The Tenth National Primary and High School Creative Writing Competition, co-sponsored by the Chinese Department of Peking University and Open Class Magazines, had its Tenth Anniversary Celebration and the Final Competition Award Ceremony in Peking University Khoo Teck Puat Gymnasium on August 2nd. West Campus student Lou Qionglin placed first in the senior group (only five prize-winners in Sichuan), Deng Linya placed second and Zeng Hanyu won the junior competition (only three prize-winners in Sichuan).

This was the tenth anniversary of Creative Writing Competition since 2006, according to Professor Chen Yuehong, the Chinese Department Head of Peking University. Only this year, the number of schools in the preliminaries has reached 2158, with over 2000 thousand competitors. Over nine months of intense competition, 1500 competitors stood out and came to the final in Peking University. Winners with Senior Second Prize or above can get the opportunity for 2016 Independent Enrollment of over 35 prestigious universities, including Peking University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University and Nanjing University. The highest award was the eligibility of admission to Peking University with only the first standard score for the college entrance examination.

During July 14th-16th, the very first Literature Society Summit Forum of National Elementary and Secondary School and the ‘Research and Test on National Language Ability’ Project Initiation was successfully hosted in Chongqing. This event was academically instructed by Specialized Secondary Chinese Teaching Committee of the Chinese Society of Education, co-sponsored by the Chinese Language and Literature Department of Peking University, the Research Center for Elementary and Secondary Literature Society and Chongqing Open Class Magazines Limited, and organized by Chongqing Bushu Secondary School.

West Campus literature society ‘Lu’ was invited to this forum and awarded ‘Base School Excellent Literature Society’. West Campus students Zhang Minghao, Han Yuxin, Li Xuanle and Deng Linya won excellent prize for their works. After the evaluation by experts of the Chinese Department of Peking University and Specialized Secondary Chinese Teaching Committee, their advisor Luo Cheng was named as ‘Excellent Advisor for Literature Society’ and he also earned the eligibility for participation in national projects.

During the forum, prestigious scholars from many universities and widely known writers as Jiang Fangzhou, Ma Boyong joined with over a thousand of teachers and students from 108 schools. They had a deep discussion on subjects as ‘reform of Chinese testing system’, ‘soft power of school’, ‘teenage literary quality’, ‘students’ literature dream’, etc.

In the wake of the deepened reform of college entrance examination, the direction of Chinese language examination has been changed completely. The ‘Research and Test on National Language Ability’ Project was initiated in response to this great change. Advisors from great literature societies had discussion with famous scholars on the topic of ‘research on national Chinese language ability and creative writing method for elementary and secondary students’. They also explored how creative writing can improve students’ Chinese language ability.

Gu Zhichuan, the director of Specialized Secondary Chinese Teaching Committee of the Chinese Society of Education, emphasized the relationship among school culture, literature and literature society. He said that literature society can play a vital role in Chinese language learning.

In the students’ panel session, our students talked with famous writers Jiang Fangzhou and Ma Boyong, who introduced the artistic techniques of their writings. The writers also exchanged opinions with students on the current situation and future development of their writing.