In this warm spring month, the four-day Chinese Culture Week has just ended. In the process, teachers and students shared the beauty and mystery of culture. Everyone actively participated in various activities to explore the week’s theme, “Enchanting China.”

The theme of fourth grade is “Beauty of National Treasure” with four sub-topics: Touhu Game, Historical Relics, Making Bronze Ware, and Show Your Voice. Students watched the documentary “If A National Treasure Could Talk,” revealing the mystery of historical relics in ancient China. It also encouraged students to stand up for the artifacts. Students in fourth grade told the story of the historical relics in a first-person tone. They made fantastic videos to introduce the legendary epic, the history, the discovery, and the current situation of the artifacts and presented them in the class. A relic “Touhu” was even brought into the class. After understanding the history and the rules of the Touhu game, students acted out characters from ancient times and experienced the thrill of the Touhu game. The last activity was enjoying and singing Chinese-style songs or songs modified from classical poems. For example, Sheng Pizi amazed students with rarely-used Chinese characters; Chao Dai Ge recorded the ancient dynasties in a catchy way; Shenglv Qimeng taught students the beauty of symmetry in Chinese couplets.

This year, the fifth grade’s theme is “Worldly Experience.” Two weeks ago, students were to encouraged to feel the weight of history as they went to the Shanghai Powerlong Museum to view the exhibit “Ode to Great Beauty, Memories and Dialogues with Yungang Grottoes” and see the largely restored grottoes.

On Tuesday, Chinese Reading Month started its first chapter. Students expressed their feelings and thoughts by reading books about the Han and Tang Dynasties, often considered the most representative dynasties in pre-modern Chinese history. Some students may have appreciated the great talent of Emperor Wu of Han, learning about the the prosperity and decline of the Han Dynasty; some students may have gone through the Tang Dynasty and started a wonderful adventure. On Wednesday, the students enjoyed Everlasting Classics together to experience the beauty of language and rhythm. During Chinese class on Thursday, students watched the show National Treasure to explore the mysteries of ancient Chinese treasures such as the DaKeTripod and Bronze Mask.

For personal growth class, professional teachers were invited to take Chinese characters as the starting point from which to lead students into the real life of the vassal king for a day and to explore the wisdom of ancestors carved on bronzes. On Friday, students made bronze pen holders for themselves. Some students also wore traditional Chinese costumes.

The wonderful activities of Chinese Culture Week have concluded, but the students’ learning and exploration of Chinese civilization will continue. Students in Grade 5 will read more related books during reading month, completing reading tasks each week. Some students will simulate interview with Han Dynasty characters in the “Celebrity Appointment” activity; others will return to the Tang Dynasty, creating and recording their own fantasy journey.

The Chinese Culture Week ended with the cultivation of love, exploration, and discovery in every child for historical Chinese culture!

(Written by Wu Yin, Liu Lei Pictures by Teachers Videos by Nina, Lu Luting)