The Mid-Autumn mini class began with joy! Grade 1 students chanted the nursery rhyme “Little Mooncake” in unison, their sweet young voices wrapped in the rich aroma of the festival. Together they read Mid-Autumn picture books, uncovering charming tales of the moon and mooncakes and learning about traditional customs. Then the little painters picked up their crayons and let their imaginations soar, drawing and writing about mooncakes with every kind of filling. In this relaxed and delightful experience, the children immersed themselves in the beauty of the traditional festival, encountering the Mid-Autumn moon through chanting and creation, letting traditional culture quietly settle into their young hearts.
In the Han Culture class, second graders stepped into the traditional culture of the Mid-Autumn Festival, reading classic poems and savouring the beautiful realm where “poetry holds painting, and painting holds poetry.” Through poetry and painting, they came to understand the cultural meaning of gazing at the moon and expressing one’s feelings far away at Mid-Autumn. In the afternoon break, the children went to the cafeteria to make mooncakes with their own hands. Kneading dough, wrapping fillings, pressing patterns, the rich festival spirit flowed through their fingertips. Each sweet mooncake carried a beautiful wish for reunion. Through hands-on experience, the students came to understand the traditional festival and feel the unique charm of Chinese traditional culture.
Third grade’s Mid-Autumn themed class began! The children stepped into a fun Mid-Autumn mini-class, discovering the rich and colourful customs of the festival and savouring its long and deep traditional culture. They also read beautiful Mid-Autumn poems together, crossing the span of time to feel the poetic charm of the ancients celebrating the festival. Under the teacher’s guidance, the students copied Mid-Autumn poems by hand and made exquisite poetry bookmarks. A single bookmark, fragrant with ink—the children preserved the rich Mid-Autumn charm, feeling the unique allure of the traditional festival through hands-on practice.
On the Mid-Autumn Festival, grade four students began a poetic and fulfilling Mid-Autumn practice activity. They made mooncakes with their own hands, wrapping the wish for reunion into each round mooncake; they recited famous works, feeling homesickness and reunion in the resounding lines of “Prelude to Water Melody”; they practised calligraphy, writing Mid-Autumn verses stroke by stroke; they blended poetry and painting, using brilliant colours to depict moonlight, osmanthus trees, and lanterns; they composed original children’s poems, writing down the moon and the festival in their hearts with innocent brushstrokes. Grade 4’s Han Culture activity used poetry as its medium, integrating recitation, writing, painting, creation, and hands-on labour, enriching the festival experience and enhancing both literary literacy and cultural confidence.
Osmanthus filled the Mid-Autumn air. Each fifth-grade class drew lots to determine their creative theme, including the moon, wine, osmanthus, towers, lanterns, and reunion. Each class divided into groups, with members working together to compose original Mid-Autumn poems based on the imagery they drew. After the poems were completed, the groups painted together according to the poetic imagery, inscribing their original verses onto the paintings to complete works of poetry-inscribed paintings. The activity blended poetry creation with fine art painting, giving free rein to the children’s imaginations while also exercising teamwork and artistic creativity. Through it all, they savoured the unique charm of Mid-Autumn traditional culture.
A single bright moon sends forth longing; a single page of poetry and painting carries ancient charm. May this beautiful Mid-Autumn poetry remain deep in the heart of every SUIS Qingpu student, accompanying the children as they grow slowly, nourished by traditional culture.