On 17 September, in South Africa, thousands of miles away from China, the team of Confucius Classroom at Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange Centre (hereinafter referred to as the "Confucius Classroom of Chinese Cultural Centre") held ·a "Hello! South Africa, Nice Rabbit meet you", the "Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival" and "South African Chinese Language Day" Chinese culture promotion activities aim to let South African students experience the charm of traditional Chinese festivals and stimulate their interest in learning Chinese and understanding Chinese culture through a series of well-planned Mid-Autumn Festival games and immersive experience activities.
At the campus of Raymond Mhlaba School of Specialisation students kicked off the event with a neat and melodious school song, and the warmth of Mid-Autumn Festival and the enthusiasm of South Africa were intertwined into a harmonious picture, and the singing echoed in the sky.
Ms. Angelina Maphaiphai Mokiti Principal of this SoS ignited students' enthusiasm for learning Chinese with an impassioned speech, highlighting how the language will shape their future and become a key to their success.
Ms. Mmule Madonsela,Chief Director of Gauteng Department of Education, School management introduced the "Study in China" program jointly launched by the Chinese government and the Gauteng Education Department, encouraging students to pursue their dreams bravely, get better job opportunities and achieve their life dreams by learning Chinese.
Prof. Wenhong Dai, the Chinese Director of Confucius Classroom at Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange Centre, introduced their volunteer teachers Zhang Yue and Cao Ziwei who will teach at this school, and she added specific details about the "Study in China" program, and expressed a bright outlook for the development of international Chinese education.
Subsequently, a series of colourful activities immersed the students in the sea of traditional Chinese culture.
Before the event started, Confucius Classroom at Chinese Culture Centre invited guests and more than 100 teachers and students from the school's Chinese class to taste delicious Chinese Mid-Autumn moon cakes.
First, the students experienced the pot throwing game, and the volunteer teacher Jiayi Duo briefly explained the rules of the game to the students, and then a burst of cheers rolled like a wave.
This entertainment, which originated in ancient China, not only tested the skills of the participants, but also gave them a taste of the elegant life of the ancient literati.
Volunteer teacher Jiayi Duo talked about her feelings: in the celebration of the "Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival" and "South African Chinese Language Day" activities, she experienced the profound significance of cultural exchange with local high school students.
She was deeply touched by the children's strong interest in Chinese culture and their desire for Chinese.
Through activities such as moon cake making and calligraphy, we were able to overcome the language barrier and share the joy of the festival.
This experience made her realise that as a Chinese teacher, she is not only a disseminator of language, but also a bridge between cultures, and has a mission to promote cultural understanding and tolerance.
This Mid-Autumn Festival, she not only felt a special reunion, but also strengthened her determination to bring Chinese culture to the world.
The calligraphy experience with Chinese characters also attracted many students to participate, from grinding ink to handwriting, the students were extremely excited, their curiosity gushed out like a wave, and they asked questions while writing, and took every word written down seriously.
Under the guidance of volunteer teacher Yue Zhang, the students' Chinese character writing gradually became more and more stylistic in a stroke of a stroke.
"When the South Africa sun hits me, the gears of fate begin to turn," she said. I was deeply moved by the principal's great attention and enthusiasm for Chinese learning, and when the principal spoke, volunteer teacher Ziwei Cao and I couldn't help but burst into tears, and I thought that this might be the meaning of my journey across the mountains and seas to South Africa.
She was pleasantly surprised by the endless questions asked by the children, and when the students held her hand and jumped excitedly, she felt that all the effort she had put in became sparkling at that moment.
The handmade origami area was filled with laughter an, as the students, with the help of volunteer teacher Qingchao Wang, transformed the confetti into lifelike rabbits, which are not only symbols of the Mid-Autumn Festival, but also carry their best wishes for the festival.
Volunteer teacher Qingchao Wang also dressed the students in gorgeous Chinese wedding hanfu to let them experience the charm of ancient Chinese costumes, and the students left unforgettable moments in front of the camera.
Teacher Wang was also dressed in Hanfu and showed off the Chinese martial arts in a chic manner. In this regard, Qingchao Wang said: After a short morning of getting along, endless group photos, autographs, folding rabbits together, and learning Chinese kung fu, the enthusiastic students infected all our Chinese volunteer teachers, and from their sincere and excited eyes, I felt their yearning for China and their heartfelt love for Chinese culture. After the event, the scenes with the students still flashed in his mind, which will also inject infinite motivation into his continued commitment to the Hantui career.
The enticing fragrance wafts out of the moon cake making area. Under the guidance of volunteer teacher Ziwei Cao, some students tasted the Mid-Autumn Festival moon cake made by themselves, their faces were full of satisfaction and happiness, and some students held the moon cakes in the palm of their hands.
Volunteer teacher Ziwei Cao said: When taking the children to make moon cakes, every child is very well-behaved, and from time to time asks: How to say this in Chinese? How do you say that in Chinese? After I taught them, they taught me how to express myself in African languages. Seeing that they yearn for Chinese culture and love Chinese dialect so much, she is both proud and gratified, and it ignites the passion for teaching and strengthens the feelings of incomparable love for promotion of Chinese language and culture.
Wenhong Dai, Chinese director of Confucius Classroom and professor of Shanghai Sanda University, said that Angelina, the president of the school, is one of the members of the Confucius Classroom 2024 Principal's Delegation of the Confucius Classroom of the China Cultural Centre, and she felt the charm of China in just 5 days in China, and after returning to South Africa, she actively organised Chinese classes and invited volunteer teachers of the Confucius Classroom of the China Centre to teach.
Also present today were two other principals of the principals' group, who saw the enthusiastic scene at the scene, and they also told Professor Dai that they would start teaching Chinese classes as soon as possible.
Professor Dai pointed out that the South African government attaches great importance to vocational education, in recent years China has strengthened cooperation with African countries in vocational education, the Chinese Cultural Centre and its Confucius Classroom "Chinese + Vocational Skills" training program has provided many students of South Africa Vocational and Technical College with the opportunity to learn Chinese and vocational skills from Chinese teachers, this is the first time that their Confucius Classroom has opened Chinese courses at vocational high schools, aiming to let children from poor or ordinary families in South Africa learn Chinese and understand China at high school. Prepare as early as possible for future studies in China or South African TVET colleges to solve employment problems after graduation.
Through this activity, the volunteer teachers who have just arrived in South Africa of the Confucius Classroom at Chinese Culture Centre have deeply fallen in love with the South African students of this school, and have also strengthened their love and dedication to the promotion of Chinese language and culture in South Africa.
After numerous hugs and goodbyes, there were clear eyes full of reluctance, when the "Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival" and "South African Chinese Language Day" Chinese cultural promotion activities came to a perfect end.
In the Mid-Autumn Festival, the ultimate longing brewed, and in the Chinese Day, children are running towards the future with shining dreams, as the principal of the school, Angelina said: Education Breeds Confidence, Confidence Breeds Hope，Hope Breeds Peace.
Contributors: Yue Zhang, Ziwei Cao
Confucius Classroom at Chinese Culture and International Education Exchange Centre, South Africa