WDCTS-TCML (Washington D.C. Taiwanese School -Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning) Conversation Class Note - February 4, 2024

 

We introduced 求籤Qiúqiān, 簽筒 Qiāntǒng, 筊杯 jiǎobēi, and 上香, 燒香 Shàng xiāng, shāo xiāng in the class to get ready for Taiwanese Lunar New Year Celebration on February 11, 2024 in school.

These are traditional and ubiquitous religious practices for almost all forms of worship.

為2024年2月11日在學校慶祝台灣農曆新年做準備,我們在課堂上介紹了求籤, 簽筒 筊杯, 和 上香/燒香。

Wèi 2024 nián 2 yuè 11 rì zài xuéxiào qìngzhù táiwān nónglì xīnnián zuò zhǔnbèi, wǒmen zài kètáng shàng jièshàole qiúqiān, qiāntǒng xiáo bēi, hé shàng xiāng/shāoxiāng.

We use posters as teaching tools to demonstrate and practice how Taiwanese society observes temple rituals, engaging in practices such as seeking divination, offering incense, tossing Moon Blocks for blessings, and interpreting life's daily events through divination texts. These rituals symbolize important aspects of Taiwanese culture.

我們使用海報作為教具, 來示範和練習, 臺灣社會如何遵守廟會儀式，用求籖，上香/燒香，擲筊祈福，以籖書解釋人生日常生活和占卜之間的聯繫。這些儀式象徵著台灣文化方面的重要部分。

Wǒmen shǐyòng hǎibào zuòwéi jiàojù, lái shìfàn hé liànxí, táiwān shèhuì rúhé zūnshǒu miàohuì yíshì, yòng qiú qian, shàng xiāng/shāoxiāng, zhì xiáo qífú, yǐ qian shū jiěshì rénshēng rìcháng shēnghuó hé zhānbǔ zhī jiān de liánxì. Zhèxiē yíshì xiàngzhǐzhe táiwān wénhuà fāngmiàn de zhòngyào bùfèn.

We Welcomed three new students and Mother Lee this week to participate the "Taiwan Culture Class" this week. 李媽媽-Mother Lee 李安怡-Rose Lee 謝儀馨-Jessica Hsieh 林正偉-Wayne Lam

 We write personal wishes on the popsicle sticks (symbolic fortune telling sticks 求籤 Qiúqiān) . We put in the  bucket Qiāntǒng - 簽筒.  From throwing two” crescent-shaped wood blocks 筊杯 jiǎobēi”on the floor, we learned:

我們在冰棒上寫下個人的願望（求簽Qiúqiān）。 我們把籤放進簽筒裡。 從把兩塊「筊杯」丟到地板上，我們學到了：

Wǒmen zài bīngbàng shàng xiě xià gèrén de yuànwàng (qiúqiān Qiúqiān). Wǒmen bǎ qiān fàng jìn qiāntǒng lǐ. Cóng bǎ liǎng kuài `xiáo bēi'diū dào dìbǎn shàng, wǒmen xué dàole:

Shèng jiǎo (聖筊, divine answer): ‘YES’ answer

Xiào jiǎo (笑筊, laughing answer): Yáng jiǎo (陽筊) : the question that asked is unclear, or that the answer to the question is obvious.

**It is said the gods are laughing at the question depending on what has been asked. It can be interpreted as an emphasized 'NO' answer.

Yīn jiǎo (陰筊),Nù jiǎo (怒筊, angry answer) also kū  jiǎo (哭筊,crying answer) or Méi jiǎo (沒筊): ‘NO’ Answer

We Learned how to say,  “Try it again!” “再一次 Zài yīcì!”

我們學會了怎麼說「再一次!」

Wǒmen xuéhuìle zěnme shuō `zài yīcì!'

Steve points where Changhua is located on the Taiwan map.  We are fortunate to be in charge of the “Changhua Lukang – Cultural booth” at  WDCTS Taiwan Lunar New Year Celebration.  His father-in-law was originally from Changhua.

葛艾倫指出彰化在台灣地圖上的位置。 我們有幸負責WDCTS台灣農曆新年慶典的“彰化鹿港-文化攤位。” 他的岳父老家在彰化。

葛艾倫 zhǐchū zhānghuà zài táiwān dìtú shàng de wèizhì. Wǒmen yǒuxìng fùzé WDCTS táiwān nónglì xīnnián qìngdiǎn de “zhānghuà lù gǎng-wénhuà tānwèi.” Tā de yuèfù lǎojiā zài zhānghuà.

The students’ homework was all checked.  Good job from all of them.    We will discuss more thoroughly in the following week after the Lunar New Year School event.   

學生的作業都檢查了。 所有人都做得很好。 我們將在農曆新年學校活動結束後的下週詳細的討論。

Xuéshēng de zuòyè dōu jiǎnchále. Suǒyǒu rén dōu zuò dé hěn hǎo. Wǒmen jiàng zài nónglì xīnnián xuéxiào huódòng jiéshù hòu de xià zhōu xiángxì de tǎolùn.

熊大東 Rico 功課 Gōngkè 

Thanks, the sweet Japanese gummy candies from Rico's trip to Japan - we used them for prizes as the "Good Luck Moon Blocks Wishes!" 

謝謝，熊大東 日本之旅帶回來的甜蜜日本軟糖 - 我們用它們作為“Shèng jiǎo (聖筊, divine answer)！”的獎品。

Xièxiè, 熊大東 rìběn zhī lǚ dài huílái de tiánmì rìběn ruǎn táng - wǒmen yòng tāmen zuòwéi “Shèng jiǎo (shèng xiáo, divine answer)!” De jiǎngpǐn.