Impart the important life value of 孝 (filial piety) to your child through a workshop on the 700-year-old Yuan Dynasty text “二十四孝” (24 Exemplars of Filial Piety), once widely used to impart Confucian values.
At the Academy, kids will discover ancient wisdom, through experiential learning workshops on the often-inaccessible Chinese legends, classics and philosophies. The non-religious and bilingual workshops use immersive story-telling, role-play, original games, unique props, music & movement, and personal reflections to bring these ancient stories and values to life.
Supported by the National Heritage Board.
In the 二十四孝 workshop, activities for your child will include:
- Dramatic re-enactment of various stories of characters who were celebrated as exemplifiers of filial piety in ancient times. These include chapters from the text such as “Lying on the ice for carp” (卧冰求鲤), “Burying the children to support the mother” (埋儿奉母), and “Cleaning the chamber pot of your loved one” (涤亲溺器).
- Critically evaluate each of these tales and discuss whether they match the children’s idea of what filial piety should be today. Explore reasons for the difference, if any.
- Guided imagination activity, bringing the children back to the time in their mother’s womb.
- Tracing the evolution of the pictogram of 孝, and how it represents a child piggy-backing a parent.
- Playing an original game about the concept of 甲骨文, oracle bone inscriptions used 3,300 years ago which were the origins of the Chinese language, as a way to illustrate why Chinese characters are pictographic.
- Gratitude exercise, with our very own 孝子 and 孝女 stickers as parting gifts!