In the mountainous Gala township of Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Sichuan province, a unique art initiative is creating waves of transformation.

Wu Pengbo, an art teacher from Jinghua Elementary School in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, has spent nearly a month at the Gala town boarding school in Yajiang county, revolutionizing the role of art in the lives of the students.

Wu, 36, arrived with the intent to support and enhance art education at a school that previously lacked a dedicated art teacher.

"I thought my presence could provide much-needed support," he said. However, the experience has turned out to be mutually transformative.

"Art doesn't need to be taught; it's an innate ability. My role is to provide materials and create an environment," Wu said.

Upon his arrival, Wu quickly revitalized the school's underutilized art classroom, which had superior facilities compared to his own in Hangzhou.

"The school has an excellent art room with all the necessary equipment. Before I arrived, no one was using these materials. Since my arrival, teachers have introduced me and the art room to students, encouraging them to use it during free time. They began to come," Wu said.

He established an art club, inviting enthusiastic students to the studio during their free time and on weekends.

"Since they are boarders, they have about an hour of free time every afternoon, which many students use to visit the art room," Wu said.

Currently, around 30 students visit the art studio daily, and over 100 come on weekends, with classrooms often filled to capacity.

Enriching the lives of boarders

The school, housing 1,314 students, including about 600 boarders, has seen a remarkable shift in student engagement.

"Wu's presence has greatly supported our art education and enriched the lives of our boarding students," said Mao Chengjun, the school principal.

Wu takes only Sunday mornings off to gather inspiration outdoors. By 2 pm, he returns to school and informs the students that they can come to the art room to paint starting at 3 pm, according to the principal.

Wu, a graduate in oil painting, believes his primary role is to guide and inspire.

"I encourage students to draw confidently, as many haven't had professional guidance before and aren't familiar with many art tools," he said.

He has started providing sketching lessons to 12 students, observing notable progress in their work. One student, he highlighted, showed remarkable improvement after just three attempts at drawing basic shapes. "This is a very talented student," Wu said.

Wu's approach goes beyond mere instruction; he aims to foster self-confidence among local teachers who previously lacked professional training in art education.

"Art is innate, and many teachers here understand beauty but lack confidence. I hope to convey this idea and encourage them to inspire their students to create," he said.

Principal Mao supports Wu's vision, recognizing the impact of having a professional art educator.

"Students have shared how Wu has taught them not just to appreciate art but also how to start creating it. We hope to continue utilizing the art studio effectively even after his departure," he added.

Education aid initiative

As part of the support initiative between Shangcheng District of Hangzhou and Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture, Wu will spend two months at the school.

Although his time is brief, he hopes to make the most of it by helping the school utilize the art room effectively and encouraging students to manage the studio independently.

"Students who truly love painting will come to the studio during their free time," Wu said.

Wu wants to convey two key messages to the students: that painting can benefit their future, such as for higher education, and that painting is a joyful activity.

In the art room, he has divided the space into two areas — one for free drawing and one for sketching instruction.

The art room is well-equipped with plaster busts for basic sketching, as well as an assortment of painting tools and supplies in the adjacent storage room.

Wu believes that art can transform individuals and is already seeing changes in his students.

"The students are eager to come and are very happy," he said, adding that the students follow classroom rules willingly and require no disciplinary intervention.

Despite most students having no prior foundation in art — 80 percent of whom have never drawn under professional guidance — Wu believes they can reach the same level as students in Hangzhou.

"The children here are very imaginative. I hope that even after I leave, they will continue to find joy in painting," he said.

Sangzhu Lhamo, a shy 13-year-old sixth grader, is particularly fond of the art room. Her home is about 150 kilometers from the school, a four-hour drive away, so she spends most weekends at school.

"I really like going to the art room. Painting is a happy thing," she said.

"Previously, the school had no dedicated art teacher, and other teachers, who were not professionally trained but served as substitutes for art teachers, sometimes lacked confidence," Principal Mao said.

He plans to have those teachers learn art education from Wu so they can continue guiding students after he leaves.

"All students have one art class per week. I also support Wu's suggestion to let students manage the art room themselves," the principal said.

The principal further noted that students have expressed their fondness for Wu and their enjoyment of painting.

"Students told me they didn't know how to start drawing before. Wu has taught them not only how to appreciate art but also how to begin creating it," he added.

Wu's arrival in Garze is part of China's educational aid policy for the Xizang autonomous region and other Tibetan prefectures in the provinces of Sichuan, Gansu, Qinghai, and Yunnan, aiming to boost education quality and close gaps between Xizang and other parts of China.

The head of the Education Bureau of Shangcheng District, Xiang Haigang, said they have sent their best teachers for educational support.

"I have never considered art education as a secondary subject. In the journey toward modernizing education in China, art, sports, and labor education are all extremely important. Deploying our outstanding teachers to relatively underdeveloped areas brings significant improvements and meets fundamental needs for comprehensive development," he said.

In developing areas, there is often a shortage of teachers for so-called secondary subjects. Such education allows children to experience and discover beauty, helping them understand what constitutes a good life in the future, which is crucial in the educational process, he said.

He also believes that art teachers can help Tibetan students better record and pass on their ethnic culture through art. "Additionally, it helps children recognize that Tibetan culture is also a part of Chinese culture," he said.

Xiong Bingqi, director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, noted that art education is lacking in underdeveloped areas in China, with a shortage of teachers and insufficient attention from local governments.

Having teachers provide support in these areas is beneficial, but the extent of its effectiveness depends on how the teachers approach their work, Xiong said.

A true family

Though Wu has been at the school for less than a month, he has forged strong bonds with students and teachers.

"I have gained immensely from this experience. I am very happy here, not only with the professional achievements in art but also in my interactions with colleagues and students. They are genuinely wonderful and simple people, and spending time with them has been very joyful," he said.

Wu has also found inspiration for his artwork. "I have always been interested in Tibetan culture. Although I had lived in Xizang areas before, this is my first time in a school setting. My understanding has deepened significantly, which has been very helpful for my painting. I am creating works related to this experience, and the biggest realization is that we are very similar. Han and Tibetan people truly are one family; there is no real difference. Even in terms of appearance, I feel quite similar to them now, and communication is smooth without any barriers," he added.