During the Rebkong art classes, students concentrate wholeheartedly on painting, experiencing the wonders of traditional craftsmanship on square drawing papers. In music classes, they pluck the strings of instruments and sing deep affection for their homeland through the melodies of their ethnic heritage. The distinctive ethnic education at Tongren City’s First Ethnic Middle School is vibrant and joyful, where traditional craftsmanship meets youthful vitality, and cultural heritage is nurtured alongside happiness. Through brushes, music, dance steps, and movements, the students find joy in self-expression.

Based on the unique characteristics of ethnic education, Tongren City First Ethnic Middle School has established a distinctive curriculum system of “Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance + Diverse Development,” focusing on Rebkong art and ethnic songs and dances. This system ensures full coverage, regular class sessions, and effective outcomes.

Tongren City, located in the Malho Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Qinghai Province, is the birthplace of Rebkong art and possesses rich intangible cultural heritage resources. In recent years, the city’s education sector has actively explored the path of “bringing intangible cultural heritage into schools” to promote quality education and nurture students’ interests. It has made the “Intangible Cultural Heritage + Diverse Development” model a key approach to cultivating distinctive talents. By introducing representative forms of local intangible cultural heritage such as Rebkong art, ethnic percussion, and Tibetan calligraphy into schools and integrating them into teaching, students not only inherit China’s outstanding traditional culture but also develop diverse interests, achieving a harmonious balance between cultural preservation and holistic development.

This photo shows a sixth-grade student from the Rebkong Art Primary School in Tongren City drawing thangka.

This photo shows a sixth-grade student from the Rebkong Art Primary School in Tongren City drawing thangka.།

This photo shows students from the first Ethnic Middle School in Tongren City learning Tibetan calligraphy.

This photo shows students from the first Ethnic Middle School in Tongren City reading book.

This photo shows students from the first Ethnic Middle School in Tongren City practicing calligraphy.

This photo shows students from the first Ethnic Middle School in Tongren City drawing  picture.

This photo shows students in an interest class learning dance.

This photo shows students in an interest class learning dance.

This photo shows students from the first Ethnic Middle School in Tongren City teaching music.

This photo shows students from the first Ethnic Middle School in Tongren City teaching music.

This photo shows students from the first Ethnic Middle School in Tongren City studying law.

This photo shows students from the first Ethnic Middle School in Tongren City studying law

This photo shows students from the first Ethnic Middle School in Tongren City participating in a physical education class.

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