A visit to the Chinese Classical Arts Centre

By Ms Tingting Zhang, Chinese Language teacher

As their lessons for the year are drawing to a close, Year 9 Chinese students embarked on an enriching excursion to the Chinese Classical Arts Centre in Dickson, immersing themselves in the beauty of traditional Chinese music and culture.

Students had the great opportunity to explore and try playing various traditional Chinese instruments, including the 笛子 (bamboo flute), 箫 (vertical flute), 葫芦丝 (gourd flute), 扬琴 (yangqin), 古筝 (guzheng), 古琴 (guqin), 琵琶 (pipa), and 二胡 (erhu).

They engaged in hands-on activities such as playing the guzheng and experimenting with the yangqin, while closely examining its intricate structure. Additionally, they enjoyed a mesmerising guzheng performance, which showcased the instrument’s elegant melodies and expressive capabilities. Students also delved into the unique notation system for guqin music and learned about the differences in the finger picks used for playing the guzheng and pipa, gaining insights into the finer details of Chinese musical traditions.

This experience connected seamlessly with the students’ current class topic on hobbies and interests, providing a practical and cultural dimension to their learning.

Following their time at the Arts Centre, students visited an Asian supermarket in Dickson. This visit complemented their learning on the topic of food and sparked curiosity, offering real-world inspiration and resources for their projects.

The excursion was not only an engaging exploration of Chinese music and culinary culture, but also a meaningful way to deepen students’ appreciation for the richness of Chinese traditions.