On 31st January, 2019, HIKSVS celebrated the Chinese Lunar New Year in a very traditional way. Red lanterns, hanging decorations, window flowers, couplets, students dressed in red clothing --- “all in Chinese red” expressed everyone’s best wishes and expectations for the Lunar New Year.
Chinese New Year well illustrates the long history and tradition of rich Chinese culture. Chinese staff warmly invited international teachers and children to experience Chinese New Year customs such as making window flowers, pasting “Fu”, writing couplets, making lanterns, hanging decorations, singing New Year folk rhymes. International teachers learnt to say Chinese New Year wishes “Hao Yun Chang Zai”, “Xin Nian Kuai Le” with the help of Pinyin. The whole room was filled with students’ songs and laughter.
"Fu" means blessing, fortune and happiness. In the New Year activity, besides writing "Fu" and pasting "Fu", the game of "drumming blessing" also built the atmosphere of the event to a climax. With the sound of fierce drums, children passed the “Fu” with laughter and the blessing reached everyone in the room. We wish all HIKSVS students good luck and happiness in the Chinese “year of the pig”.
"Making dumplings" is a typical Chinese New Year custom. Teachers and students sat together to knead, roll and wrap the dumplings. It was the first attempt to make dumplings for some students and international teachers. The children were surprisingly good and adept at this. They learnt from each other and shared their own experiences. The blessing was deeply wrapped into the thin dumpling skin.
The school was filled with the fragrance of dumplings. Children tasted the dumplings made by hand as well as enjoying the happy reunion and good wishes! The big smile on children’s faces has passed on the blessings. HIKSVS wish all of you a happy Chinese New Year and family reunion!
From the children-
I ate 10 dumplings and I could eat hundreds and thousands more! The dumplings made by myself are far too yummy.
It’s a wonderful day today! I love my school. I don’t want to leave here. I want to sleep at school!