WDCTS-TCML (Washington D.C. Taiwanese School -Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning) Conversation Class Note - February 11, 2024

 

1.      

       We extend our gratitude to the Washington Taiwan School for organizing the "Taiwan Lunar New Year Celebration Event" on February 11, 2024, with the participation of teachers, students, and parents.

2.      The event, themed around the "Washington Taiwan School Express Ltd. Station List," featured eight main attractions highlighting Taiwan's history, culture, society, cuisine, ecology, economy, science, and tourism. Each student held a "Taiwan Train Ticket" allowing them to visit various stations and explore the rich knowledge presented in posters created collaboratively by parents, teachers, and classmates.

3.      The intermediate class students of the Taiwan Mandarin Learning Center (TCML) were responsible for the booth representing "Changhua Lukang." Teacher Janice introduced activities such as "(搶頭香Qiǎng tóu xiāng), Snatching First Incense,- Be the First to Win" "(擲筊zhí jiǎo),Casting Divination Blocks," and "(求籤  Qiúqiān) Seeking Fortune Sticks" in the classroom.  The students immediately demonstrated and taught these activities at the booth, explained, and demonstrated with enthusiasm and initiative guiding parents and other students on how to participate in POE divination and fortune-seeking activities.

4.      We sincerely thank all the students for their earnest and enthusiastic participation. As a token of appreciation, the school presented each participant with a commemorative coin from the Taiwan Presidential Office for the "2024 Year of the Dragon" under the theme "Prosperity and Revival of All things.”

5.      Additionally, the school also generously included a golden "Republic of China - One Thousand Yuan" commemorative banknote, featuring the serial number HQ888888888, which holds special significance.

6.      When introducing the "(八仙彩 Bāxiān cǎi ) Eight Immortals Colors," teachers informed the students that "eight 八" is the most auspicious number in Taiwanese history and culture, as the pronunciation of "eight 八 as 發 Fā" is similar to "prosperity," symbolizing wealth, prosperity, success, and status.”

7.      In the photos, TCML intermediate class students are seen diligently searching for auspicious symbols such as lotus flowers, ruyi scepters, dragons and phoenixes, magpies, and bats on the red "(八仙彩 Bāxiān cǎi) Eight Immortals Colors."

8.      We express our gratitude to the Washington Taiwan School for providing this invaluable "cultural festival" event. Our students at the Taiwan Mandarin Learning Center-TCML not only engage in language communication learning but also step out of the classroom to enhance multicultural exchange and awareness.

9.      Thanks Montgomery County Police for participating in community events, displaying cultural inclusivity, and patrolling for our safety.

10.  Attached are 127 photos provided by Ben Chang, my husband, and our intermediate class TCML students. Please review them.

1.  感謝華府臺灣學校，於 2024 年 2 月 11 日, 師生和家長共同參與策劃了「臺灣農曆新年慶祝活動」。

2.  活動以「華府臺灣學校特快車」為主題，設置了八個主題景點，展示了臺灣的歷史、文化、社會、美食、生態、經濟、科學和觀光。每位學生持有一張「臺灣火車票」，可以遊覽各個站點，探索家長、老師和同學們共同製作的海報中學習豊富的知識。

3.  臺灣華語文學習中心的中級班學生負責[彰化鹿港］攤位。老師在教室裡介紹了「搶頭香」、「擲筊」和「求籤」等活動，並且學生們立即「現學現賣」擔任「攤位主持工作」細心教導，在展示攤位主持工作中, 熱情、主動地解釋和演示, 臺灣學校的學生和家長如何參與擲筊、求籤的活動。

4.  感謝所有學生的認真熱情參與，學校特此贈送了臺灣總統府贈送的「2024龍年」「萬物興龍」壹圓紀念幣。

5.  此外，學校還特別加贈了金色的「中華民國-福爾摩沙壹仟圓」紀念鈔票，印有HQ888888888的數字，這具有特別意義。

6.  當老師介紹「八仙彩」時，告訴同學們：「八」是臺灣歷史文化中最吉祥的數字，因為「八」字的發音與「發」相近，象徵著財富、繁榮、成功和地位

7.  照片中，中級班學生在紅色的「八仙彩」努力尋找吉祥物，包括蓮花、如意、龍鳳、喜鵲和蝙蝠等圖案。

8.  感謝華府臺灣學校提供難得的「文化節慶」活動，我們「臺灣華語文學習中心」的學生能夠參與其中，不僅進行語言溝通學習，還能跨出教室，增進多元文化交流和認知。

9.  也感謝蒙哥馬利縣警察參與社區活動, 充分展現文化包容性和為我們的安全巡邏。

10.附上127 張照片,是由先生張清評和我們的中級班學生提供的。
請查收。

Eight Immortal Ornament -  "Bāxiān cǎi 「八仙彩」

 Bāxiān (八仙) is a rectangular embroidered cloth with the theme of the Eight Immortals. The word "cǎi 「彩」" in "Bāxiān cǎi 「八仙彩」" refers to colorful silk fabrics, often used for auspicious occasions or to signify the beginning of a celebration. The eight embroidered congratulatory symbols on the Bāxiān cǎi  「八仙彩」symbolize the arrival and celebration of the Eight Immortals. During weddings, housewarming ceremonies, and festive occasions, the Bāxiān cǎi 「八仙彩」is often hung up; besides warding off evil and celebrating, it also carries a symbolic significance of ritual, as the Eight Immortals gather together in celebration, akin to the auspicious meaning of traditional theatrical performances depicting immortals.

The background color of the Bāxiān cǎi 「八仙彩」is primarily red, complemented with patterns of lotus flowers, Ruyi 「如意」 (a traditional ornament symbolizing good fortune), dragons and phoenixes, magpies, bats, etc., all carrying auspicious connotations. Additionally, the Eight Immortals' tools such as the palm-leaf fan, gourd, flower basket, lotus, sword, bamboo flute, fish drum, and jade tablet are depicted, symbolizing the blessings and abilities of the Eight Immortals to dispel disasters and bring auspiciousness. The Eight Immortals represented on the Bāxiān cǎi 「八仙彩」also embody the wishes of the people for blessings such as fortune, prosperity, longevity, happiness, wealth, children, health, and wisdom. The  mythology the Eight Immortals is believed to know the secrets of nature. They represent separately male, female, the old, the young, the rich, the noble, the poor, and the humble people.

 Old Bāxiān (八仙) at the end of the year, is burned after a ritual on an auspicious day to dispose of the old and usher in the new. Then, new Bāxiān cǎi 「八仙彩」is hung up.

八仙彩是以八仙為主題的長方形刺繡布。其中的「彩」指的是多彩的絲織品，通常用於吉慶場合或標誌著慶祝活動的開始。八仙彩上的八個刺繡吉祥圖案象徵著八仙的到來和慶祝。在婚禮、新居入住儀式和節慶等場合，八仙彩常常被掛起來；除了驅邪慶祝之外，它還具有儀式象徵意義，因為八仙聚在一起慶祝，類似於傳統戲劇表演中描繪仙人的吉祥含義。Top of Form

 八仙彩的背景顏色主要是紅色，配以蓮花、如意、龍鳳、喜鵲、蝙蝠等圖案，都帶有吉祥寓意。此外，八仙彩上還描繪了八仙的道具，如扇子、葫蘆、花籃、蓮花、劍、竹笛、魚鼓和玉板，象徵著八仙驅除災禍、帶來吉祥的祝福和能力。八仙彩上所代表的八仙也體現了人們對於財富、繁榮、長壽、幸福、財富、子女、健康和智慧等祝福的願望。八仙的神話被認為知曉自然的秘密。他們分別代表男性、女性、老人、年輕人、富人、貴族、窮人和卑微的人。

 舊八仙在年底的時候，在一個吉祥的日子上經過儀式後被焚燒，以處理舊事物並迎來新的事物。然後，新的八仙彩會被掛起來。