Incorporating Animation Films into Moral Education for College Students: A Case Study of the Chinese Animated Film Three Monks  ^†

Abstract

This study aims to explore the values of character education in the Chinese animated film Three Monks. This film serves as a teaching tool, not only imparting animation principles to university students majoring in animation but also showcasing Chinese cultural philosophy and educational values in implicit, exaggerated, and humorous action design. We employed a descriptive qualitative method. A total of 73 college students majoring in animation watched the film without any prior explanation of animation principles and moral education and then listened to detailed explanations of the character education and animation principles integrated into the film. Through repeated viewing, analysis, and summarization of the storyline, character behaviors, and action design in Three Monks, the values of character education, such as religion, kindness, diligence, independence, responsibility, tolerance, self-reflection, unity and cooperation, and courage to innovate, were embodied. These values are manifested through the film’s storyline, conflicts, character actions, animated performances, and background music. We compared the students’ pre- and post-viewing attitudes based on their discussions, reflections, and course evaluations. The results revealed that conveying moral values through animated films internalized and transmitted character education among university students, shaping cultural identity and social norms. This approach enhanced students’ learning engagement and improved their learning efficiency.

1. Introduction

Currently, character education in China’s higher education system is receiving increasing attention, meeting the quality requirements for contemporary university students. President Xi Jinping emphasized the fundamental task of “fostering virtue through education” in his report to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, with the hope that Chinese university students will develop into individuals of noble character and both moral and intellectual excellence. In universities and colleges, most animation majors have a foundation in fine arts and artistic creation. Students exhibit distinctive characteristics of thinking emotionally and acting selfishly, lacking a sense of teamwork. In higher education, animation majors are confronted with numerous coursework assignments and high standards. As a result, students prioritize their professional studies, but their moral consciousness diminishes, and their sense of identity with national culture weakens. Strengthening moral education among students and enhancing their identification with national culture in education is a crucial issue in current animation education.

Movies play a variety of roles. In addition to being an entertainment tool, movies serve as a learning medium. The advantage of movies as a learning medium lies in the fact that the information they provide is easily accepted by students. They are also appropriate for the process considering space and time constraints. The films are replayed and paused as needed, leaving a deep impression and imparting information that influences students’ attitudes [1]. Most movies are adapted from true stories, books, or novels. Most people use movies for entertainment, criticism, business, and propaganda purposes. Moral education can be provided to people through the use of this medium [2]. It is well acknowledged that there are numerous ways to integrate character education into teaching, and animation film is one of them. For college students majoring in animation, watching and studying animation film histories are integral parts of their professional learning. The ideological and moral character of university students undergoes a dynamic process of development and change producing positive accumulation and transcendence, as well as negative fluctuations and troughs. Therefore, viewing films with positive educational values plays an important role in shaping one’s personality.

The animated movie Three Monks, created in 1980, is a classic example that embodies exemplary moral education. Derived from a Chinese folk proverb, “One monk fetches water, two monks carry water, and three monks have no water to drink,” the movie encapsulates profound philosophical insights. Without any dialogue, the film utilizes traditional Chinese stage drama, Chinese painting, Buddhist music, and other cultural arts to convey universal human values through conflicts in the storyline, character settings, and character performances.

The three monk characters in the film are prototypes derived from Buddhist disciples in religion. These three characters symbolize all the universal good-hearted individuals who harbor private desires yet retain their kindness [3]. Therefore, the actions demonstrated by the three monks in the film align with the moral norms that monks must abide by, according to their character settings. At the same time, the selfish and competitive behavior displayed by the three monks during the process of fetching water requires guiding students to analyze and evaluate, thereby cultivating their critical thinking and empathetic abilities and evoking their role identification and reflection when such moral principles contradict positive moral values. In teaching the course “Principles of Traditional Animation”, we combined the requirements for mastering animation principles with the integration of professional knowledge education and moral education to inspire students to enhance their moral awareness and strengthen their cultural identity and confidence in their nation.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Teaching Environment for Character Education

The importance of character education is not only reflected in formal learning processes but is also influenced by the surrounding environment, which plays a crucial role in shaping attitudes and character [4]. This viewpoint is further supported by Mansur [5], who emphasized that the fundamental purpose of education is the formation and development of moral character [5]. These perspectives collectively highlight the significance of the educational environment and the broader societal context in fostering individuals’ moral and character development.

Character education is a conscious educational process based on core values to cultivate good character. Universities play a role in character education. Higher education provides an environment to strengthen moral education by emphasizing good values in everyone’s consciousness. This environment transforms these values into personal habits and prompts students to exhibit good behavior in their thinking, emotions, and actions [6].

2.2. Application of Films in Character Education

The role of film media in learning is pivotal, as it shapes students’ character education. The storylines contained in films often carry positive messages borrowed from and practiced in real life. Moreover, the values presented in films are more likely to have a significant impact on students’ personality development [7]. The use of learning media in the teaching process evokes new interests and desires, stimulates learning motivation, spurs learning activities, and even exerts psychological effects on learners. The use of learning media during the introductory stage of teaching greatly enhances the effectiveness of the learning process, while simultaneously delivering information and course content [8]. Films serve as a powerful medium for visualizing educational values and social critiques, as they display special significance and importance in teaching humans how to view themselves, their situations, their hopes, their problems, and their fears [9]. Films embody positive values, thus making them excellent exemplars.

2.3. Application of Animated Films in Character Education

As shown in the film Zootopia, the screenwriters discovered 10 types of educational values expressed by the characters in Byron Howard and Rich Moore’s film: respect, responsibility, justice, tolerance, wisdom, mutual assistance, altruism, cooperation, courage, and self-confidence. The most prominent educational value conveyed in this film is mutual assistance [10]. From the animated film The Battle of Surabaya, religiousness, integrity, nationalism, cooperation, and independence are values displayed through scenes and dialogues among the characters. Therefore, it is recommended for Indonesian primary school students to watch this film to internalize these values [11].

The animated film Finding Nemo also contains moral values. Minor children can use it as a model for practicing moral values which have become part of one’s personality, commonly referred to as character. Character is important, especially in today’s world, where people constantly obtain information about individuals from various fields through media such as films. Through films, the values of characters are easier to imitate than what they see, hear, or feel around them [12]. Animated films help children discover the importance of educational characters. Therefore, the principles of character education taught through Pororo, The Little Penguin include the importance of true friendship, the value of mutual tolerance, and the importance of mutual assistance. By watching this animated film, provided by teachers or parents, children, especially preschoolers, are expected to apply the character values presented in the film [13].

The influence of the environment on students’ characters and the effectiveness of using films comprise an educational medium to shape students’ character education in an educational environment. However, in research on the application of animated films in character education, the audience is mostly school-age and preschool children, with a noticeable gap in research on the application of moral education for college students. Compared with primary and secondary school students, college students are more independent in regards to their critical thinking abilities, allowing them to analyze issues more deeply and propose their insights. Therefore, there is a need to teach moral education to college students through animated films. Through watching and learning from animated films, important messages can be delivered, such as critical thinking, cross-cultural understanding and respect, social responsibility and civic awareness, innovation and creativity, and continuous learning and self-improvement. Through animated films, students majoring in animation learn the principles of animation skills and the philosophical thoughts and cultural heritage behind animated film creation to appropriately convey good moral education values.

3. Method

We employed a descriptive qualitative method, focusing on the moral values portrayed in the animated film Three Monks. Through participatory observation, students delved into the film’s animation principles, Buddhist customs, and philosophies, while exploring the ten ethical educational values showcased within the film’s narrative and character performances: religion (guided by compassion), religion (equality of all beings), kindness, diligence, independence, responsibility, tolerance, self-reflection, teamwork, and innovation. Initially, the animated film Three Monks was shown to 73 students for the first time, followed by conducting a questionnaire survey to analyze the students’ perceptions of the ten moral values in the film. Subsequently, we selected four segments from the film, summarized their moral educational values, and utilized repeated observation to analyze and elaborate on the film’s storylines and action design. After the detailed analysis, a second questionnaire survey was conducted to reassess the 73 students’ understanding of these ten ethical values embodied in the film. We audio-recorded the students’ comments and discussions and transcribed the audio into text for textual analysis to comprehend their reactions to the film and extract insightful comments to uncover diverse interpretations. Representative comments were presented to assess how students absorbed the moral educational values embedded in Three Monks to validate the analysis’s effectiveness. Finally, the observations and findings were summarized.

4. Results and Discussion

After watching the movie, the students identified the values of character education as shown in

Table 1. Values of character education in Three Monks provided by 73 students before explanation.

Value	Frequency	Percent	Total
Religion (guided by compassion)	18	24.66%	73
Religion (equality of all beings)	8	10.96%	73
Kindness	17	23.29%	73
Diligence	33	45.21%	73
Independence	34	46.58%	73
Responsibility	50	68.49%	73
Self-reflection and forgiveness	42	57.53%	73
Solidarity	53	72.60%	73
Cooperation	63	86.30%	73
Innovation and creativity	17	23.29%	73

. We divided the animated film Three Monks into four parts: the segment introducing the debut of the three monks, the segment depicting their conflict within the temple due to no one volunteering to fetch water, the segment showing them working together to put out a fire, and the segment illustrating their cooperation in using a well bucket wheel to fetch water. We analyzed the character education values embedded in both the storytelling and character action design and provided detailed explanations to the students for their learning and application. The values were summarized into the following five points.

4.1. Religion: Three Indicators

• Guided by compassion

Attitudes and behaviors appear to be in line with religious beliefs. In the animated film Three Monks, the melody created based on Buddhist musical elements is in harmony and unity with the movement design. Along the way, they encountered small animals like turtles, butterflies, and fish that hindered their progress (Figure 1), and in the end, all three resolved the situations by “releasing” the animals. These small storylines embody the Buddhist concept of “guided by compassion”.

In the climactic finale of the film, the trio of monks finds their differences peaking as none is willing to take up the chore of fetching water. A little mouse in the Buddhist hall came to cause trouble, which subsequently led to a fire. With Herculean efforts, the monks manage to extinguish the flames, only to find the mouse reappearing, mocking them with its tiny chirps. Infuriated, the monks raise their fists in anger towards it. However, the mouse is frightened to death (see Figure 2). This narrative segment, in which the animator depicts the mouse’s death from fright, exemplifies Buddhist teachings of non-killing and the equality of all living beings.

• Kindness

As the little monk enters the scene, he trips over a turtle, causing him to stumble, and the turtle itself becomes stranded on its back. The monk turns to assist the turtle. The film, with its overall comic style, imbues the action design with humor, wit, and a touch of clumsiness. The little monk’s gait is light and nimble. Reflecting this innocence and agility, the animator omits the elasticity in the keyframes, enhancing the character’s naivety and dexterity. Upon encountering the stranded turtle, the monk turns with a delighted expression, gazing down at the helpless creature (as shown in the animation frame of the little monk turning around slowly, Figure 3), his palms resting on his chest (Figure 3). This frame is held for 3 s and 4 frames, intentionally drawing the audience’s attention and allowing it to observe the turtle’s predicament. Subsequently, the monk’s actions are gentle, slow, and meticulous as he gently nudges the turtle, helping it right itself. This sequence beautifully showcases the monk’s kind-hearted nature.

• Tall monk’s entrance

As the tall monk walks onto the scene, a butterfly keeps hovering above the tall monk’s head. After the tall monk shoos the butterfly away several times, a keyframe is inserted where he points at the butterfly and stops, creating a pause that serves as a precursor to grab the audience’s attention. This pause serves as a teaser, piquing the audience’s curiosity. To further captivate the viewers, the animator adds subtle nuances to the monk’s expressions, his eyes darting mischievously and a hand covering his mouth in a suppressed giggle. These gestures artfully direct the audience’s focus towards the impending event, ensuring that everyone is fully engaged. Revealing the monk’s true intentions, the scene unfolds to show that he had concealed a flower within his sleeve(Figure 4). He plants the flower in the soil behind him, freeing the butterfly to flutter away. This act not only showcases the monk’s ingenuity but also underscores his kindness and compassion.

• Diligence and independence

Upon his arrival at the temple, the little monk first kneels in reverence before the statue of the Buddha, embodying his profound piety. Discovering the jade water vase, devoid of water, in front of the deity, he promptly sets off to fetch water, filling both the temple’s water jar and the vase itself. As the sun sets, his routine commences, tapping the wooden fish and chanting scriptures. The repetition of the rising sun and his daily rituals underscores the monotony of life in the temple, yet within this simplicity lies the essence of his character’s hard work and independence.

In the storyline where the three monks appear, each of them enters the scene with the repetitive action of walking. The director distills the essence into simple, symbolic actions such as walking, fetching water, reciting sutras, and drinking water. This segment teaches students that unity with diversity (or change) is one of the universally important principles in artistic creation. To avoid boredom and monotony, one must seek variation within simplicity and unity. More importantly, by studying the movement design of the three monks in this storyline, students can appreciate the three character traits they embody: kindness, diligence, and independence.

4.2. Responsibility

In the storyline of Three Monks, although the actions of the little monk, the tall monk, and the fat monk ultimately lead to a situation where no one had water to drink, they demonstrate a certain sense of responsibility at certain stages of the story, albeit sensibilities that fail to persist or be fully translated into practical action.

• Little monk’s responsibility for daily water carrying and maintenance

At the beginning of the story, when only the little monk was in the temple, he was responsible for carrying water, chanting scriptures, knocking on the wooden fish, filling the water bottles on the Buddhist altar table, and preventing mice from stealing things at night. These actions indicate that the little monk has a strong sense of responsibility for the daily affairs of the temple. He is willing and able to take on the responsibility of maintaining order and the environment within the temple.

• Tall monk and fat monk’s embodiment of responsibility

When the tall monk and the fat monk arrive at the temple, they both take the initiative to carry water. Although this behavior is brief and does not persist, when they first carry water, they at least take action to meet everyone’s drinking needs, which can be seen as a manifestation of their sense of responsibility in their initial days at the temple. However, this sense of responsibility of the three monks in the story fails to persist or be fully translated into practical action. As the story progresses, their respective selfish desires gradually increases, ultimately leading to a situation in which none of them want to carry water. Students can learn from this that a sense of responsibility is not just an initial intention or behavior but also requires consistent adherence and translation into practical action when facing difficulties and challenges.

4.3. Solidarity and Cooperation

Between 14 min 49 s and 16 min 59 s of the film, a little mouse climbs onto the offering table in front of the Guanyin statue and bites off a candle, which ignites the curtains in the Buddhist hall, causing a fire. In the blazing fire, the three monks panic but quickly assume their respective roles and cooperate. They rush up and down the mountain repeatedly, fetching water and putting out the fire multiple times. After several attempts, the fire on the roof is finally extinguished with water, and the three monks sigh in relief. In this part of the story, the three monks demonstrate the spirit of unity and cooperation and ultimately succeed in putting out the big fire and saving the temple. Students can learn from this segment of the film that selfishness ultimately harms both oneself and others. The transformation of the three monks from initial selfishness and avoidance to active participation and unity during the fire disaster itself serves as a moral lesson for the audience. Hence, students can learn that as long as they are good at cooperating, all difficulties can be easily solved.

4.4. Self-Reflection and Forgiveness

At the 17 min and 15 s mark, the scene focuses on the expressions and actions of the three monks. They shake hands, nod, and exchange smiles with each other. From this scene, it can be observed that the three monks have realized that their previous behavior of competing with each other to fetch water was wrong. After the temple caught fire and their lives were at stake, they instinctively collaborated to extinguish the fire. Afterwards, they self-reflect and forgive each other. As the film reaches this point, the students (audience) also develop a sense of identification with the characters, recognizing that “the three monks are all good people, kind-hearted ‘disciples of Buddha’, or good people with flaws.” The moral values of self-reflection and forgiveness are demonstrated, which is also the symbolic and practical significance of this work.

4.5. Innovation and Creativity

At the end of the film, the fat monk fetches water at the bottom of the mountain and hangs the full bucket on a hook, while the little monk uses a wheel to draw water up the mountain. The tall monk then comes to collect water. This sequence of actions fully demonstrates the three monks’ ingenuity, creativity, and bravery in embracing innovation. Instead of ending with the folk proverb’s outcome of “three monks having no water to drink,” the film concludes with the three monks innovating a new way to obtain water after working together to extinguish the fire. This animated artwork transforms a negative situation into a positive one, turning criticism into praise, showcasing the prowess of the writer and director in their artistic reinterpretation and creation, exerting a positive social influence, and leaving a strong impression and inspiring profound moral values.

In class, after explaining the moral education values embodied in the action design of the film Three Monks, we assessed the ten moral values that students perceived: religion (Buddhism), kindness, diligence, independence, responsibility, forgiveness, self-reflection, unity and cooperation, innovation, and creativity (

Table 2. Values of character education in Three Monks provided by 73 students after explanation.

Value	Frequency	Percent	Total
Religion (guided by compassion)	48	65.75%	73
Religion (equality of all beings)	21	28.77%	73
Kindness	71	97.26%	73
Diligence	67	91.78%	73
Independence	67	91.78%	73
Responsibility	70	95.89%	73
Self-reflection and forgiveness	63	86.30%	73
Solidarity	58	79.45%	73
Cooperation	69	94.52%	73
Innovation and creativity	62	84.93%	73

).

Next, we guided students to analyze the actions and behaviors in the film that embody these moral values, engaging in discussions and evaluations. We audio-recorded the students’ comments and discussions and transcribed the audio into text for qualitative research, yielding the following saturated data.

Among the total of 45 comments after weeding out ineffective responses, the instructor sorted out representative positive comments: “The film Three Monks has been polished repeatedly, becoming a classic with universal implications applicable to any age group, any era, and any country”; “Good moral values are not constrained by borders, nations, races, or religions”; and “A great prophecy of humanity.” These three comments illustrate students’ recognition of the universal moral education values promoted in this animated film, indicating that the curriculum, through the combination of animated films and moral education, enables students to obtain positive messages and establish positive attitudes and models of character.

Two neutral evaluations were selected: “Selfishness is human nature. I didn’t notice it when I watched this film as a child, but now I realize that people really fight over ‘drinking water’ in real life”; and “The three monks of different heights and builds represent various aspects of human nature. They are all kind-hearted but cannot be together.” These two comments show that students learned that the moral education value of “selfishness” is very representative of daily life. After understanding the film’s storyline and actions, they can independently think about the moral education values conveyed by the film.

One controversial discussion was selected. At the end of the film, when the little mouse appears for the fourth time, do the action design and facial expressions of the three monks, who are waving their fists as if they want to kill the little mouse, indicate that they violate their fundamentally compassionate nature? Combining the contextual background, the instructor quoted the original director’s words to re-explain: “During the narration, I arranged some action details to show that they are all good people, kind-hearted ‘followers of Buddhism’ or good people with flaws, and these flaws are also the stamps of our old consciousness that we often have. Through the film’s education to overcome these flaws, I think this is the practical significance of the work [3].”

5. Conclusions

The animated film Three Monks comprehensively integrates traditional Chinese opera stage art and the aesthetic principles of Chinese painting, adopting virtual performance techniques borrowed from national operas and dances in its action design, thereby catering to the aesthetic preferences and viewing habits of the Chinese audience. This animated film exerted character education values into the curriculum. By utilizing animated films as a medium in the classroom, the students engaged in action design, performance, and discussions, which not only enhanced their professional learning abilities but also fostered the internalization and transmission of moral character, providing the profound philosophical thoughts behind Chinese culture, shaping cultural identity and social norms. This method enhances students’ learning engagement and their professional learning efficiency and provides a reference for moral education value instruction in other disciplines. Meanwhile, for animation creators, the results of this study serve as a reference for creating other high-quality animated films. The integration of animated films with educational curricula is proven in this study as an effective method for disseminating moral education values.