With a rent of 3,500 yuan (US$410) per month for the villa, the school currently runs without profits.

    "We don't expect to make a big fortune out of this. We are only using our savings to carry out our dream, a dream shared by many others," said Zhang.

    It is being run on a trial basis, and is subsidized by incomes from Zhang's own business as a tour guide.

    Ju Zhai is just one of a handful of privately run initiatives to have tried to carry out traditional culture education in China.

    Gu Mei, a researcher with the Suzhou Education College, set up a special class in the city's Sanxiang Kindergarten last November, teaching a group of 5-year-olds basic ideas of ancient culture.

    Hearing of Zhang's practice, Gu went to observe the teachings at Ju Zhai.

    "The children in his class maintain polite manners and exchange their opinions freely," said Gu.

    "Zhang's school gives parents a good option besides the compulsory public education."

    But Gu claimed that Zhang, as an amateur teacher, needed to do more to improve his way of communication with the children.

    This summer, another sishu appeared in Shanghai, attracting five primary and junior middle school students.

    The sishu's teacher and owner, surnamed Zhang, said that his teaching did not aim to merely equip children with traditional Confucian dogma. Instead, it is designed to help cultivate children's inner moralities based on Confucian essence, such as modesty and politeness.

    (Source: China Daily)

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