Lesson 05 Chinese Couplets

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Walking through the entrances to many palaces, homes or important buildings, you are likely to spot a panel of characters down each length of the door frame on both sides. This is a duilian, or Chinese couplet. Couplets are short poems or witty phrases meant to bring good fortune to those who work or live inside.  Decorating with couplets is still very much a traditional part of Spring Festival in China.  Couplets portray hopeful messages for the coming year.  In this lesson we created a craft with special Chinese couplets to bring luck and prosperity to our families.

We also read a children’s rhyme which is also a song called 找朋友 or Finding Friends.

The children wrote the Chinese character for Spring 春 to hang above their family to show the beginning of a new year!  They worked hard drawing their families and adding festive Chinese firecrackers to the drawings.  See how diligently they are working below.

Bodhi, Juien, Ariel, Simon, Alexia, Jude, and Jachin posing for a picture

Leia drawing her family

Emmi, Quinn, Simone, Ali, and Penny smiling big

Paula, Ananya, Ariel, and Tessa smiles for camera

Jude drawing his family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annabelle and Carlotta having fun with drawing

Penny puts down her drawing pencil for a picture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The craft we created in this lesson are Chinese doors with hanging lucky Chinese couplets.  These words on the couplets are read from top to bottom and from the right banner to the left banner.  These doors open up with a pair of jeweled doorknobs.  Inside the doors, you are greeted with the artists’ family members and sometimes their pets.  The couplets will bring luck and prosperity to each artist’s family.  Check out our finished works!

Jachin closes the doors

Jachin opens the doors to his house where his family is celebrat

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ananya, Bodhi, Carlotta, and Annabelle showing off their art

 

Simone, Coco, Annabelle, and Carlotta holds up their drawings

Ali and Lucia is very happy with their drawings

Mila, Jude, and Brooks with their drawings

Alexia and Tessa with their drawing

Kaya and Lolo made festive drawings

 

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