Spring is pleasant with bright scenery and lingering ancient charm. To inherit China's fine traditional culture and foster cultural confidence in children, Grades 1-3 of Shanghai High School International Division launched featured Chinese Culture Week activities by grade: Grade 1 explored the elegance of the Forbidden City, Grade 2 unlocked the beauty of the solar terms, and Grade 3 pursued the grace of the Poet Immortal. This four-day immersive cultural journey allowed the children to touch the thousand-year-old Chinese cultural context through interesting experiences, inherit excellent traditional Chinese culture amid laughter and joy, let the ancient charm nourish their young hearts, and pass on the cultural heritage from generation to generation.

Exploring the Forbidden City, Enriching Young Hearts

In the pleasant spring weather, the campus was filled with ancient charm. The warm sunlight shone on the red walls, and the children's hearts were drawn to the past. With great curiosity about China's millennia-old civilization, the first graders embarked on a four-day journey of Chinese Culture Week. Over these four days, the scent of ink accompanied childlike delight, and tradition nourished young hearts. The children explored the Forbidden City, inherited the Chinese cultural legacy through reading, and grew through a variety of activities.

On Monday, the children watched videos to learn about the history of the Forbidden City and got their first glimpse of its rare treasures. The majesty of the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the intricacy of the eaves and archways sparked their enthusiasm for discovery. Though they could not visit in person, the children scanned QR codes to take a virtual tour of the Forbidden City, exploring the "Audio-Visual Hall" to uncover the secrets of the Forbidden City's architecture and appreciate the wisdom of the ancients. At the end of the activity, custom-designed stickers titled "Virtual Tour of the Forbidden City" marked the conclusion of this journey.

On Tuesday, a fun dubbing activity turned the classroom into an "ancient charm theater." The children worked in groups, assigned roles, practiced their lines, and took turns performing on stage. Their youthful voices brought ancient stories to life, and their expressive performances recreated the elegance of ancient people. The classroom was filled with laughter and applause. Through this immersive experience, the children gained an appreciation of the beauty of ancient clothing and felt the vitality of traditional culture.

On Wednesday, the children embarked on a journey to explore the figures and stories of the Forbidden City. Through reading, they learned about historical figures and legendary tales. In interactive Q&A sessions, they competed to see who could become a "Forbidden City expert." The deep knowledge embedded in every brick and tile, and the wisdom of the ancients in every beam and column, left the children with a rich sense of discovery.

On Thursday, the Culture Week came to a close with a showcase of achievements. The children, dressed in traditional Ming and Qing dynasty costumes, moved with lively grace as if they had stepped out of history. They confidently took the stage, sharing their reflections on the week and their knowledge of the Forbidden City. Their sincere affection for traditional culture was deeply moving. After the presentations, "Forbidden City Adventure" stickers and exclusive souvenirs were handed out to the children, preserving their gentle encounter with traditional culture.

Though the four-day cultural journey has come to an end, its lingering charm remains. The children approached traditional culture with joy, experienced the allure of the Forbidden City, and inherited the essence of Chinese civilization. Each sticker and every souvenir are tokens of growth and gifts of culture. May the ancient charm enrich young hearts, accompany the children as they grow toward the sun, and let the Chinese cultural legacy be passed down from generation to generation, flourishing with each passing year.

The Thousand Faces of Solar Terms: A Celebration of China's Four Seasons

As the seasons unfold, nature follows the rhythm of the solar terms. To carry forward China's fine traditional culture and experience the unique Eastern poetry of the 24 solar terms, the Grade 2 Mother Tongue Chinese Program at Shanghai High School International Division launched the themed "The Thousand Faces of Solar Terms" Chinese Culture Week. Aligned with the cycle of seasons, the week featured progressive, theme-based activities for students.

On Monday, students explored the basics of the 24 solar terms in class, learning catchy solar term nursery rhymes to lively rhythms. Through their cheerful recitations, they grasped the natural laws of the changing seasons and the cycle of time, taking their first step into the beauty of China's time-honored seasonal culture.

On Tuesday, students presented their artworks themed on solar terms. Through their colorful creations, they appreciated the changing beauty of seasons and experienced the elegant charm of traditional Chinese culture.

On Wednesday, an engaging solar terms knowledge competition took place. With quick-response challenges and interactive quizzes, students enriched their understanding of folk customs and learned the ancient wisdom of living in harmony with nature and working in tune with the seasons.

On Thursday, Traditional Costume Day was celebrated. Dressed in exquisite Hanfu, students gathered in class to paint Lixia eggs and experience time-honored Start of Summer folk traditions. Immersed in traditional attire and creative handcrafts, they enjoyed the fun of solar term customs, captured the beauty of early summer, and understood the profound charm of folk culture passed down through generations.

As students experienced the turning of seasons and the beauty of nature, they connected with the profound heritage of Chinese culture. In the poetic rhythm of the solar terms, they nurtured cultural confidence and carried forward the enduring spirit of Chinese civilization.

Chasing the Elegance of the Poet Immortal, Carrying Forward the Splendor of the Tang Dynasty

On the opening day of the Culture Week, the themed activity "Li Bai, the Poet Immortal, Travels Across China" officially kicked off. Following in the footsteps of Li Bai, children delved into the legendary life and travel tales of the Poet Immortal through video explanations and book reading. They read "Li Bai and His Friends" together, getting to know literary greats such as Du Fu and Meng Haoran. Through discussions and sharing, they experienced the sincere friendship among scholars of the prosperous Tang Dynasty. Students also thoughtfully filled out their Culture Week booklets, writing the opening chapter of this poetic journey.

Tuesday welcomed the much-anticipated "Ode to Li Bai in Hometown Dialects," the most down-to-earth themed day of the event. Dressed in elegant traditional costumes, students embodied young poetic scholars and recited Li Bai's classic poems in their native dialects. The crisp fluency of Mandarin intertwined with the melodious charm of local dialects, breathing new life into timeless lines such as "Bright moonlight spills before my bed" and "Its torrent dashes down three thousand feet from high." Group photos in Hanfu captured these timeless, poetic moments frozen in time.

On Wednesday, during the "Paint Poetic Hearts with Ingenious Brushes" session, teachers guided students to appreciate classic poetic imageries—mountains and rivers, flowers, the moon and clouds. With paintbrushes in hand, children created freely on round silk fans. Every stroke depicted the artistic conception of ancient poems, transforming the beauty of words into visual art. Each hand-painted fan turned into a one-of-a-kind poetic piece, making the charm of poetry visible and tangible.

Thursday featured the grand finale of the Culture Week: the exciting Poetry Challenge Contest. Classrooms were transformed into poetry arenas. Working in teams and competing in quick-response quizzes, students answered questions with confidence and ease. They showcased their literary talent through poem recognition, poetry solitaire, and fun trivia games. The lively, joyful competition made poetry learning engaging and delightful.

Over these four rewarding days, third-grade students immersed themselves in the splendor of the prosperous Tang Dynasty through poetry, reading, painting, and art. They engaged in a cross-time dialogue with Li Bai, sowing seeds of passion for traditional Chinese poetry in their hearts. This poetry-filled cultural journey has not only brought children knowledge and joy but also allowed the roots of traditional culture to take root, pass down, and flourish in young hearts. May the children walk hand in hand with poetry, accompanied by classics and beauty throughout their growth.

The four-day Chinese Culture Week has come to a successful conclusion, leaving a lasting charm and abundant gains. From the red walls of the Forbidden City to the sequence of solar terms, from the poetic charm of the prosperous Tang Dynasty to traditional folk customs, children from the three grades walked into the palace of traditional Chinese culture in different ways. They perceived the depth of civilization through exploration and gained the joy of growth through experience. Every participation, every creation, and every recitation is a gentle encounter between the children and traditional culture, and even more a quiet rooting of cultural confidence in their young hearts.

(Written by Yuanjing Zhang, Yu Lin, Jiahui Wen

Pictures by Siying Li, Xueling Yu, Homeroom Teachers

Reviewed by Zhang Yi, Shiyu Wu, Hannah Kloeber)