It is definitely valuable to introduce to the children existing blessings passed down over the generations, like 常常喜樂 (Be joyful always), 出入平安 (May you be blessed with safety). They may pick up the rhythm and the literary elements of these phrases. Alternately, writing their own blessings can also be more personal to their lives.

 

You may want to try this third idea. Most know that it is a tradition to have an elaborate feast during this holiday, usually with dishes with special names that sound like blessings, e.g. 發財好事 (dried oysters with black moss), 年年有餘 (we always have a surplus; fish sounds like something left). The issue is that children today, especially those raised overseas, may not have the delicate taste buds to enjoy these fine dishes.

 

To pass down this tradition more effectively, we may start to ask what foods the child likes to have for the new year, then work backwards.

 

A scenario: A child came up with sausages, eggs, onion and duck. Another child said we need vegetables, so they added broccoli and cauliflower. Then based on the food names, they came up with rhymes that may help make up a blessing The teacher may need to add some linkage to tie up the phrases, asking intermittently whether that is the blessing they wish to receive.

新年大餐

花彩家愛 (花菜雞鍋) Radiant Family Love
椰菜花 西蘭花 花調雞 (cauliflower, broccoli, chicken with huadiao wine pot)

 

常常是但 (腸腸豉蛋) Always Be Easygoing ( “是但”不注重過程, 但注重结果)
香腸豉油炒蛋 (sausages and eggs with soy sauce)

 

衷心萬得 (蔥心Duck) (Sincerity of the Heart Makes Everything Work)
洋蔥爆雞心鴨絲 (chicken hearts and shredded duck, stir fry with onion)

 

The advantages? The level of the word usage and understanding is adjusted for both the child and the teacher. And the child

1. makes up blessings he likes to receive
2. learns the words of the food he likes
3. actually eats the food

I am no Emily Dickenson, and I know nothing much about Chinese poetry. I only know it sounds beautiful when recited from heart, and one can practically relate a story with few words. That is fascinating in itself, and I want to pass that on to my children. Here is something you can try:

• decide on the format of the verses (is it a four-character phrase, a seven-character dual verses, a seven-character four verses?)
• relate to the child the structure of the verse. For example, in a seven-character verse, usually the first two-character will be a concept, the second two-character forms another, and then the next three will finish the story off.
• Decide on a theme. For this New Year, we wanted to write something about horse. So I asked the child to describe the animal. Some keywords that came to her mind: swift, gallop, eat grass peacefully, efficient
• Since we were writing a New Year blessing, it would need some wishes. So I asked the child what wish she may want for the new year. So these came up: peaceful family, finishing up tasks
• So now it’s just a matter of thinking up two-character and three-character concepts that can be placed by each other to make sense. The verses need not rhyme but should flow pleasingly when heard. So just keep thinking of words she knows, and you can suggest some if needed, but try to stay with what she comes up with.
• Write each concept out on cards and play around with the orders.
• Recite it out loud to each other until the verses sound great to her ears and makes meaning to the child.
• Don’t compare it with standard Chinese prose. Think of it as a child merely wanting to express herself using words in a beautiful way.