The highly anticipated Spring Festival is just around the corner, and students of YCYW Beijing Yizhuang are filled with excitement and enthusiasm. We are about to welcome a moment of reunion and laughter, as if a brand-new book is about to be opened, bringing infinite possibilities and hope. At this moment of bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, on the last school day of the Year of the Rabbit, do you want to know what YCYW students are learning? Do you want to know how they are spending this special day? Follow our article and feel the passion and joy with us!

Year of the Dragon Knowledge: From hands-on skills to knowledge, giving you a comprehensive understanding of the world of dragons!

Dragon dance is one of the liveliest and culturally significant activities during the New Year, originating from the ancient people's awe and reverence for dragons, symbolizing good weather and abundant harvests. In this Year of the Dragon, the students of YCYW Beijing Yizhuang welcomed this grand event with unparalleled enthusiasm and passion. Although assembling a dragon is a complex process, the higher and lower grade classes united, assisted each other, and worked together to complete the dragon's construction. Students danced with the dragons they personally made, weaving and soaring through the campus, immersing the entire school in a joyful atmosphere, filled with happiness and harmony!

The lively dragon dance activity created a festive atmosphere, and the students of YCYW Beijing Yizhuang were immersed in the knowledge area, where several interesting models attracted the attention of many students. First, the students made a Year of the Dragon device based on the pendulum motion, where the originally static dragon in a straight line showed a snake-like shape in motion, as if a real dragon was hovering in the air. By applying physics knowledge, we not only saw a "living" dragon but also sparked students' interest and desire to explore knowledge. Such activities not only created a pleasant atmosphere but also allowed students to gain a treasure trove of knowledge in laughter and joy.

"Is this a deer?" a childish voice asked. The student who had just toured the knowledge area replied, "This is a small golden dragon from the Tang Dynasty, also known as the Red Gold Walking Dragon. It is a type of dragon with a unique image and nickname." The image of the dragon can be traced back to ancient times, with the jade dragon unearthed from the Hongshan culture being one of them. The image of the dragon has also varied throughout different dynasties, but when the ninth-grade students first saw a picture of the Tang Dynasty's small golden dragon, they were deeply attracted to it. So, they started to make the image of the small golden dragon with clay and showed it to other students in the most intuitive way, breaking people's inherent impressions of dragons. This learning method not only allowed students to experience the charm of knowledge but also allowed them to unleash their imagination and creativity in creation.

"Then I must go to the knowledge corridor to take a look!" The students' curiosity was aroused, and they learned many interesting things in the knowledge corridor. For example, they learned what the Stem-Branch Calendar is, and they can now calculate the Stem-Branch year of any given year. They also learned why firecrackers are called "baozhu" in Chinese, whether red envelopes are money, whether there is really no cat in the Chinese zodiac, and which other countries have the zodiac culture, and so on. All these interesting knowledges can be easily learned in the knowledge corridor. To stimulate students' learning enthusiasm, after touring the knowledge corridor, the students can participate in knowledge quizzes. In the competition, they felt the excitement of competition and gained a lot of knowledge. Such learning experiences not only made students excited but also filled them with passion and eagerness for knowledge.

Temple Fair: Handicraftsmen and classic games let you enjoy traditional entertainment to the fullest!

Different places have different customs and traditions. Chinese folk culture is rich and diverse, with a long history. The temple fair at YCYW Beijing Yizhuang brought a unique dough figurine show for the students. The dough craftsmen kneaded dough of various colours, and skilfully shaped them into bodies, hands, heads, and faces, adding hair accessories and clothes. In no time, lifelike artistic images were created. The students were all eager to try and make their own dough figurine, and the craftsmen patiently guided them. This folk art can be traced back to the Han Dynasty, and now it has been revitalized at the temple fair.

"The wave drum beats and the windmill turns, the glass clinks and the sugar man are blown." The sugar man's calls echoed in the ears of old Beijinger, evoking long-forgotten childhood memories. Sugar men are not only delicious, but also beautiful and fun, so they are deeply loved by elementary school students. In order to make the Chinese New Year more festive and joyful, we invited sugar blowing artisans to come to the school to make sugar men for the students. The students crowded around to witness the performance. Under the skilled hands of the sugar man master, various animal shapes were blown one after another, which was amazing. The students eagerly waited with widened eyes, hoping to take a bite and enjoy the delicious treat.

Sugar painting is a traditional folk art in China with a development history of nearly 500 years. This unique street art is widely spread throughout the country, and is both a food and a toy craft that is both enjoyable and edible. The students were overwhelmed and just left the sugar man area, but then squeezed into the sugar painting queue. The dazzling patterns of auspicious flowers and fruits, birds and animals made their eyes light up. The skilful sugar painting artisans were like great magicians, using a spoon to create the most fascinating food paintings, allowing students to exclaim in satisfaction.

Traditional Culture: Chinese traditional art elements allow you to appreciate the profoundness of Chinese culture!

Good fortune has arrived! How can we welcome the new year without writing the character "Fu (fortune)”? In the "Fu" character activity, students used red paper and gold or black ink to create various shapes of the character "Fu", showcasing the beautiful wishes of Chinese traditional culture. This activity allowed students to feel the importance of blessings and happiness in Chinese traditional culture, which was truly touching. Writing spring couplets with a brush also allowed students to practice calligraphy and appreciate the beauty of Chinese characters. Students wrote their hopes and wishes for the new year with a brush, showcasing the artistry of Chinese calligraphy. Their brushstrokes were smooth and beautiful, which was truly impressive. Students learned how to use a brush and ink to write beautiful Chinese characters, which not only allowed them to feel the joy and peace of the new year but also allowed them to appreciate the profoundness of Chinese traditional culture.

The lively face-painting activity allowed students to appreciate the unique charm of Chinese traditional opera culture. By learning about the different colours and patterns of face-painting, students gained a deeper understanding of the personality traits and performance methods of different characters. Students also tried to paint their own faces, showcasing the artistry and creativity of Chinese traditional culture, and fully demonstrating their imagination and creativity. In addition, teachers prepared materials for students to simulate archaeological excavations and uncover a terracotta warrior doll. In the archaeological activity, students learned about the history and culture of ancient Chinese civilization. Through simulating archaeological excavations, they learned about the preservation and research methods of ancient artifacts, deeply feeling the profoundness of Chinese traditional culture, which was truly moving.

Before the Spring Festival, this fun and knowledgeable celebration activity allowed the students of YCYW Beijing to spend an unforgettable day. Kelvin, the Chinese teacher, was one of the organizers of this event. He said, "The teachers enthusiastically prepared for this celebration activity because we have a common vision: not only to involve students in traditional activities, but more importantly, to let them understand the origins and meanings of these activities. Therefore, we set up a knowledge area, a quiz area, and a hands-on project to make the activity both interesting and informative. The students were immersed in it, not only having fun but also learning something. At the same time, the students deeply felt the artistic and charming aspects of Chinese traditional culture, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of traditional culture. This is also the educational philosophy that the school has always advocated. Through this activity, we hope to let the students better understand the charm of traditional culture and become promoters of Chinese culture." On this special day, the students not only had a good time but also received the dual nourishment of knowledge and culture. They expressed, "We have felt the charm and beauty of Chinese traditional culture and have more expectations for the upcoming Spring Festival."