Spring is here. The grass is growing and the birds are flying. At the time of me writing this article, its Tomb Sweeping Festival (Qingming Festival), and the time is good. Poetry can be felt throughout the halls of the BC. BC students are studying a poetry unit in their Chinese class, and held an activity called “Spring in Ancient Poetry”. The objective is to get a feeling for Chinese culture through ancient poetry. Part of this is commemorating traditional festivals in the name of poetry. In the planning and layout of the activity, students are strengthening their spirit of collective cooperation and solidarity.
When you come to the sixth floor, you can see the green ivy leaves on the handrail. The willows in the air become “Ten thousand pieces of green silk taeniasis.” There are also some paper birds in the willows. The paper birds and the flowers are so beautiful. There are some kites, dancing in the wind. It makes me think about “Flying a kite on the east wind.” After the setting up the decorations, the BC program is now full of the feeling of spring. On both sides of hallways, students made posters which they stuck on the wall. All the posters display great poetic works with beautiful pictures and a frame.
“Spring in Ancient Poetry” is a collection of twenty ancient poems about spring from Yuanchong Xu. People say it’s hard to translate ancient poems. Nonetheless, English and Chinese ancient poems can let us feel the beauty of spring and the feeling of both Chinese and western cultures. Through more intercultural communication, China’s long tradition of poetry can be inherited and spread.
“Qingming cold food in classical poetry” is another aspect of this activity. It includes selected classical poetry which reflects the theme of Qingming cold food works, with corresponding pictures and interpretations, posted in front of the classroom, so that students can browse at any time to enjoy, learn and promote.
An ancient saying states that “the whole year’s work depends on a good start in spring.” Others say that “poets favor early spring.” BC students use poems to praise spring and can use both English and Chinese to communicate about it. In this activity, students learn some poems about spring and Qingming festival. Through understanding the English translation, they deepen their knowledge of Chinese traditional culture and have a deeper understanding of communication in different languages.
In the following study life, we all wish the Grade 10 students to keep on moving with a heart which loves traditional culture and enjoys the poetry of spring.