Hunan Provincial Museum Held Educational Activities for Winter Solstice

In order to celebrate the winter solstice, one of the 24 solar terms in Chinese traditional culture, the education department of Hunan Provincial Museum launched a series of activities for primary students with the theme of “Welcome the Winter Solstice”, which were actively participated by students in Dongjun Primary School in Changsha.

On December 23, the education staff “Knowledgeable Brother” went to the Dongjun Primary School and experienced Chinese traditional culture with over 1,000 students. Firstly, he introduced to them relevant information about winter solstice through broadcast media. Later, students were then divided into 2 groups to attend the interesting folk custom activities. In “Colorful Dumplings” group, students gave their imagination and creativity a full play under the guidance of “Brother” and made various plasticine dumplings in different shapes (it’s a Chinese custom to eat dumplings on winter solstice). At the same time, students in “Plum Blossom” group learned the nine periods following the winter solstice in Chinese tradition and they collectively produced a painting “plum blossom in winter” in accordance with a work of Xu Beihong’ (a modern Chinese artist). Through those experiences, students were fully engaged in folk customs, gaining a better understanding about Chinese traditional culture.

Those activities are part of a brand educational project - “Folk Custom &Traditional Festival” launched by Hunan Provincial Museum.  And this year marks the second year of the cooperation between Hunan Provincial Museum and the education bureau of Furong District in Changsha. The extensive educational activities held in schools have put the cooperation on track and have brought great social benefits. In the future, Hunan Provincial Museum will endeavor to make further cooperation with schools in diverse aspects, making the museum an interesting classroom for students.

The “knowledgeable brother” gives a lecture to students.

Students are making colorful dumplings.

Students are making “plum blossoms” painting.