Liu Hongqing is a special father. After his daughter graduated from elementary school in Beijing last year, he did not send her to a middle school. Instead, he lets her study classic Chinese literature, Kunqu Opera and painting at home with private tutors whom he trusts.

Liu says he made the decision after one year's careful investigation on the current education in common middle schools as well as sufficient communication with his daughter.

"I went through the textbooks of Chinese for all grades, and I felt very disappointed," says 43-year-old Liu, who was a teacher himself for 10 years. "The current education system serves only for the college entrance examination. I don't want my daughter to waste time in such a school."

Liu's father was illiterate, but he saved every cent to send Liu to school. Liu is a cultural worker, yet he decided not to send his daughter to school. Liu says that paternal love is always boundless, and both he and his father try to create the best education environment for their children.

According to Liu, his daughter, 13-year-old Liu Yang, is doing fine so far. Both Liu Hongqing and his wife are self-employed, so the three of them can enjoy a family atmosphere more so than most other families.

After reading A Dream of the Red Chamber, Liu Yang proposed to form a society of poetry with her parents, just as characters from the novel did. Now they often compose old-style Chinese poetry together.

Last year, Liu compiled a book of her daughter's photos from when she was 8 to 11, and gave it to her as a birthday gift.

"We don't really celebrate the Western Father's Day, but we had a great time at the Duanwu Festival making zongzi (pyramid-shaped dumpling made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves) together," says the father. "Actually, for us, every day is like a festival."

His plan for Liu Yang's future is to study arts abroad, or in China - if the educational system changes to focus less on college exams - and provides more opportunities for people without certificates.

(China Daily June 16, 2008)