A few days ago, I was looking for a good movie to watch and remembered my childhood admiration of Jackie Chan. I looked for any new releases and stumbled upon his autobiography, "I Am Jackie Chan". Once I cracked it open I couldn't put it down.
In the book, Jackie recounts his difficult start in life. He was definitely not a model student but known for being mischievous and getting into trouble, causing concern for his parents. His father decided to enroll Jackie in the Peking Opera School.
Jackie started at the school at the age of 7 and within his first few days, he received his first painful beating - from a stranger - in front of all the other students. The Peking Opera School was known for its strict and rigorous training regimen which included daily physical and mental exercises.
Beatings and bullying were a daily part of life at the school. Despite the brutal conditions, Jackie persevered and eventually became one of the world's most successful martial artists.
In the book, Jackie expresses the importance of proper training and discipline in the entertainment industry and looks fondly upon the traditional training methods of Master Yu, despite their cruelty.
While students like Jackie may have been able to thrive under the strict and rigid conditions of the traditional educational system, most students suffered from the extreme rigor and rigidity.
I admire Jackie's determination and hard work, but I believe that contemporary teaching methods are definitely better. Modern education systems allow a wider range of individuals to fulfill their aspirations, but there is still room for improvement.