroad, especially "Russian China".

Keywords: everyday history, "Russian China", Russia Abroad, memoirs, school, emigrants.

1. Voyloshnikova (Chipizubova) E.G. Zhizn po obe sidery Hingana Russian Atlantida 2001. No. 7. P. 60-63.

2. Dobrynin P.P. Pervoe harbinskoe realnoe uchilische. Russian Atlantida 2001. No. 5. P. 32-37.

3. Zaharova (Mamina) E.I. Istoriya semyi Russian Atlantida 2012. No. 45. P. 14-

4. Ivanov V.P. Rossiyskoe zarubezhye na Dalnem Vostoke v 1920-1940s. Moscow, 2003. 160 p.

5. Ignatyeva (Brusienko) S.N. Moya zhizn v Tsindao Russian Atlantida 2000. No. 3. P. 53-57.

6. Kazakov G.P. O lyubimom ottse Russian Atlantida 2000. No. 4. P. 15-20.

7. Klipinitser (Ivanova) N.N. Prichastny k stoletiyu Russian Atlantida 1998. No. 1. P. 29-30.

8. Komendant (Rafeld) E.L. Shkolnye gody chudesnye Russian Atlantida 2001. No. 6. P. 60-63.

9. Kosinova O.A. Pedagogichie traditsii Rossiyskogo Zarubezhya v Kitae v kontse XIX - first half of the XX century: (1898-1945 gg.) Moscow, 2008. 200 p.

10. Krakovtsev V.V. Shanghai. 1938 god Russian Atlantida 2012. No.45. P. 58-63.

11. Markizov L.P. From azbuki do attestata zrelosti Russian Atlantida 2001. No. 6. P. 44-50.

12. Markov F. K. Zhizn bez vospominaniy - lishena vsyakogo smysla Russian Atlantida 1998. No. 1. P. 30-33.

13. Mirandov A.I. Vospominaniya ob ottse Russian Atlantida 2000. No.4. P. 3 - 6.

14. Pischikova T.V. Russian gymnasium im. A.S. Pushkina v city Dayren Russian Atlantida 2000. No. 4. P. 42-48.

15. Pischikova T.V. Russian gymnasium im. A.S. Pushkin v city Dayren Russian Atlantida 2001. No. 5. P. 38-43.

16. Potapova I.V. Russian shkola v Manchzhurii. 1898-1945 gody Habarovsk, 2010. 186 p.

17. Razzhigaev G.B. Litsey Aleksandra Nevskogo Russian Atlantida

1999. No. 2. P. 25-27.

18. Razzhigaeva (Omelchuk) N.P. Progulka po Konventu Russian Atlantida 2003. No. 9. P. 28-31.

19. Sokolova (Petrina) T.P. Ucheniy, uchitel, poet Russian Atlantida 2000. No. 3. P. 18-20.

20. Semenov G.V. Litseisty v Moskve Russkaya Atlantida 1999. No. 2. P. 6-10.

21. Semochkina E.I. Almanah "Russkaya Atlantida" kak realizatsiya kulturno-istoricheskogo opyta russkih urozhentsev Kitaya (K 15-letiyu izdaniya) Vestnik Yuzhno-Uralskogo State University. Seriya "Social no-humanitarnye nauki 2014. Volume 14, no. 2. P. 27-32.

22. Taut M.P. S bolshim teplom vspominayu Russian Atlantida

2000. No.4. P. 6 - 7.

23. Sharoukhov V.V. Yakeshi - stantsiya na KVZhD Russian Atlantida 1998. No. 1. P. 19-20.

24. Shishov V.M. Harbin, Pristan, tridtsatye gody Russian Atlantida 2001.No. 6. P. 51-53.

The education system is represented by a million educational institutions of various profiles and levels. They collectively educate more than 200 million people. Mandatory, according to the Chinese Constitution, is a secondary 9-year education. High school and post-secondary education are voluntary and people enter them at will and taking into account their needs and preferences. Thus, the education system is divided into several stages:

• Kindergarten (3-6 years old)
• Primary school (6-12)
• Incomplete secondary (12-15)
• Full secondary (15-18)
• Secondary professional (16-20)
• High school (18-25).

The system has many unique features; its achievements and successes largely explain the rapid development of the country. Despite the fact that educational institutions are under strict state control, they respond very quickly and efficiently to all the challenges of the modern world, making adjustments and necessary changes. Specialists receiving education in China have a pronounced ability to quickly adapt to rapidly changing external conditions, and are increasingly competing in the global labor market.

The country has a sufficient number of both standard institutions and centers for children with special needs (visual, hearing, mental, and musculoskeletal disorders). Education is incredibly multifaceted.

Key-schools (the best and most prestigious), vocational institutions, and universities are open for foreign students. Particularly popular are institutions offering programs. Such centers and schools exist in almost every province of modern China, and the best language educational institutions are concentrated in large cities. A lot of attention is paid to education, which is why branches of several international schools have been opened here - such centers accept foreign students with minimal restrictions.

Benefits of getting an education in China

• The importance of China in global development is constantly growing: today the country holds the lead in terms of population and growth rate of literacy, branches of educational centers around the world are opening - the country has practically unlimited opportunities for receiving professional training.

• Chinese today is the second international language and is second only to English in popularity in the world. Knowing this language is important, primarily for business.
• Education meets international standards and is of high quality. The national diploma is valued in most countries of the world.
• You can study at any age: the country offers a wide range of programs for children (), teenagers, and adults.

Schools in China for children and schoolchildren: features and advantages

The vast majority of institutions are public, and education is free for citizens. They provide a fairly high level of knowledge and help children find their place in life, determine their interests and preferences. After the compulsory 9 years, you can enter secondary vocational institutions, or continue school. In recent years, the system has been actively developing, and the popularity of establishments of this type is growing. Studies are conducted in both Chinese and English (English is a compulsory subject). Various standards available:

• Chinese education system
• American(s)
• International.

Private institutions are represented both by branches of European, American and international schools, and by Chinese schools themselves. Most of them are full-fledged and have the highest level of equipment and comfort. The curriculum contains a large number of disciplines and subjects, many of them can be studied at a very high level and in an in-depth format. Lessons and activities are accompanied by active extracurricular activities, creativity and sports, children develop comprehensively. The teachers have an exceptionally high level of qualifications and extensive experience. Diplomas and certificates are recognized in most countries of the world; with them you can enter universities and colleges in various countries in Europe, Asia, and America.

Higher education in China: prestigious and high-quality education

In total, there are more than 100 operating in the country, almost all of them are state-owned. There are several levels available, sequentially following each other:

• College (3 years of study, Certificate upon completion)
• Basic (3-5 years, Bachelor's degree)
• Basic (2-3 years, Master's degree)
• Additional (2-4 years, Doctor's Degree).

Educational institutions, despite control by government bodies, have fairly broad powers and capabilities, and differ in methods and workload. To say that they are developing rapidly is to say nothing - every year more and more establishments occupy high places in world rankings. Every year, more and more foreign and domestic students prefer to study in China, as this not only provides the opportunity to receive an exceptionally high-quality education, but also significantly save money - after all, the education itself, and especially accommodation and food, costs significantly less than in Europe or America. Universities have specialization - there are technical, pedagogical, linguistic and others, complex and additional courses are available, you can study several foreign languages. Diplomas are recognized by most countries in the world, graduates achieve significant success in professional and scientific activities.

Many people ask me where and how to study in China for my son. It’s a long story, and I’m already tired, too, so I finally chose the time when my Internet completely went down, apparently for a long time, work stopped, and I have time to write, but really, how and where did my son study?

When we got ready to go to Shenzhen to try to live here, and not on another business trip, naturally, the question of our son arose, he was 12 years old at the time. Should I leave him to study in Russia with my grandmother, or should I take him with me? If he takes him with him, where will he study in China, and, most importantly, how?
We left in June, but this issue has been a headache for me since February.

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Being Chinese is not easy. When there are more than one and a half billion of you in a country without social guarantees, you have to work hard to find a place in the sun. But Chinese children are ready for this - their hard work begins in first grade.

At one time, I worked as an English teacher in four Chinese schools (and a kung fu school). Therefore, it is very interesting to compare Russian education and the features of schools in the Middle Kingdom.

Children in school uniform―tracksuits―at a lesson dedicated to Earth Day, Liaocheng, April 2016.

1. Many schools in China do not have heating, so teachers and students do not take off their outerwear in winter. Central heating is available exclusively in the north of the country. In central and southern China, buildings are designed for warm climates. This means that in winter, when the temperature can drop to zero, and sometimes even lower, the only means of heating is air conditioning. School uniform - tracksuit: wide pants and jacket. The cut is almost the same everywhere, only the colors of the suit and the school emblem on the chest differ. All school grounds are bordered by large iron gates, which are always kept closed, opening only to allow students to leave.
2. In Chinese schools, they do exercises every day (and more than one) and conduct a general exercise. The morning at school begins with exercises, then a line on which the main news is reported and the flag is raised - school or state. After the third lesson, all children do exercises to relax their eyes. To the accompaniment of soothing music and a recorded narrator's voice, schoolchildren click on special dots. In addition to morning exercises, there is afternoon exercise - around two o'clock in the afternoon, when, to the same inexorable loudspeaker, schoolchildren pour out into the corridor in a single impulse (if there is not enough space in the classrooms), begin to raise their arms to the sides and up and jump.

Chinese schoolchildren from the city of Jinan do exercises on the roof.

1. A big break, also known as a lunch break, usually lasts an hour.. During this time, children have time to go to the canteen (if there is no canteen at the school, they are brought food in special trays-boxes), have lunch, and also run, stretch their legs, scream and play pranks. Teachers in all schools are given free lunch. And, I must say, the food is very good. Lunch traditionally consists of one meat and two vegetable dishes, rice and soup. Expensive schools also provide fruit and yogurt. People in China love to eat, and even at school traditions are observed. After the lunch break, some junior schools allow five minutes of “sleep time.” By the way, a couple of times my students fell asleep in the middle of the lesson, and the poor things had to be woken up with their hearts bleeding.

A variant of a modest school lunch by Chinese standards: eggs with tomatoes, tofu, cauliflower with pepper, rice.

1. The attitude towards teachers is very respectful. They are called by their surname with the prefix "teacher", such as Teacher Zhang or Teacher Xiang. Or just “teacher”. In one school, students - no matter whether they were mine or not - bowed when they met me.
2. In many schools, physical punishment is the order of the day. A teacher can hit a student with his hand or a pointer for some offense. The further away from big cities and the simpler the school, the more common this is. My Chinese friend told me that at school they were given a certain time to learn English words. And for every unlearned word they were beaten with a stick.

Recess during traditional drumming classes, Ansai city.

1. There is a rating of student performance in the classroom, which encourages students to study better. Grades range from A to F, where A is the highest, corresponding to 90-100%, and F - unsatisfactory 59%. Rewarding good behavior is an important part of the educational system. For example, for a correct answer or exemplary behavior in class, a student receives a star of a certain color or additional points. Points and stars will be deducted for talking in class or misconduct. The progress of schoolchildren is reflected on a special chart on the board. The competition, so to speak, is obvious.
2. Chinese children study more than 10 hours every day. Lessons usually last from eight in the morning until three or four in the afternoon, after which the children go home and do endless homework until nine or ten in the evening. On weekends, schoolchildren from big cities necessarily have some kind of additional classes with tutors; they go to music school, art schools and sports sections. Due to the highest level of competition, children are under pressure from their parents from childhood. If they cannot do well in the exam after primary school (and compulsory education in China takes 12–13 years), then the path to university is barred.