French and Soviet Traditions in Chinese Sculpture Education: Peculiarities of Reception of Foreign Schools in China

The article explores the process of forming a modern system of sculptural education in China through an analysis of the interaction between two influential pedagogical traditions: the French and the Soviet. The subject of the study is the mechanisms of adapting foreign educational models in the Chinese context and their impact on the development of the national school of sculpture. The goal of the work is to identify the features of the reception and transformation of pedagogical methods in the context of a cultural dialogue between East and West. The turn to the experience of the USSR and France in the early 20th century was prompted by the lack of the necessary methodological foundation in the country, as well as by political transformations associated with the change in the political system. The new educational model was intended to cultivate artists capable of creating works of art that harmoniously combined aesthetic value and ideological direction. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive analysis of historical documents, archival materials, and educational practices. A comparative analysis of two pedagogical systems and their impact on the development of the Chinese approach to sculpture education is conducted. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the fact that it is the first to provide a systematic analysis of the interaction between French and Soviet educational traditions in the history of Chinese sculpture education. The study demonstrates how foreign methods were creatively reinterpreted and adapted to suit the national context. The main results demonstrate that the French school laid the foundation for academic training by introducing a methodologically sound curriculum. The Soviet system introduced a comprehensive approach to the development of the artist's personality and the close connection between art and socio-political processes. The main conclusion of the study is that the synthesis of two pedagogical traditions has led to the creation of a unique Chinese model of art education. This model not only combines the best elements of both systems, but also generates a distinctive approach to sculpture education that takes into account the national characteristics and cultural traditions of China. The study shows that the development of Chinese sculpture education was not a simple process of mechanical borrowing, but rather a creative dialogue between cultures that resulted in the formation of the professional identity of Chinese sculptors.