Cultural Festival 2023 DRAGON BOAT DINNER
PROGRAM
Program
INTRODUCTORY PERFORMANCE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
WELCOME
Jasmine Flower – a traditional Chinese song
Performed by the Junior School Chamber Choir
Georgia Stuart (Year 12) and Celine Hu (Year 12)
Aysel Gupta (Year 10), Celine Hu (Year 12), Nikita Serban (Year 10), Ayana Sapra (Year 10), Georgia Stuart (Year 12) and Elizabeth Tang (Year 10)
Dr Kate Hadwen, Principal Shasha Yang, Master of Ceremonies
THE STORY OF THE DRAGON
Yimeng Folk Song – A joyous song about the beauty of the Chinese landscape.
Performed by the Year 3 String Ensemble
The Peach Blossom Sings – The tale of an idyllic Chinese town kept away from the warring states in the mountains.
Performed by the Year 1 Dance Troupe
Hongma – The tale of a young boy preparing to leave for war, saying goodbye to his sister.
Performed by the Year 12 Dance Troupe
Slow, Slow Tune – A song describing the fog rising above the river in a quaint Chinese town.
Performed by Year 1 singers
Lament of the Sorrow – One of Qu Yuan’s poems, lamenting his sorrow at the decline of his home state and the corruption of the court which resulted in his exile.
Performed on the guzheng by Cecilia Zhou (Year 7)
Butterfly Lovers – An ancient Chinese love legend about two lovers who are forced apart due to class and family opposition.
Performed on the piano by Amelia Hao (Kindergarten)
Colourful Clouds Chasing the Moon – A song reminiscing about the hues of twilight as the dragon boats raced to Qu Yuan’s aid.
Performed on the piano by Elaine Zhang (Year 3) and on the pipa by Rachel Zhang (Year 7)
The Little Garden – A children’s song about a small garden that blooms and grows, the perfect metaphor for Qu Yuan’s legacy.
Performed by Year 3 singers
Aba Night Party – A traditional Chinese celebratory piano piece.
Performed by Kimberley Zhou (Year 3)
Paper Cutting Dance – A traditional celebration of Chinese culture through dance.
Performed by the Year 2 Dance Troupe
CLOSE Shasha Yang, Master of Ceremonies
BOAT FESTIVAL节目单
开场表演
《茉莉花》—一首中国传统歌曲 表演：小学厅内合唱团
国家原住民认可致辞 Georgia Stuart (12年级) 和 Celine 胡 (12年级)
欢迎致辞 Aysel Gupta (10年级), Celine 胡 (12年级), Nikita Serban (10 年级), Ayana Sapra (10年级), Georgia Stuart (12年级) and Elizabeth Tang (10年级)
Dr Kate Hadwen – 校长
杨莎莎 – 司仪
叙述端午节的由来
《沂蒙民歌》—一首关于中国山水之美的欢快歌曲。
表演：三年级弦乐合奏团
《桃花颂》—一个讲述了远离战国的田园小镇的故事。
表演：一年级舞蹈团
《红马》—讲述一个小男孩准备出征，与妹妹告别的故事。
表演：12年级舞蹈团
《声声慢》—一首描述在一个古色古香的中国小镇上，雾从河 上升起的歌曲。
表演：一年级歌手
古筝演奏《离骚》—屈原的一首诗， 表達了他對於昏庸王室和 腐敗貴族的憤恨，和他不與權貴妥協的意志，流露了他愛國家 愛人民的深厚感情。
古筝演奏：Cecilia 周 (七年级)
钢琴演奏《梁祝》—中国著名的古代爱情传说，讲述了梁山伯 和祝英台的悲伤爱情故事。他们深爱彼此，但由于阶级和家庭 反对，被迫分离。这个动人的故事是中国四大民间传说之一。
钢琴演奏：Amelia郝（Kindergarten）
钢琴与琵琶合奏《彩云追月》—一首怀念龙舟驰援屈原时暮色 的歌。
钢琴演奏：Elaine张（三年级）
琵琶演奏：Rachel张（七年级）
《小花园》—一首关于一个小花园绽放和成长的儿歌，是屈原 遗产的完美象征。
表演：三年级歌手
钢琴演奏《阿坝晚会》—中国传统庆典钢琴曲
表演：Kimberley周（三年级）
剪纸舞—通过舞蹈来庆祝中国文化的传统舞蹈。
表演：二年级舞蹈团
毕场
杨莎莎 – 司仪
Program
Qu Yuan lived in China in a time of warring states. He was a patriot and tried hard to defend the invasion of his home state. Qu Yuan was known as a poet and as a politician. He promoted lots of political reforms to make life better for his people and was admired for his commitment to his state and people, as well as his strong moral convictions.
Qu Yuan’s poetry was collected in a volume as Chu Ci or Songs of Chu, and is well known and loved in China. He wrote about joy, love, sorrow and despair, as well as the beauty of nature, the struggles of his people and the conflicts of his time. Li Sao, also known as The Lament, is Qu Yuan’s most well-known poem. It is about hardships, disappointment and hope for a just society and a morally upright leader:
Yet within my soul I burned to return, Not a moment passed, but I longed to go back. On leaving Xiapu, my thoughts raced westwards, Mourning that my city daily grew more distant.
The Qin dynasty, in unifying China, defeated Qu’s state of Chu. When he learned about the fall of Chu, Qu Yuan was so upset he drowned himself in the Miluo River in protest against the political landscape of his home state and the fall of his deeply beloved motherland. When his people saw him in the river they raced to save their hero; they built boats in the form of dragons and sped into the water after him. Even after they learnt of his passing they tried to protect him. They tossed rice into the river to stop fish from consuming Qu Yuan’s body. The Zongzi dish you are eating tonight, which are sticky rice dumplings wrapped in reed leaves, is a traditional dish that people consume during the Dragon Boat Festival.
This is why we celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, which now includes races in which crews row hard to represent the search for Qu Yuan’s body. The Dragon Boat Festival and the poems of Qu Yuan are important parts of the Chinese culture. These include love of country, friendship, remembering ancestors, justice and traditional arts and rituals. The celebration offers a chance for people to gather together and pay respects to Qu Yuan – a beloved individual in Chinese history – and, most importantly, celebrate our rich Chinese culture and heritage.
PLEASE SCAN TO SHARE ANY FEEDBACK OR SUGGESTIONS ABOUT OUR FIRST CULTURAL FESTIVAL.
