Chinese culture appeals to pupils in York
Chinese students from the University of York helped pupils at The Mount Junior School to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
A group of 14 Chinese students, from departments including Social Policy, Education, Economics, Sociology and Psychology, introduced China to pupils from nursery to year six. The event was organised by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association and University of York academic, Dr Sabrina Chai.
It aimed to teach Chinese mandarin speaking and writing, as well as display Chinese traditional culture using a range of interesting demonstrations.
The activities were based on the theme of the Dragon, a familiar symbol of China, and coincidentally 2012 is the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese calendar.
The students encouraged The Mount pupils to learn how to greet each other, recognise animals and colours, and count using Chinese Mandarin. They also learned how to write the Chinese character “龙”(Dragon) using a traditional writing brush, as well as drawing the image of dragon.
The students also played Chinese Shadow Puppet, an ancient genre of drama in China with more than two thousand years’ history. The play told a short story about a Dragon using light, screen, music and puppets.
Pupils enjoyed and imitated ethnological dance and singing of Dai People. They played using with a shuttlecock made of goose feathers and a cork base, which is another traditional Chinese game.
Later, the school entertained the Chinese students to dinner with staff and parents to mark the Chinese New Year. The students showed their talents playing traditional instruments, singing folk songs and cooking Chinese food.