On May 25th, in the grand auditorium of the Xianmian Building, an extraordinary speech and script exhibition competition centered around the theme of Journey to the West took place. The students' captivating speeches and performances garnered unanimous praise from both the judges and the audience. The objective of this activity, organized by the G6 Chinese Department, was to stimulate students' creativity and communication skills, cultivate their passion for Chinese language learning, and showcase their understanding and innovation of Journey to the West, a classic Chinese literary work, through in-depth research and independent study.

The highlight of the event was the "New Tales of the Journey" speech competition, Under the introduction by the host 6-1 Henry, students took the stage with fluent language and confident demeanor, sharing their unique insights into Journey to the West. Each participant had prepared meticulously crafted speeches, expressing their interpretations of characters such as Sun Wukong, Tang Sanzang, and others, as well as reflecting on the wisdom and courage embodied within. They presented awe-inspiring perspectives on adventure, friendship, and personal growth from different angles. The judges couldn't help but raise their thumbs in admiration for the students' profound thoughts and excellent oratory skills. Now, let us delve into the enchanting performances that unfolded.

Since Sun Wukong is so powerful, why can’t he just take Tang Xuanzang to the west and get Buddhist scriptures? Jessica from class 6-10 brought us her explanation.

Isabella from class 6-4 discovered a different set of hidden social rules by decoding the character's personalities in the book "Journey to the West."

Imagine possessing the superpowers of the characters from "Journey to the West" — what interesting stories would unfold? Joshua from class 6-10 captivated us with his imaginative ideas.

From a unique perspective, Echo from class 6-9 provided a diverse analysis of why Sun Wukong cannot carry Tang Sanzang on his back to the Western Heaven.

Following that, we proceeded to the script exhibition segment, where students, working in groups, independently wrote, directed, and performed brand new stories inspired by "Journey to the West." Through their creative scripts and performances, they merged the classic plotlines with their own imagination, breathing new life into the characters' personalities and development trajectories. The audience immersed themselves in laughter and applause, experiencing the students' creativity and team spirit firsthand. Each actor's passionate and confident performance showcased their acting skills and expressive abilities.

6-7 Chole, Iris, Sheri, and 6-8 Clover, Sharion brought us the story of Tang Monk's apprentice and the "Water Grass Monster".

6-1 Sunny, Caitlin, 6-3 Dora, Michael, and Joshua showcased the challenges faced by the four masters and apprentices in the electronic kingdom.

The audience was impressed by the innovative and ingenious creativity displayed in the script exhibition. The students on stage demonstrated a deep understanding of the characters, bringing them to life with their expressive facial expressions and movements. Whether it was Sun Wukong's wit and intelligence or Tang Sanzang's determination and wisdom, each actor portrayed their characters vividly, immersing the audience in the world of "Journey to the West."

After the performance, Mr. Shen Tianyuan, director of SHSID middle school section, made comments on the students' presentation, encouraging them to be based on classics and innovative. Together with Ms. Liu Qiong, the teaching supervisor, Ms. Cheng Liyan, G6 supervisor, and Ms. Chen Fan, head of middle school Chinese Department, they awarded the students for their speeches and performances, followed by a group photo to commemorate the event.

6-10 Joshua and Jessica won the third prize in the "Journey to the West" speech competition, the second prize was awarded to 6-9 Echo, and the first prize was won by 6-4 Isabella.

Throughout the entire event, the students of G6 showcased the elegance of independent and autonomous learners. Through independent reading, in-depth research and teamwork, they brought the story of Journey to the West to life with vividness, creativity, and personal reflections. This themed activity not only deepened everyone's understanding of Chinese culture and classic literary works, but also taught them to listen to others' opinions and respect different perspectives. During the process of script creation and performance, a conducive atmosphere of collaboration was formed.

In the future, we look forward to seeing students continue to draw inspiration from Journey to the West, continually broaden their horizons and ways of thinking, and get engaged in in-depth exploration and study of the profound and vast Chinese culture.

Written by Hazel

Pictures by G6 Teachers

Edited by Serene Yang, Niall Keenan