DOCUMENT RESUME
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AUTHOR Bernson, Mary Hammond, Ed. TITLE China Mosaic: Multidisciplinary Units for the Middle Grades. INSTITUTION Washington Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Olympia. PUB DATE 1996-00-00 NOTE 151p. AVAILABLE FROM Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Old Capitol Building, 600 S. Washington, P.O. Box 47200, Olympia, WA, 98504-7200. PUB TYPE Collected Works General (020) Guides Non-Classroom (055) EDRS PRICE MF01/PC07 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Area Studies; *Asian Studies; *Chinese Culture; Foreign Countries; Global Education; Intermediate Grades; Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Multicultural Education; *Non Western Civilization; Social Studies IDENTIFIERS *China
ABSTRACT These lessons were developed by participants in a 1986 Fulbright Group Project Abroad sponsored by the East Asia Resource Center at the Jackson School of International Studies, University of Washington. The lessons were developed cooperatively and are aimed at the middle school student. Lessons include: (1) "The Qin Dynasty" (Marte Peet); (2) "Confucius" (Marte Peet); (3) "Monkey Tales" (Elaine Magnusson); (4) "The Rooster's Horns" (Elaine Magnusson); (5) "Chinese Shadow Puppets" (Sam Hayes, Tarry Lindquist, Elaine Magnusson); (6) "What's in a Name" (Elaine Magnusson); (7) "Luo Xianda's Family, School, and Home" (Theresa Ralph); (8) "Constitutions Across the Sea" (Tarry Lindquist); (9) "Research Skills and Chinese Agriculture" (Tarry Lindquist); and (10)"Chinese Aquaculture" (Elaine Magnusson). Appendices offer pronunciation tips, weights and measures, and resources. (EH)
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VO9 OZt7 LE8 8Z0 OS CHINA MOSAIC: MULTIDISCIPLINARY UNITS FOR THE MIDDLE GRADES
JUDITH A. BILLINGS Superintendent
KATHLEEN C. PLATO Associate Superintendent School Improvement
DUNCAN MacQUARRIE Director Curriculum and Assessment
LARRY M. STRICKLAND Program Supervisor Social Studies/International Education
Editor: Mary Hammond Bernson East Asia Resource Center Jackson School of International Studies Thomson Hall DR-05 Seattle, Washington 98195
This material available in alternative format upon request.
Provided by: Judith A. Billings State Superintendent of Public Instruction Old Capitol Building, PO BOX 47200 Olympia, WA 98504-7200
Reprinted:July 1996 CHINA MOSAIC: MULTIDISCIPLINARY UNITS FOR THE MIDDLE GRADES
A NOTE TO TEACHERS.
The authors of thelessons in China Mosaicare committed to the idea that students in Americanclassrooms must learn about therest of the world, andthat upper elementary and middle schoolgrades are ideal times explore this world to we live in. The teachers whowrote the lessons share an interestin China anda strong belief that information about othercountries and culturesshould be integrated into all subjectsacross the curriculum. lessons show how it These can be done, incorporating skillsand knowledge taught not onlyin social studiesand language arts but also in art,science and math. In this way, China can come alive for students,even when the curriculum does not officially include itas a topic..
These lessons were writtenby Sam Hayes, Tarry Lindquist, ElaineMagnusson, Marte Peet, and with additional Theresa Ralph suggestions and commentsfrom Robert Blair, Barbara Guilfoil, VincentHagel, Roger Malfait,and Bonnie Whitman. They are the elementaryand middle school who participated in teachers a 1986 Fulbright Group ProjectAbroad sponsored by the East AsiaResource Center, at the School of International Jackson Studies, University ofWashington. Directors of the projectwere Professor Jack Dull, of the East Asia Director Center; Mary HammondBernson, Outreach Director of the Center;and Dru Gladney,an anthropologist. Both in China and aftertheir return, the worked as a team, sharing group members ideas and observations. All of them contributed to thisbook and to thesuccess of the project. The teachers and their project were: schools at the time ofthe Robert Blair, McKnightMiddle School, Renton; James Campbell, HanfordHigh School, Richland;David Carpentier, Marysville -Pilchuck High School,Marysville; Keith Forest, DecaturHigh School, FederalWay; Barbara Guilfoil, LockwoodElementary School, Bothell; Hagel, Oak Harbor Middle Vincent School, Oak Harbor;Sam Hayes, Washington Middle School,Olympia; Tarry Lindquist, Lakeridge ElementarySchool, Mercer Island;Elaine Magnusson, Northshore PublicSchools, Bothell; Roger Malfait, North KitsapHigh School, Poulsbo; Chinook Middle School, Richard Moulden, Bellevue; Jack Parcell,Marysville Junior High School,Marysville; Marte Peet,Gause Intermediate School,Washougal; Theresa Ralph, School, Seattle; Bert Assumption Reese, Lynnwood HighSchool, Lynnwood; Chuck Wade, Kent-MeridianHigh School, Kent; Whiteman, Kenroy and Bonnie Elementary School, EastWenatchee.
4 Our deepest gratitude is due to all the people who reviewed individual lessons, including Ding XiangWarner, Warren Burton, Gina May, Jan Graves, and Larry Strickland. Many University of Washington faculty members contributed their expertise as well.Suzi Berard deserves special thanks; without her perseverance and dedication this book would not have reached its final form.
Mary Hammond Bernson, Outreach Director East Asia Resource Center Jackson School of International Studies DR-05 University of Washington Seattle, Washington 98195 CHINA MOSAIC: MULTIDISCIPLINARY UNITS FOR THE MIDDLE GRADES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
"The Qin Dynasty" byMarte Peet, drawings by MarilynMelton
"Confucius" by Marte Peet 23
"Monkey Tales" by ElaineMagnusson 28
"The Rooster's Horns"by Elaine Magnusson, 40 script by Jan Graves "Chinese Shadow Puppets" by Sam Hayes, 47 Tarry Lindquist and ElaineMagnusson "What's in a Name" by Elaine Magnusson 70 "Luo Xianda's Family,School and Home" by Theresa Ralph 76
"Constitutions Acrossthe Sea" by Tarry Lindquist 89
"Research Skills and ChineseAgriculture" by Tarry Lindquist 104
"Chinese Aquaculture" by Elaine Magnusson 111 Appendices:
Pronunciation Tips. Weights and Measures 139 Resources 140 141
6 1
THE OIN DYNASTY
GRADE LEVEL: 3rd through 6thgrade TIME: 1-5 days; dependingupon the number of activities OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. recognize the accomplishmentsof China's first emperor.
2. understand the importanceof these accomplishments in the developmentof Chinese history. 3. utilize reading,art, and math skillsto help them appreciate ancientaccomplishments. MATERIALS:
1. student reading on theQin Dynasty 2. student worksheets andvocabulary sheets. 3. Materials for thefollow-up activities under each activity. are listed TEAt+HER BACKGROUND:
Qin Shihuangdi is a good emperor to teachabout if you choose just one. He is extremely history, although important in Chinese the Chinese haveargued for wellover 1,000 years about howto judge his deeds. Chairman Mao labeled In modern times, him bad but laterrevised his estimation to good. Nowadays students classes and are taught study him in history that the Great Wallis his greatest contribution to Chinesecivilization. Because of his recently excavated burial site,Qin Shihuangdi has receivedextensivecoverage in the western press and studentscan find many articles of his tomb figures about him. Some can be seen in travelingexhibits.
7 DAY 1:
PROCEDURE:
1. Hand out the student readingon "The Qin Dynasty." 2. Instruct the students to makevocabulary cards of underlined and unfamiliarwords.
3. With older students, pointout that there are various ways of romanizing Chinese(writing it in our alphabet system.) As they learn about this dynasty they may encounter Qinor Chin and Qin Shihuangdi or Chin Shih Huang-ti. The literal translation of the title is "FirstEmperor of Chin." 3
STUDENT READING:
.THE OIN DYNASTY (221b.c. 207b.c.)
THE EMPIRE BEGINS The man who was to become China's first emperor was crowned king in 246 b.c. at theage of thirteen. Since he was too young to rule, a powerful chancellor, Lu Buwei, ruled until the king was 21 years old.
Through the use of spies and military might the king began to fulfill his dream of uniting the six separate kingdoms that made up China at this time into one empire. By the time he was 38 years old he had succeeded in creating a new, kingdom ten times the size of the old one. 0 Since this was such a spectacular accomplishment the king . s . decided he needed a new title. So the created the title First Sovereign Emperor of Qin, in Chinese, Qin Shihuangdi. It was from this emperor that China obtained its westernname.
Although the Emperor Qin was well knownfor cruelty and hated by many of his subjects,many reforms he established lasted until the fall of the last dynastyin 1912. ACCOMPLISHMENTS STANDARDIZED WEIGHTS AND MEASURES
Before the Qin Dynasty, Chinawas divided into many different kingdoms, each with itsown language, writing, laws and measurements. To ensure that all kingdoms would be the same, the emperor standardized allsystems of weights and measurements. He even standardized the axle widthsof wagons, making transportation on rutted dirt roads easier. The laws for the whole empire were alsomade the same, as were the cruel punishments for disobedience. LANGUAGE AND WRITING
Perhaps the most importantaccomplishment was the development of a single formof writing. Now the people from different parts ofthe empire could communicateeven though they spoke differentversions of the Chinese language.
Emperor Qin made these reformsnot because he wanted everyone to be able to read andwrite but toensure that his laws were obeyed. In fact, he hated teachersand ordered all books to be burned,except those on what hecalled "useful" subjects like farming,medicine and ancient history. He believed that uneducatedpeople would not criticize his rule. THE GREAT WALL
It was during Qin Shihuangdi'srule that the separate walls of many differentkingdoms were joined togetherto create the Great Wall ofChina. The Great Wall stretched 1400 miles across north andnorthwest China. The wall was wide with watch towersbuilt every 100 yards.
The Great Wallwas built with forced labor.Some laborers were criminalsbut others were enemies ofthe Emperor and peasants takenfrom their land and forced work. to They worked in remoteareas with little foodor shelter, while one quarterof a million soldiers over them. kept watch Thousands died from starvationand exhaustion.
The Chinese say thatevery stone in the wall costone human life. However, the wall protectedChina's northern frontier from the nomadic peoples, later calledTartars, who frequently came south toraid the Chinesesettlements.
10 The original building which housedthe warriors collapsed thousands ofyears ago crushing the soldiers inside. Today the archaeologists numberthese pieces and carefully reconstruct them into theiroriginal form. Sometimes this takesas long as two years. The completed warriors are then placed intheir original position inthe pit.
Qin Shihuangdi's tomb standswhere the original capital was, a few miles from Xi'an, in the YellowRiver basin. He was a cruel and heartless ruler but he lefta monument that amazes all who come to view it. Some people even consider the army of terracotta warriorsto be the eighth wonder of the world. 6
QIN SHIHUANGDI'S TOMB It is not surprising that toward the end of hislife the Emperor began tobecome fearful of beingkilled. He had a huge tomb and army builtto protect him death. even after his
It is the Emperor's tombthat fascinates the modern world. Built by thousands ofslaves, this tombwas to be the empire he expected torule over after death. His actual tomb has not been excavatedbut early writings tell might be inside. what
"The slaves dug undergroundchambers and painted replicas of the sun,moon, and stars. On the floor was a map of Qin's Empire. The Yangzi and Yellow. Rivers were filled with liquidmercury. Simple machines made the riversflow. Finally, mechanically triggered crossbowswere set to shoot anyone who entered."
To the east of this tomb,for its protection, liesan army of lifesized clay soldiers. This army of terracotta soldiers was first discoveredin 1974 by peasants digging for a well. Several different pitswere dig and the archaeologists began toput the pieces of thearmy together. In pit number one,1,000 warriors and 24 horses been excavated. have It is estimated thatthe pit containsover. 6,000 warriors and horses. The bronze swords carriedby some of the soldiersare still sharp after being buried over 2,000 years. for
Pit number two containsabout 1,000 warriors and80 chariots pulled by400 horses. Many are infantrymen and charioteers as wellas archers and cavalrymen. The archers carry either longbowsor crossbows. The cavalrymen are leading their saddledhorses.
Pit number three isthe smallest. It contains 68 warriors and one chariotwith 4 horses. Archaeologists believe that thiswas the commander's headquarters.
The warriors range in sizefrom about five feet to six feet tall. over They were made from shapedcoils of clay, covered with a clay slip(clay wash), then baked painted. and
The basic warrior's headwas made from several molds. Then the ears, facialfeatures and hairwere added on, giving each warrior a personality uniquely his. The neck was long and just slipped intothe body of the warrior.
12 7
'STUDENT WORKSHEET
VOCABULARY
Write each of the underlinedwords in the articleon a vocabulary card. Look them up in the dictionaryand write the correct definitionon the vocabulary card. Make sure that the definition makessense in the context of the sentence. Keep the cards to-use inyour writing. COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. How did China obtain itswestern name?
2. How many years. did EmperorQin need to create his empire?
3. Describe the accomplishmentsof the Qin Dynasty. Tell why they were important.
4. Many people are amazedby the terracotta warriors. Why do you thinksome people consider them the eighth wonder of theworld?
5. Some people consider theterracotta warriors to be the eighth wonder of theworld. Become an explorer and search for the originalseven wonders of the world. Make a list of theseven wonders of the world and where theyare located. Explain why they are considered to be so important.
13 ti ;la -1 tic;41u!i7a r"M ofapiri9v-JvA crwia1t wei otn 9 w' A Aumpricu30A ;Uciglti!two '11%"1/1 Adortruch :au)+Iu!iwg ; DAY TWO: SIMULATION OF TRADE
OBJECTIVES: The students will: 1. understand the importance of the standardizationof weights andmeasurements. MATERIALS:
1. trade cards PROCEDURE:
1. Divide the students into six teamscalled kingdoms. 2. Each kingdom picksan item to trade. 3. The kingdoms then make up aname and amount forthe weight or measurementof their item. 4. Explain that their task is to tradetheir item to another kingdom forthat kingdom's Their trade must trade item. be fair, keepingin mind the measurement and weightas well as the value the item. of
Kingdom A decides to trade a "ping"of wheat. Kingdom B wantsto trade a "gilp" must get together of silk. They and decide howmany "gilps" they will trade fora "ping" or viceversa. This is not a true simulationof the situation existed during the that Qin Empire andbefore. In reality the peoplefrom the different would have been kingdoms speaking differentlanguages, further complicatingthe trade. 5. After the activity, discuss with thestudents the problems theyencountered.
a. What problems didyou have? b. Were they solved?If so, how? c. How would you change the situationso that the trading would beeasier? d. Do you feel thatyou received a fair Why/Why not? trade? 10
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:
1. Repeat the activity using a standard system of weights and measurements such as Americanor European. Ask the students:
a. How did the trading change? b. Was it easier to trade?Why/Why not? c. Imagine what problems would exist ifevery state in the United States had a different system of measurement. d. Do you know of any comparable situations between modern nations? Anima ls Fruits
Si k otter),
Wheat
eopons C101-11 12
DAY THREE: TERRACOTTA WARRIORS OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. gain an understanding of thesize and scope of the terracotta army by creatinga small replica of the archaeological dig. MATERIALS:
1. paper doll pattern
2. large cardboard box and dirt (optional) 3. brown paper and toilet paper rolls
4. glue and scissors PROCEDURE:
1. Each student colors and cuts outone or two warriors and pastes them to toiletpaper rolls. 2. Stand the warriors in columns insidea large card- board box lined with brownpaper.,
3. In the back of the box, mound dirtto simulate the unexcavated soldiers.
4. Have the students writea paragraph describing the tomb and its importance.
5. Ask the students to calculatehow many warriors each of their warriorsrepresents, i.e. if the class makes 60 warriors theneach warrior represents 100 warriors in pit #1. ALTERNATE ACTIVITY: MATERIALS:
1. cut out paper dolls
2. box filled with dirt, sand,or small pieces of styrofoam PROCEDURE:
1.' Cut out some paper dolls. Then cut them into pieces and place them ina box of dirt.
2. The children dig for the piecesand number them as they find them.
19 13
3. They then reconstructthe pieces intoa warrior. ALTERNATE ACTIVITY: MATERIALS:
1. overhead projector 2. paper doll pattern
3. colored felt tip markers
4. large sheet ofpaper PROCEDURE:
1. Project a warrioron the overhead ontoa large sheet of paper.
2. Have the students tracea large six foot tall warrior.
3. Color the warrior andpost him outside the classroom door. ALTERNATE ACTIVITY: MATERIALS:
1. plain paper dollpattern PROCEDURE:
1. .Using the plainhead and body havethe students create their own warrior.
2. The students writea brief description of who this person is.What is his job in thearmy? How does he feel about hisjob and his country? What are his feelings about theemperor?
20 14
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23 17
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27 21
DAY FOUR: The GreatWall OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. recognize the sizeand scope of the of the Sreat Wall. construction
2. become acquainted withChinese systems of measurement. MATERIALS :
1. books or encyclopedias PROCEDURE:
1. Find a chart ofthe Chinese systemof measurements.* Note that the Chineseuse the metric system for international trade. Traditional Chinese units ofmeasurements are used transactions. for domestic
2. Calculate the length,height and widthof the Great wall using Chinesemeasurements. 3. Calculate the above measurements of theGreat Wall using the metricsystem. ALTERNATE ACTIVITY: MATERIALS:
1. The Great Wall byLeonard Everett Fisher. PROCEDURE:
1. Make a dioramaor model of the Great book as a reference. Wall. using the
2. Label specific partsof the model withthe appropriate Chinesecharacters. 3. Write a story about the constructionof the Great Wall from the perspectiveof a particular character, suchas a laborer, an advisor,a soldier, the Emperor, or a nomad outside thewall. * see appendix
28 22
REFERENCES: TEACHER AND STUDENT RESOURCES:
1. Ancient China*, by G.W. Barrett. Essex, England: Longman House, 1969.
2. China. Alexandria, Virginia: Time-Life Books, 1986.
3. China: A History to 1949, by Valjean McLenighan. Chicago: Childrens Press, 1983.
4. The Underground Terracotta Army of EmperorOin Shi Huang, edited by Fu Tianchou. Beijing, China: New World Press, 1983. STUDENT RESOURCES:
1. The Ancient Chinese, by Lai Po Ran. Silver Burdett.
2. An Ancient Chinese Town edited byR.J. Unstead. Barnes and Noble, 1986. 3. The Great Wall, by Leonard Everett Fisher. New York: Macmillan, 1986. MEDIA
1. The Heart of the Dragon, "Remembering."
*These books are available through"China Books & Periodicals", 2929 2nd St., SanFrancisco, CA 94110 or "China in the Classroom, The Centerfor Teaching about China", 2025 Eye St.,N.W., Suite 715, Washington, D.C. 2006. 23
CONFUCIUS
GRADE LEVEL: 3rd through 6th grade TIME: 2 forty-minute sessions
OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. be introduced to China'sgreatest traditional philosopher.
2. find parallels betweenConfucian and Western sayings.
3. create original sayings aboutWestern behavior. MATERIALS:
1. student-readings (mastersincluded) PROCEDURE:
1. Ask students what, if anything,they have heard about Confucius. Ask if they knowany. "Confucian sayings," either authenticor humorous. Point out that the influence ofConfucius has beenso enormous that people still quotehis sayings now, almost 2500 years afterhis death.
2. Distribute copies ofthe student reading andask students to read them andfill in the blanksat the end. Ask students to share theirown sayings, identifying the Confuciansaying theirs most resembles.
3. Ask students to identifydifferences and similarities between Confucianand. Western ideal behavior, remindingthem that people, past and present, are notperfect or ideal.
4. Ask them to identifysources of Western behavioral rules and customs, suchas religious teachings, hygiene, or desire forstatus.
5. Have students create originalsayings about Western ideal behavior andwrite them on the bottom of the worksheet.
6. Collect worksheets and shareoriginal sayings via discussions or bulletinboards.
30 24
STUDENT READING:
CONFUCIUS (551-479 b.c.)
Confucius lived during the Zhou dynasty(1028 b.c. - 256 b.c.), called by historians The Warring. States Period." Civil war between parts of Chinawas common. Confucius looked to China's past historyas a time of happiness and peace. He believed, after studying ancient history,that the perfect society could again exist ifpeople followed certain rules of conduct.
Confucius was not very famous during his lifetime. It was long after his death, during the Han dynasty (206 b.c.- 220 a.d.), that Confucius became famousas a great teacher. His writings, in time, becamean important part of the Chinese educational and governmental systems. His teaching also formed the basis of how an educatedperson lived in society.
Confucius believed that everyone must showgood manners and behave properly, so he developeda long list of guidelines for proper conduct inevery situation. CONFUCIAN RULES DRESS AND FOOD
Clothes must be dark; bright colorswere for the uneducated. People must not eat or drink too muchand the food must be prepared to perfection. MEETING PEOPLE
The most important rulewas "be polite," showing no anger or silliness. Bowing when greetingsomeone became an important way to show respect. The older and more important the person the deeper the bow. In the presence of the king one performed the "three kneelings and nine knockings," which means kneeling and bowing three timeswith each kneel. FAMILY RULES
The guiding rule in a Confucian homewas filial piety, showing respect to one's parents. Old age was a sign of wisdom and the most important memberof the family was the oldest male. The second most important:.ember was the oldest woman, if she was the mother of the oldestson. Everyone had a place in the family order andrules to govern their behavior. Children were expected to obey theirfather and to honor and serve him. If the children disobeyed their parents they would bring dishonor to thewhole family.
31 25
WOMEN'S ROLE
The Confucian societywas a man's world. When a woman married she went to livewith her husband'sfamily and that family became hernew home.Her role was to obeyher husband and raise hischildren. A Confucian rule said: "Women and people of lowbirth are very hard If you are friendly with to deal with. them they get out ofhand, and if you keep them at a distancethey resent it." SUMMARY
Confucius' philosophywas taught generation after generation. His ideas became sucha basic part of Chinese thinking that they were sometimes not even labeledas his. An example of theirimportance is the factthat all government officials untilthe beginning of thiscentury had to pass a test aboutConfucius' writings.
China has been throughgreat changes since the Revolution and Chinese leaders have attackedConfucius' ideas as wrong andold-fashioned. Although students nowadays do not study Confuciusin school,many of his teachings live onas basic Chinese beliefs.
Although Confucius livedthousands of years of his sayings ago, many may sound familiar. See if you can finda Confucian version of "Mindyour own business" and "The Golden Rule".
CONFUCIAN SAYINGS
"Attack the evil that iswithin yourself, not the evil that is inothers."
"Never do to others whatyou would not like them to do to you."
"Always changing yourselfto suit others keeps from excellence." you "Set a good example, then ask others tofollow it." "Let the otherman do his job withoutyour interference."
"A man who thinks onlyof himself will make enemies." many
"Love your fellow man."
32 26
TO THE STUDENTS:
Read over the Confuciansayings. Think of western sayings that are similarto the ones above. Write your sayings on the lines below. SLYINC 1:
SAYING 2:
SAYING 3:
33 27
REFERENCES:
1. Ancient China by G.W. Barrell. Essex, England: Longman House, 1969. 2. The Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains by Marie-Louise Gebhardt. New York: Friendship Press, 1969.
3. What Did Confucius Say by the EastAsian Curriculum Project New York: East Asian Institute, Columbia University.
34 28
MONKEY TALES
GRADE LEVEL: 4th through 7th TIME: 3 or more forty-five minute sessions
OBJECTIVE: Students will:
1. discover some aspects of Chinesetraditional literature and culture.
2. recognize that animal storiesare popular in many cultures.
3. makesreplicas of Chinese folk puppets.
4. dramatize "Monkey Tales." MATERIALS:
1. teacher copy of "Monkey Subdues the White-Boned Demon"
2. for puppets: tag-board,crayons or paint, glue and trim, ruler or stick for eachpuppet TEACHER BACKGROUND:
One of the best-known and mostpopular stories in China is Xi You Ji (Journeyto the West or Pilarimage to the West. This long novel was writtenby Wu Cheng'en (1500- 1560), who based it upon folktalesand Buddhist legends about a famous monk.He wrote it anonymously because itwas not considered appropriate fora scholar to write folktales or use everyday language. The characters are mainly spirits, animals, andmonsters, and their adventuresare full of drama and humor.
Four main characters embarkon the journey to the west. The first, Xuan Zang, isbased on a monk who made the perilous trip from Chinato India in the seventh century to .collect and study Buddhistscriptures. After staying in India for seventeenyears, he returned to China to translate the scriptures. He is a kindly and sincere figure inthe novel. The main character is actuallyXuan Zang's disciple, Monkey. He is cunning, mischievous,fearless, irrepressible, and loyal.The second disciple is Pigsy. Pigsy is stupid and greedyand often finds himself the butt of jokes, but he is faithful intimes of danger. The third disciple, Sandy, isa fallen god in donkey form. Although he looks ferocious, he doesnot play a major part in the adventures.
35 29
Over the-centuries,chapters of the novelhave been adapted for many kindsof performances,including for the Beijing (Peking)Opera. Beijing Opera isan art form which generally includes acrobatics,martial arts, andelaborate costumes, in addition tosinging. Some of the most popular operas are based on storiesabout Monkey's antics. Audiences cheer andcall out "hao!" (good)when Monkey does his flips andsomersaults around thestage or twirls his giant staff likea baton.
During the years of theCultural Revolution 1976), when China (1966- was in a state of continuingrevolution in all aspects of work,government, and culture, this anything based novel and on it were among the traditionalartworks which were banned. Leading the censorshipmovement was Jiang ging, the wifeof Mao Zedong, whocame to be regarded by many peopleas the "white-boned demon" of West. Journey to the With the relaxation ofgovernment controls in the last decade, Journeyand many other traditionally stories have reappeared. popular PROCEDURE:
1. Ask the students to listanimals about which they know stories. List the characteristicsof the animals as thestudents mention them. For instance:
Dog loyal Cat independent Fox tricky Donkey stubborn Pig stupid Monkey clever 2. Tell the students thatthey will be studyinga Chinese story with animalsas the main characters. Ask them to try tofigure out thecharacteristics of the animals in thestory.
3. Read the story aloudor distribute copies tothe class to read. Ask the students torespond to the following questions:
a. Who are the main charactersof this story? Which one is the hero?
b. Describe each one, notingany differences or similarities to our imageof these animals. c. What is the setting?
36 30
d. -What is theunderlying theme?Help students identify the themeof the difficultyof distinguishing goodfrom evil. 4. In preparation for dramatizing the story,reread the story, askingthe class to search and action for key lines sequences. Prepare cue cardsto remind students of thesequences. 5. To enact the story as a puppet show, thestudents can create simple stickpuppets like thefolk art examples outlined in thisunit. Show the examples to the class, pointing out that the figureswere originally brightlycolored. 6. Ask the studentsto create their board. own puppets on tag They will need to decidewhether to make separate puppets foreach face of thedemon. 7. Cut.out and color theheads. 8. Suggest trimming the heads with availablematerials such as sequins, oldjewelry, tassels,and lace. The originalswere embroideredon cloth. 9. Tape sticks or rulers to the back of theheads. 10. As a class, practice trying to make thepuppets convey character. How would a puppetmove as an attractive young women? How can Monkey showhow quick and clever heis? 11.. Let the students practice the play insmall groups, using the cue cardsbut creatingany necessary dialogue themselves. 12. Have each group perform the story forthe class. 13. Discuss the performances,stressing theways in which the variousgroups successfully conveyed various aspects ofthe story.. Solicit comments about how the audiencedid or did not the performance. contribute to 14. Review the story withthe following questions: a. Did any elementsof the storyseem. particularly Chinese?- b. Which elementswere universal? (For older students, compare withAesop's fables.) c. Do you think thisstory really happened? Why or why not?
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d. Why do you think Monkeystories are so popular in China?
e. What was your favoritepart of the story? EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:
1. Research other Monkey storiesand read or dramatize them.
2. Create a puppet show basedon the titles ofsome of the other chapters inJourney. Possibilities include:
Monkey. Defeats Yellow-RobedMonsters at Rippling Noon Cave
Monkey Kills the Golden-HornedKings at Flat Top Mountain
Tiger, Deer and GoatDemons of Tarrycartare Defeated
The Final Calamity Causedby the White Turtle 3. Create cartoons of "MonkeySubdues the White-Boned Demon" or other chapters. Using the cue cards, create one picture foreach element of the story. original
4. Monkey has already beenpopular for four hundred years. Create a Monkey story thatis set one hundred years in thefuture.
5. The Chinese commonlyuse historical figures to indirectly describe andcomment on the behaviorof modern individuals, suchas Jiang Qing being .a "white-boned demon." Create a class list ofany cultural or historical figureswe use the same way, such as Scroogeor Robin Hood.
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STUDENT READING:
MONKEY SUBDUES THE WHITE-BONEDDEMON - adapted by Hsu Kwang-jungand Pan Tsai-ying Long ago, a monk starteda journey toward the Western heaven on search of holy writings. He traveled with Monkey, Pigsy, and Sandy, whowas a donkey.
One day, they arrived at WhiteTiger Mountain. They were hungry and tired.Monkey sensed danger andoffered to look around and see if itwas safe to stay there. Before he left, he drew a magic circleand told the others tostay inside it. "Don't speak to anyoneor touch any food while I am gone," he said.
White Tiger Mountainwas the home of White-BonedDemon. Hearing that the travelershad arrived, she decidedto go down the mountain and capturethem. She was delighted to find them resting undera tree and was about to springon them, when goldenrays shot out from the magic circleand barred the way.
Unable to enter the magiccircle, the demon changed into a young woman andapproached the three witha basket of steamed buns in her hand. Greedy Pigsy smelled thefragrant buns and raced out of thecircle to greet the girl. "I'm going over to the templeto offer prayers," she said invitingly.Pigsy pulled the Monk and her. Sandy along to follow
Monkey returned, recognizedthe demon and killed her with one blow of hisstaff. It was only the demon's image, however, and the demon escapedin a wisp of cloud. The Monk was horrified and accused Monkey. "Look what you've done: you've committed a crime!"
The crafty demon now changedinto an old woman. She screamed at Pigsy thatwhoever killed her daughtermust pay the death penalty. The Monk, unable to tell goodfrom evil, was deceived again.
Then, like a bolt from theblue, Monkey descended and with one blow killedthe old woman. But the demon changed into mist and againescaped. "You wicked monkey," theMonk yelled. "How dare you kill likethat!"
The demon next took the formof an old man andwas about to deceive the Monka third time when Monkey againsaw through the disguise and raisedhis staff to strike. The old man called for helpand the Monk stepped between Monkey. him and "You've killed a mother anddaughter already. Do you dare to do it again?"The old man clutched at thesoft- hearted monk, beat his breastand wailed until Monkeycould 39 33
stand itno more. "You're a monster roared. With one blow he and I know it,"he knocked the oldman off the cliff. Monkey was aboutto pursue the yellow silk floated demon when a stripof down on a cloud. On it was written: "Buddha is kindand willnever tolerate keep Mbnkey with any killing. If you you, you willnever get the scriptures." On reading this,the Monk dismissed return to his home Monkey and toldhim to on Flower and FruitMountain. Pigsy and Sandybegged their but he would master to letMonkey stay, not listen. Reluctantly, Monkey to the Monk: "Master, you must bid farewell from evil. learn to differentiategood Take care!"Then, withone great somersault through the air,he returned to Flower and FruitMountain. The Monk and his two remainingdisciples continued their journey. They passed through temple. Over the temple a wood and arrivedat a gate was a tabletwhich read: Temple of theHeavenly King. for food and The three hurriedin to ask shelter for thenight. Entering the mainhall, they knelt and prayed for before the images a safe and successfuljourney. Suddenly the centralimage turned Demon. "Stupid monk who into theWhite-Boned can't tell truefrom false," jeered. "Seize him!"In a flash the she into minor other imagesturned demons. The Monk andSandy were taken but Pigsy foundhis way out. prisoner, Pigsy hurried to Flower andFruit Mountain Monkey torescue their master. and begged Master's so kind-hearted Monkey replied,"Oh, him." he'll persuadethe demon to Pigsy decided hewould have to release and startedback. fight the demonalone
Actually, Monkeyhad been worrying as soon as Pigsyleft he mounted about his master,so for the demon's a cloud and headedstraight cave. On his way hechanged himself likeness of ToadFairy, the into a mother of theWhite-Boned Demon. In the meantime Pigsy had beencaptured too. Monkey in theform of the Toad When Fairy arrivedat the cave, he asked the Monk,"Where's your other replied, "He killed friend?" The Monk three people inone day, so at will I dismissedhim." Buddha's At this theWhite-Boned Demon out laughing. "I tricked this burst gloated, then in simple-minded monk,"she rapid turnsassumed the forms the oldwoman, and the old of the girl, man for the Toad Fairyto see. The Monk realizedhow foolish he "Why did I send had been andlamented: Monkey away!" Instantly therewas a loud
40 34
voice: "Master, I'm here!" The Toad Fairy vanishedin a twinkling and Monkeyappeared, bigas life. Plucking out some hairs, Monkey turnedthem all into likenesses of himself. All lifted high their and brought them golden staffs down on the White-BonedDemon, who knew was beaten and triedto flee. she Monkey, clever and brave, spewed outmagic flames which reduced the demonto her true form, the other demons, a white skeleton.All large and small,were nothing but piles bleached bones,too. of As the travelers continued their journey,Monkey warned his master: "There'll be moremonsters on the west. We'll have to be way to the. on guard."The Monk knewnow and nodded his head. And so the four new dangers in their went on, ready toface any search for the holywritings.
41 35
REFERENCES:
1. Adventures of the MonkeyKina, adapted by Beijing: Tang Cheng. Foreign LanguagesPress, 1979. Based on the cartoon "Havoc in Heaven."
2. Favorite Children's Storiesfrom China. Beijing: Foreign LanguagesPress, 1983. Learns a Lesson." Chapter entitled "Pigsy
3. Old Tales of China by Li Nianpei. Beijing: China Travel and Tourism Press,1985.
42 35 37
44 38 39
46 40
THE ROOSTER'S HORNS
GRADE LEVEL: Upper elementary/middle school TIME: 4 days
OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. read a traditional Chinese folktale.
2. practice oral reading techniques.
3. develop imaginative listening skills.
4. grow in confidence and ability to work ina team. MATERIALS:
1. copies of script run on half sheets ofpaper and fastened to tagboard
2. a chair or stool for each player TEACHER BACKGROUND:
"The Rooster's Horns" is an example ofa Chinese folk tale. A broad definition of folktales includes alloral prose narratives. The key elements of these storiesare that they are orally passed down throughthe generations and are not in the form of poetry. They are generally set in some time period long ago, are not basedon historical events, and are not really meant to be believedas historical or religious truths. Because they are oral, they usually exist in many different forms,although one version may ultimately be best known becausesomeone recorded it in written form.
In the nineteenth century, people suchas Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm recorded many Europeanfolktales. The pioneer in collecting Chinese folklore is WolframEberhard, who collected and analyzed thousands of stories. Some of them, such as Cinderella or Yeh Shen,appear in both western and Chinese versions. The parallel Chinese story of Yeh Shen was first recorded during the Tang Dynasty (618- 907 a.d.), while the earliest known western versionof the Cinderella story is an Italian tale dating to 1634.
During the years of Civil War and theera of establishing a Communist government, theCommunist leaders made extensive use of folklore tocarry their messages to the largely illiterate masses of China. One story, "The Foolish Old Man Who Moved Mountains,"concerned an old man who tried to dig up two mountains whichwere obstructing his 47 48 42
4. Return to the discussionof character and how it can be portrayed in Reader'sTheater. Ask students to suggest ways toexpress character suchas by means of upper body movement,facial expressions, timing, and expressivedelivery including inflection and pitch.
5. Divide the class intogroups of five and ask them to practice reading thescript. Point out that each characterization ofthe animals may differ, and the variety enrichesthe production, but they should try to representthe story. 6. Bring the class togetherto discuss ways topresent the story to each other,making it as dramaticas possible. Suggestions include:
a. Focus: The narrators should lookat the audience, and the animalsshould try to look at each other when they'are talking to each other. While waiting forDragon to return from heaven, Rooster should focuson a location above the audience and imagineDragon there.
b. Voices: Encourage variationsin pitch, inflection, and loudness.
c. Sound effects: If students can maintainthe pace of the story, they mightwish to add sound effects.
d. Props: A simple pair of hornscould be handed from Rooster to Dragon ifit does not detract attention from thestory itself. 7. Let the groups practicesome more. Solicit a group of volunteers to readfirst, followed by theother groups. If possible, tape recordthe readings to allow the students tohear themselves and toadd importance to theirproductions.
8. Discuss each performance,looking for highlights and particularly goodaspects rather than stressing comparisons amonggroups. Ask students questions such as:
a. How did the actors keepyour attention?
b. What did they do to makeyou believe they were that character?
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EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:
1. Present the performancesfor other classesor for parents.
2. Research animal folktalesor Aesop's fables, comparing. and contrastingthem with this story.
3. Research other Chinesefolktales. Create scripts for them.
4. Rooster and Dragon are twocharacters from the Chinese zodiac. Find out what theother animals are and note the supposed personalitytraits of people who are born in theyear of each animal. 5. Dragon can be the basis ofwonderful art possibilities. Compare and illustrate the difference between Chineseand European dragons. 6. Have students write theirown stories to explain some phenomenon such as those explainedin folktales. REFERENCES:
1. China, a Book of Activities. Olympia, Washington: Superintendent of PublicInstruction. 2. Five Articles by ChairmanMao by Mao Zedong. Beijing: People's Publishing House,1967. (See the "Foolish Old Man"story.)
3. Folktales of China, editedby Wolfram Eberhard. Chicago: University of ChicagoPress, 1965. 4. The Foolish Old Man WhoMoved Mountains by Marie-Louise Gebhardt. New York: Friendship Press, 1969.
5. Reader!s Theater: StoryDramatization in the Classroom by Shirlee Sloyer. National Council of Teachers of English,1982.
6. The Rooster's Horns byEd Young with Hilary Beckett. New York: William Collins andWorld Publishing Co. with UNICEF,1978. 7. Yeh Shen: A CinderellaStory from China -retoldby Ai-Ling Louie. New York: Philomel Books, 1982. 44
STUDENT READING:
THE ROOSTER'SHORNS Story by Ed Youngand Hilary Beckett Adapted for Reader's Theater by Janet B.Graves
Narrator I: At one time in history, not allthe animals looked as they donow. Dragon: The most beautiful sight on earth isRooster with his horns. How splendid it could visit Heaven would be if I wearing Rooster'shorns! Worm: Done! I'll help you getthem. Only you must do exactlyas I tell you. You must first admire the rooster'scomb. Dragon: I'll do justas you say. Narr. II: As Worm and Dragonare discussing their Rooster comes plan, up to join them. Dragon winks at Worm andsays - Dragon: How brilliantyour comb is, Honorable It is as wonderful Rooster! as any ruby or diamondin the crown ofour emperor! Narr. I: Rooster is very flattered and bowsdeeply. Rooster: Thank you, NobleDragon. Narr. II: And then Worm whispers to theDragon... Worm: Tell him howbeautiful his tail in the sun. feathers are Dragon: How fine your tailfeathers are, Honorable Rooster. They are like bannersin the royal procession! Narr. I: Rooster sticks hishead in the air VERY proud. and feels Narr. II: Rooster struts andparades round and The kind words round. have gone to hishead. Narr. I: Then Worm turnsto Dragon... Worm: Now, you must tell him what you mostadmire! Dragon: Your Horns! Your horns are superb,Honorable Rooster! Brilliant as a temple the sun! roof kissed by
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Narr. II: Rooster struts proudly.
Dragon: Dear Rooster, may I tryyour horns on? Rooster: Of course!
Narr. I: Rooster generously givesthe horns to Dragon. Dragon: Oh! Beloved Rooster, might Iborrow them? I have been invited to Heavenfor a visit, and I do so want to lookmy very best! Of course I shall mention that theyare your horns! I shall tell everyone aboutyour generosity!
Narr. II: The rooster begins to imaginehis fame but is a little concerned.
Rooster: When shall I get them back?
Dragon: Never fear my DEAR friend,,you shall have them back by sunrise!
Narr. I: Then Rooster turns toworm to ask a question... Rooster: Can I trust Dragon?
Worm: Oh yes, yes! Every word he says it true! swear that Dragon is as honestas I am. Narr. II: Rooster is convinced... Rooster: Noble Dragon, youmay wear my horns! And we will look forward to hearingyour stories about your visit to Heaven whenyou return. Narr. I: Dragon puts on the eleganthorns and Worm and Rooster watch Dragonsoar into Heaven.
Narr. II: Worm slithers down into theEarth. Narr. I: The next morning at Sunrise,Rooster eagerly awaits Dragon's return. Alas, Sundown arrives. Narr. II: Rooster waits expectantlythrough several days and nights. Then suddenly Rooster catchesa glimpse of a shadow againstthe sun! Rooster: Ah! There you are, Dragon. Narr. I: But in the next moment heknows it is notso. And sadly says...
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Rooster: No, it is onlya flicker of sunlight- or maybe the turn ofa butterfly wing._ arr. II: Each morning Roostergets up just before sunrise and shoutsto Heaven... Rooster: Give me backmy horns! Give me backmy horns! Give me back my horns! Narr. I: But Dragon neverreturns and todayyou can see Rooster at sunrise andhear him crowing for his horns. Narr. II: And you mighteven catch sight of Worm,running away from Rooster, for Wormhas been afraid of Rooster from that day tothis.
Narr. I: But, if you should beso lucky to see Dragon... Ah! What a beautiful sight! His horns areas brilliant as a templeroof kissed by thesun.
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CHINESE SHADOW PUPPETS
LEVEL: upper elementary and middleschool TIME: 4 to 8 class sessions
OBJECTIVES: The students will:
a. read a traditional Chinesestory and analyze its key elements.
b. translate the story intoa form suitable for a puppet performance.
c. make shadow puppets to illustratethe story. d. put on a dramatic performancefor other students. MATERIALS:
1. copies of Three PreciousPearls either in story or script form (included)
2. transparencies of puppetpatterns (included) 3. materials to make puppets: thin tag board, felt -tip marking pens, chopsticks(2 per puppet), scissors, hole punch, brads,laminating machineor clear contact paper
4. puppet stage, (or two chairsor two desks and a broomstick), a white sheetor cloth, 2 clamp-on reading lights with 100watt bulbs. (As an alternative, use overheadprojectors.) TEACHER BACKGROUND:
According to legend, shadowtheater originated in China in 121 b.c. when Wu Di,an emperor of the Han dynasty,was overwhelmed with grief at thedeath of his favorite concubine. A Taoist priest, wishing toease the Emperor's grief, used a shadow toevoke a likeness of thewoman. The Emperor was so taken with themoving image that he thought his love had come backto life.
Shadows exist in a magicalworld between reality and dreams, and in many culturesshadows have been a link with spirits of the deador ritual cults. Shadow puppetry has existed in many parts of Asia,but it is in China that shadow play probably originated.
During the Song dynasty(960 - 1279 a.d.) shadowplays became popular. Traveling storytellers usedshadows to 54 48 illustrate their tales of warfare,chivalry, romanceor Buddhist legend. Plays were given in Courtor private homes for special occasions. Performances were most welcomedin the women's quarters, forwomen were not allowed in theaters and shadow plays were theironly glimpse of the entertainment enjoyed bymen at the Opera.
A performing troupe usuallyconsisted of puppeteers, blind musicians who playedstringed instruments andbamboo flutes, singers and percussionmusicians with a varietyof drums, cymbals, and gongs. Musical accompaniment andsound effects highlighted the actionof a play. A troupe traveling from village to villagemight be composed ofa family whose different membersdoubled up in the roles. The puppets were made of animalor fish skins, with donkey skin preferred for itsdurability. A master puppeteer might haveover onehundred figures and a thousand interchangeable heads. Each puppet could haveas many as ten pieces. They had many holes or slits,to allow light to pass through them, and were brightlyco/ored, so the color would appear through themulberry bark screen.
Shadow theater has traditionallybeen part entertainment, part instruction.The tales that have delighted viewers for centuriesusually carried a messageas well. This is the way in whichthe Communist government of China has used shadow theaterto deliver modernization messages to people in ruralareas. DAY 1:
PROCEDURE:
1. Explain to the studentsthat they will be working with a Chinese folktale. (Use background information from the Rooster'sHorns unit.) Define the basic characteristicsof a folktale.
2. Introduce the difficultvocabulary words in the story:
apprentice jackal precious chiselled ii * recede crippling mason reverently daunted mill seething dazzling myriad shimmering draught oozing souvenir encounter pearl summon glittering pierce task hardship phoenix unicorn inquire plunge vast * 1/3 of a mile 55 49
3. Either read the storyto the class or have read it themselves. students
4. .Discuss the followingquestions:
a. What is the plot of thisstory? b. What is the conflict?
c. Folktales entertain us butalso often teachus a lesson. What is the lessonor moral taught in Three Precious Pearls?
d. Do you think this story isan effective way to make this point? Why or why not?
e. Do you think this storysounds Chinese?Why or why not?
f. Is the lesson taught inthe story just Chinese or could it be universal?
g- Can you think of other storieswith the same message? DAY 2:
PROCEDURE:
1. Ask students to listways in which stories told or dramatized. can be They will probably listbooks, movies, plays, andtelevision. If they don't mention puppets, addthem to the list. 2. Ask students to listthe elements a storymust have to be effectivelyperformed, such asan interesting plot.
3. Review the outline ofthe story: who, what, when, and where, and identifythe conflict and theme. 4. Ask students to identifywhat aspects of thestory might need to bechanged to present it as drama. effectively
5. Explain that the classwill present this story using an ancientmethod, shadow puppets. Shadow puppets have been popularin China for almost2,000 years. Use data from the teacherbackground as is appropriate to the class.
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6. Ask students whatadditional challengesthey will face in using thisformat. For example, the audience will notsee facial expressions,and the range of movement is limited.
7. Ask how theycan compensate for these such as by making handicaps, voices convey greatemotion, or by using music andsound effects. 8. Display transparenciescf shadow puppetsor actual puppets if you haveaccess to some. Explain that traditional puppetsare colored figures cut of parchment made from donkey,sheep, goat, water, buffalo, pig oreven fish skins. The figures are carved and painted.
The puppet is controlledby stiff wires,a body wire attached at theneck and one wireon each hand. Figures are usuallyjointed at the wrist, elbow, shoulder, hipand knee. Joints overlap and are joined by a knot ofstring. The head is separate and fit intoa collar at the neckso that heads can be interchangedto create different characters or even bemade to fly off dramatically at the high point ofa sword fight. Adapting to current materials, shadow puppetsthat are now made in Chinaare made of a synthetic material similar toacetate. This eliminates the need for'intricate cutting to create designson the figures. Lines can be madesimply by drawing rather than cuttingaway the parchment. DAY 3:
PROCEDURE:
1. With younger students,divide the class into of six. groups
2. Hand out the scriptsand ask students to their parts. choose
3. Practice reading thescript as a choral with all the unicorns reading, reading simultaneously,etc. 4. With older students,divide the class into of six.. groups
5. Hand out the completestory and ask eachgroup to write its own script, keeping in mind thedramatic elements discussedthe previous day.
57 51.
DAY 4:
PROCEDURE:
1. Either using thepatterns in this unitor working free hand, have studentsoutline their puppetson lightweight tag board. Point out that jointswill need to overlap and berounded. 2. Color the drawings, reminding students thatbright colors and cut-outareas increase the impact shadows. of the
3. Either laminate thepieces or reinforcethem with clear contactpaper. (Laminating increasesthe strength and transparencyof the puppets.)
4. Cut out the pieces withscissors. 5. Join the pieces withbrads.
6. Attach two chopsticksto each puppet withclear tape, using oneas the primary support andone to move the most important piece. Remind students that puppeteers servedlong apprenticeshipsbefore they could manipulatemore than two wires.
7. Students who finish firstcan assist with the stage. Use a puppet stage,a box frame, or simply place a broomstickacross two pieces of furniture. Cover the opening witha white cloth. or an overhead projector, Using lights project the lighttoward the screen from 4 to6" behind it. For clarity, the puppets should beheld very close to the screen. In China, screenswere slanted toward the audience with thepuppets restingon them. DAY 5:
PROCEDURE:
1. Ask groups to rehearsetheir plays, takingturns using the stage. Remind them to exploreways to heighten the drama,such as throughexaggerated movement and voice pitchand tone. 2. With older studentsand/or a longer unit,add special effects. Possibilities includesound effects and music. To enable students tofocus on the separate aspectsof drama, they couldtape their lines in advanceand concentrateon moving their puppets duringthe performance. To reinforce the collaborativenature of drama,one group could narrate while anothermoves the puppets. Using 58 52
overhead projectors forlight sources opensup the possibility of creatingscenery on transparencies. DAY 6:
PROCEDURE:
1. Invite another classor parents and perform the plays. Consider presentingan introduction. EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:
1. Retell the story of ThreePrecious Pearls ina modern American setting,changing the charactersto fit the setting. REFERENCES:
1. The Rooster's Horns byEd Young and Hilary Beckett. Boston: Collins & World, 1978.
2. Shadow Puppets by OliveBlackham. New York: Harper & Brothers Publishers, 1960. 3. Toys and Tales from Grandmother's Attic by EdieKraska. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. andthe Boston Children's Museum, 1979.
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THREE PRECIOUS PEARLS Complete Story
Once upon a time, there wasan old stone cutter who lived on a mountain. He could shape stones into beautiful objects and could make mills, rollers,tables and benches of stone. Because of his superb skills, everybodyhad a great respect for him.
The old mason wanted totrain an apprentice. But before he would accept a boyas his apprentice, he asked the boy to do something for him.Many boys who came to ask for the job went away as soonasthey heard the mere mentionof the task.
But one day a boy named Shi Wa arrivedto ask the old stone cutter to become his apprentice.
The old mason said, "You must firstdo a task for me. When you have finished it I'll takeyou as my apprentice."
Shi Wa replied: "I'll do it withoutfail."
The mason said smilingly, "When itis raining, or windy or the weather is too hot, I can barelycut my stones up here on this mountain. I need a magic pearl thatcan keep off the rain, a pearl thatcan shelter me from the wind and one that can keep the hot weather in check. If you can find these three precious magic pearls,I'll take you as my apprentice."
Shi Wa thought fora while, then he said: "Master, could you tell me where to findthe pearls?"
The old stone cutter laughedheartily and said: "You are not daunted by it. Go south for one thousand iiwhere there is a vast stretch of pinetrees. In the pine trees lives a wise old man who knowseverything. You can ask him. The problem is that it isa long journey. You will need to climb the mountain andcross the sea and you'll encounter jackals, wolves, tigers andleopards. Aren't you afraid of them?"
Shi Wa replied: "So longas I can find these precious pearls, I am afraid of nothing."
Shi Wa departed on his journey. He went on and on until he came to a great roaringriver white withwaves and foam. "How can I cross the river?" Shi Wa wondered.
Suddenly he saw a giant goldendragon oozing from the seething waves. Shi Wa hastily called out:"Golden dragon, 60 54
could you carry meacross the river?I am going to see the- wise old man."
"If you want to see the wiseold man, you will encounter some difficulties. I'll carry you river!" across the
After the golden dragon carriedShi Wa across the river, Shi Wa said,"Golden dragon, thankyou for your help."
The golden dragon replied,"Don't mention it. I'll ask you to do a favour for me. If you meet the wise oldman, could you ask him when I willbe able to summon the wind rain in the sky?" and
"Certainly. I'll inquire about it foryou."Shi Wa readily promised.
Shi Wa continuedon his way until he came toa towering mountain with no slopes.
He thought, "Howcan I climb over this mountain?"
All of a sudden, Shi Waheard a rush of wings andsaw a big phoenix fly towards himfrom the, mountaintop.
Shi Wa shouted to the bird,"Phoenix, could you me across the mountain? carry I am going to the wise oldman." The phoenix replied: "If you want tosee the wise old man, it means that you willencounter some awkwardness. I'll carry youacross the mountain."
Shi Wa climbed on theback of the phoenix andthe phoenix spread its wingsand flew over the mountain.
Shi Wa said, "Phoenix, thankyou for your help."
"Not at all. I want you to ask the wiseold man a question for me. When will I be able tomount the clouds and ride the mist?" thePhoenix asked.
Shi Wa said: "All right. I will inquire about it you." for
Shi Wa continuedon his way until he sawa sea of fire before him. The flames lit up thesky. "How can I plunge intoa sea of flames?" worried. Shi Wa
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Suddenly, a unicorncame out of the flames shouted at once, "Unicorn, and. Shi Wa could.you carry meover the sea of flames? I want to see the wiseold man." The unicorn said, "Ifyou want to see the wise it means thatyou will encounter old man, you!" some problems. I'll help
Shi Wa mounted theunicorn and they sea of flames. rushed through the
Shi Wa said, "Thankyou for your help." The unicorn replied,"Not at all. wise old man You must ask the a question for me. Why can I only rushinto the sea of flamesbut cannot walkon the road?" "Of course. I'll inquire about it quickly promised. for you," Shi Wa Shi Wa continued to go south. His shoeswere worn into holes and his feetwere blistered from the went farther southwards rubbing. Yet, he day and night untilhe finishedone thousand li at last. There, indeed, he of pine trees before found a vast stretch him. The breezeswere blowing, flowers were blossoming and birdswere merrily singing It was really on the trees. a nice place for the wiseold man to live. Shi Wa stayed in the forest for threedays, but he didn't seeanyone. Where was the wiseold man? Then Shi Wa sat under a big pinetree to think. old man with He suddenly noticedan a beard coming towards him. Shi Wa quickly stood up and reverentlyand respectfully is there an old asked, "Excuseme, wise man here?Do you know where heis?" The old man laughed heartily and said: "I am the only old man here. What can I do foryou?" Shi Wa was gladand said: to ask you." "I have somethingdifficult
The wise oldman said: "Wait! questions. You can only ask three One more question istoo many. You should think over which three questionsyou want to ask!" Shi Wa thought, "But I have fourquestions. I have one for the golden dragon,one for the phoenix, unicorn and my one for the own. If I don't askmy own question, I cannot become an apprenticeof the master and master the skills. I cannot If I don't ask thethree other questions, the goldendragon cannot in the sky, the summon the wind and rain phoenix cannot mountthe clouds and ridethe mist and the unicorncannot walk on the road. out about these things I must find for them."He decided to askthe 62 56
questions for thegolden dragon, the unicorn, but he phoenix and the mentioned nothingabout himself- Thenhe took his leave fromthe wise oldman. Shi Wa returned to the sea of flames. The unicornwas waiting for himeagerly and shook its Shi Wa. horn as soon as itsaw
Shi Wa said: "The wise oldman said that there is something caught in your right sole. If it isremoved, you can walk on the road andyou will feel no pain." .The unicorn's eyes lighted up and it liftedits right foot at cnce. A glittering and beautiful its sole. stone fell out of
The unicorn said: "You are reallya good child. Thank you for your help. Let me give you this souvenir." stone as a
Shi Wa acceptedthe stone and continued returned to the mountain. on his way. He The phoenix flapped itswings happily as.soonas it saw him.
Shi Wa said: "The wise old crippling sore man said that there isa on your tail. It you pierce and drainit, you can mount the cloudsand ride the mist." The phoenix stretched its tail atonce and pecked at the sore with itsbeak. *A shimmering down. yellow stone fell
The phoenix said: "You are reallya good child. Thank you for your help. Let me give you this souvenir." stone as a Shi Wa accepted the yellow stoneand continued on to the big river. The golden dragon it saw Shi Wa. danced with joyas soon as
Shi Wa was very glad and said: "The wise oldman said that there 4sa bone stuck inyour throat. otit, then you If you cough it can summon the windand rain in the sky." The golden dragon opened its mouth atonce and coughed with all itsmight. A shiny white stone The golden dragon popped out. said: "You are reallya good child. Thank you foryour help. Let me give you this souvenir." stone as a
Shi Wa acceptedthe white stone long journey. and continued on his At last he returnedto the place where the old stone cutterlived.
63 57
Shi Wa told the oldmaster what he had experiencedon his journey and drew thethree stones from hispocket. He. said, "I did not find thethree precious pearls,so I cannot become your apprentice. Please accept the threestones instead. Good-bye!"
The old stone cutter tookthe three stones and saidto Shi Wa: "Don't leave yet. What can you see in these stones?" three
Then he chiselled the whitestone, revealing a dazzling white pearl. When he held it up to the water,the water receded. He chiselled the yellow stonenext and uncovereda yellow pearl in it, twinkling witha myriad of golden rays. The old man put it in thedraught and the wind stopped blowing. Then he turned his tools to thered stone and uncovered a red pearl in it,reflecting thousands of red lights. The old stone cutter put itnear the fire, and the fire went out.
These were the three preciouspearls that the old stone cutter wanted.
The old master laughed heartilyand said, "My boy,you are not afraid of any hardship andyou' help others. Only in this way can you master skillsand become a worthyperson. You are the very apprenticeI want."
After that, Shi Wa becamean apprentice. He mastered the skills and becamea famous stone cutter.
64 58
STUDENT.RiADING:
THREE PRECIOUSPEARLS A Shadow PuppetPlay
CHARACTERS: Old Stone Cutter Shi Wa (youngboy) Golden Dragon Phoenix Unicorn Wise Old Man
SCENE 1: StoneCutter's cottage
STONE CUTTER: Woe is me! What shall I do? interviewed 1,000 I've boys and none ofthem can pass the be my apprentice. Who will learn test to do? my skills? What shall I
(Sees Shi Wa) Oh! Here comes anotherone. I suppose he'll be unwilling todo my task justlike the others. SHI WA: Master, I havecome to be your apprentice. STONE CUTTER: You must first doa task for me. When you have finished itI'll take youas my apprentice. SRI WA: I'll do it withoutfail. STONE CUTTER: When it is raining, is too hot,I can barely or windy or the weather cut my stonesup here on this mountain. I need a magicpearl that a magic pearl that can keep off the rain, can shelter me fromthe wind, and pearl thatcan keep the hot a magic weather under control. If you can find these threeprecious magic my apprentice.. pearls, I'll takeyou as
SHI WA: Master, could you tell me where tofind the pearls? STONE CUTTER: (Laughing) Soyou do not giveup like the others.. Go south for1,000 ii where of pine trees. there is a vaststretch In the pinetrees is a man who everything. You can ask him. knows
SHI WA: Will I haveany problems?
STONE CUTTER: Yes, you will. It is a long pine forest. You will need journey to the sea and go through to climb themountain, crossthe a wall of fire. Aren't you afraid? SHI WA: So long as Ican find these precious afraid of nothing. pearls, I am
65 59
SCENE 2: A great roaringriver
SHI WA: La, La, La, how. will Icross this great roaring river?
(A golden dragonappears out of the water)
SHI WA: Golden Dragon, couldyou carry me across the river? I am going to see the wiseold man.
GOLDEN DRAGON: If you want to see the wiseold man, you will encountersome difficulties. I'll carry you river. across the
(Golden Dragon carries ShiWa across) SHI WA: Thank you for your help.
GOLDEN DRAGON: Don't mention it, butplease do me a favor. If you meet the wise old man, will you ask him whenI will be able to call the windand rain in the sky?
SHI WA: Certainly, I'll ask him foryou.
SCENE 3: A towering mountain withno slopes
SHI WA: La, la, la. How shall I climbover this mountain? (A big phoenix flies toward him from the mountaintop.) SHI WA: Phoenix, could youcarry me across the mountain? I am going to see the wise oldman.
PHOENIX: If you want to see the wiseold man you will encounter some awkwardness. I will carry you mountain. across the
(Shi Wa climbson the back of the phoenix and the mountain.) they fly over
SHI WA: Phoenix, thankyou for your help.
PHOENIX: Not at all, but I wouldlike you to ask the wise old man a question forme. When will I be able to clouds and ride the mist? mount the
SHI WA: All right. I will ask your question.
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SCENE 4: A sea of fire
SHI WA: La, la, la, howcan I plunge into a sea of flames? (A unicorn comes out ofthe flames)
SHI WA: Unicorn, could youcarry me over the sea of flames? I am going to see the wiseold man.
UNICORN: If you want to see the wiseold man, you will encounter some difficulties. I will carry you through the flames.
(Shi Wa mounts the unicornand they rush through the flames.)
SRI WA: Thank you for your help.
UNICORN: Not at all, but I would likeyou to ask the wise old man a question for me. Why can I only rush into thesea of flames but cannot walkon the road?
SHI WA: Of course, I'll askyour question. SCENE 5: Shi Wa walks intoa pine forest SHI WA: My feet are blistered. My shoes have holes. I think I have walkedfor days but I am finally inthe pine forest! What a beautiful place. I hope I can find the wise old man.
(Shi Wa looks aroundand up and down. He sees nothing and lies down to sleepawhile. He wakes up and seesan old man coming toward him) SHI WA: (Respectfully) Excuseme, is there an old wiseman here? Do you know where Ican find him? WISE OLD MAN: (Laughing) I am the only old can I do for you? man here. What
SUI.WA: I have some very difficultquestions to ask you. WISE OLD MAN: Wait! You can only ask three questions. One more question is too many. You should think over whatthree questions you want to ask. SHI WA: What should I do? I have four questions. One for the golden dragon, one for the phoenix, one for theunicorn and one of my own. If I do not ask mine, I willnot be the stone cutter's apprentice. But I promised my friends,the dragon, the phoenix, andthe unicorn. I must ask their questions.
67 61
SCENE 6: Back to the sea of flames. The unicorn is waiting.
SHI WA: The wise old man said thatthere is something caught in your right sole. If it is removed,you can walk on the road and you will feelno pain. UNICORN: You are right! Here is a stone in it beautiful? my foot. Isn't You are such a good child. Let me give you this stone asa souvenir.
SCENE 8: The mountains withno slopes. waiting. The phoenix is
SHI WA: The wise old man said thatthere is a crippling sore on you tail. If you open it,you can mount the clouds and ride the mist.
PHOENIX: You are right! Here is a stone that my tail. was lodged in Look at the shimmer of thisyellow stone. You are such a good child. Let me give you thisstone as a souvenir.
SCENE 9: The roaring river. The golden dragon iswaiting. SHI WA: The wise old man saidthat there is in your throat. a bone caught If you cough it out,then you cansummon the wind and the rain inthe sky. DRAGON: (Cough, cough!) You are right. Look at this shiny white stone the boneturned into. You are such a good child. Let me give you this stoneas a souvenir. SCENE: Back- at the stone- cutters.
SHI WA: Old Master, I did notfind the three precious pearls, so I cannot becomeyour assistant. Please accept these three stones instead. Good bye. (Turns to leave)
STONE cUri'ER: Don't leave yet. What can you see inthese three stones?The first stone holdsa white pearl. the water recede, it Look at moves the rain away when I holdit up. SHI WA: And the second stone holdsa yellow pearl. Look! It stops the wind fromblowing. STONE CUTTER: The third stone holdsa red pearl. When I put it near a fire, theflames go out. 68 62
SHI WA: Oh Master, did I indeedfind the three precious pearls?
STONE CUTTER: That you did my boy. first. You thought of others You were not afraid ofhardships. Only in this way can you master skills andbecome a worthyperson. You are the very apprentice Iwant!
69 63
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. 1, 70
WHAT'S IN A NAME
GRADE LEVEL: 4th to 7th grade TIME: 2 or 3 periods
OBJECTIVES: Students will:
1. read for information about Chinesenaming patterns. 2. translate information ontoa data retrieval chart.
3. hypothesize about changes in Chineseculture as reflected in naming patterns.
4. increase their sense of self-worthby creating own name stamp. MATERIALS:
1. student reading: "Chinese Name TheirBabies" 2. "Chinese Naming Patterns" chart 3. stamp worksheet
4. materials for making stamps: rubber erasers, dull knives or nails, red printingink, paper to stamp PROCEDURE:
1. Optional: Teachers may wish to have students complete charts for Americannaming patterns, drawing from the students'knowledge of their families. This would develop theconcepts that names reflect a culture and that patternschange with time. It also enables the teacher tostart with who the studentsare and then explore other patterns. Good resources include dictionariesand books of baby names. DAY 1:
1. Have the students read "ChineseName Their Babies."
2. Have them complete. the data retrievalchart. 3. Ask the class to shareanswers and develop hypotheses aboutreasons for changes by raising the following kinds of questions:
7 7 71
a. Is the family still important tocontemporary Chinese?Support your answer.
b. Why do you think givennames no longer describe political enthusiasm?
c. What can you tell about thestatus of women at various times?
d. Do you think the one-child familywill affect naming patterns?How?
e. Titles often identifya person's status. What determines status in China ineach time period? DAY 2:
I. Explain that Chinesename stamps are used by individuals on importantdocuments. This is in addition to the writtensignature and adds importance.Artists may own severalstamps which are used to sign their work. One stamp may name the studio where the work isdone and another may have the characters for theartist's professional name. The stamp is made of soapstoneor other substances, including jade, wood,and iron, and no two are exactly alike.
2. Have students experiment withdesigns for their names in empty spaces on the worksheet. Suggest initials, fancy scriptsor pictographs.
3. When they have designs thatplease them, have them draw the designon the flat side of a rubber eraser. Remind them that the imagewill be reversed when it is printed.
4. Using a dull knifeor nail, cut away the area around the design so thatthe design stands out.
5. Ink the stamps by pressing intostamp pads. Stamp the design on the paper.
Optional: An easier method of makingstamps is to press the design into squares ofstyrofoam with a pencil.
78 72
STUDENT READING:
CHINESE NAME THEIR BABIES
The People's Republic ofChina, established in sought to eliminate 1949, many of the traditional ways in Chinain order to improve Chinese life. Not only government, but also housing, health andeducation changed. Even the choice of infants' names changed.
In traditional China, children'snames were usually chosen by their grandparentsor by taking the next name on the family list ofnames. The family name was written first and although the givenname might be written with two characters, it was consideredone name. If the child wasa girl, the name might beJinaxian, which means Quietand Virtuous. A boy might be named Courage. Often all children in one generation(brothers, cousins, sisters)were given names with one syllable incommon, such as Shushen, Shulin, and Shuaang. Shu means tree in eachname. Shen means forest, lin meansgrove, and aang.means strong or tough.
When a woman married, shetook.her husband's name and was no longer called her childhoodname. A girl whose family name was Lei whomarried a man named Gao,was called Gao Lei Shi whichmeans wife of Gao Lei. Children were given their father's familyname. Men were addressed as xianshena (meaning elderborn). Married women were addressed as taitai (greatone) and unmarried womenwere addressed as xiaoiie (littlemiss).
In the period immediatelyafter the revolution, parents began to choose theirchild's name themselves. The family name was written first and two-syllablegiven names were still common. Names which honored the revolutionwere popular-- Hong (red), Weidonq(protect the Party) or Li Aimin (love thePeople). It was no longer easy to separate girls' and boys'names by meaning. Generational names were less common as namingfrom family lists became lesscommon. When a woman married,she kept her givenname and her own family's name. Children usually were giventheir father's name. Both men and womenwere addressed as tonazhi (comrade). Xiao (little) was putbefore the-surname of someone younger and lao (old)was added as a sign of respect to a senior.
Many of the changes mentionedin the previous paragraph are still true, but in the lastdecade some additional changes have occurred. Given names are now usuallyone syllable and revolutionarythemes are not as popular. Names may reflect the place of birth,or the season, or the hopes of the parents. Every name may mean several things. The name ring can be translatedas frozen, staring, stable, smooth or winter. Born in winter, one baby Ning'sname 79 73 reflects both theseason and the parents' desirefor stability. Hua, meaning treeor China, was named after trees on the hillside behind his place of birth. Sometimes children may be giventheir mother's familyname if there are no uncles with childrento carry on thename. Nowadays, colleagues andneighbors add xiao person's family or lao to a name. When they are beingmore formal, they use a full name, a job titleand family name,or a family name followed by tongzhi.
Every culture has certainpatterns concerningnames and therefore the use ofnames and titles may differ. As changes occur ina culture, the naming patternsoften change. Such is the situation inChina. writing the family The practice of name first is one of the fewtraditional patterns still honored bycontemporary parents in China.
SO CHINESE NAMING PATTERNS Name 1. Whichfirst? name is written Traditional-pre 1949 Revolutionary-1949-1970's Contemporary-1980's 2. generationalgivenWho chooses name? anames? child's Are there 3. Givegiven examples names mean.of what 4. alone?femaleifIs a itperson frompossible theis male nameto tellor 5. aWhose child family have? name does 6.--- afterWhat isshe a marries?woman's name 7. What forms of 1 91 address are used? c 75
Name
Zhang Qiu Yuan
TRY SOME DESIGNS FOR YOURNAME
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S3 76
LUO XIANDA'S FAMILY
GRADE LEVEL: 5th to 7th grade.
TIME: 3 forty-five minutelessons OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. discover some basic factsabout family life in China.
2. identify similarities anddifferences between Chinese and American families.
3. report on their own family lifeby writing a one-page description of their familyas they would present it to a Chinesestudent. MATERIALS:
1. Handout about "Luo Xianda'sFamily" PROCEDURE:
1. Distribute the handoutto the students and have them read it.
2. Individually, in pairs,or in groups have the students answer thequestiohs at the bottomof the handout.
3. Discuss theiranswers to the questions ih the handout.
4. Have the students completea comparison chart in which they list thesimilarities and differences they see in Luo Xianda's family life and theirown. 5. Have the students writea one-page description of their family life. 77
Extension Activities:
1. Ask the students what additionalthings they would like to know about family lifein China. Assign students to do researchon the various items in which they are interested.
2. Invite a guest speaker who isChinese to discuss his/her family life andencourage the students to ask questions.
3. If some kind of'a letter exchangecan be arranged with a school in China, havethe students' essays on their families sent to the school.
B5 78
STUDENT READING:
LUO XIANDA'S FAMILY
Ni hao (hello). Welcome to Chengdu, China.My name is Luo Xianda. I am 12 years old andattend Number 12 Middle School here in Chengdu; it is a keir school whichmeans it is one of the best schools inmy city of almost 4,000,000 people. (But I'll tell youmore about my school later.)
There are four people inmy family; this includesme, my mother and my father, andmy grandmother, my father's mother. Today in China parentsare encouraged by the government to have onlyone child because we have sucha large population to houseand feed. People are even offered economic incentivesto limit their families. For example, peasants are offered choiceplots of land if willingto limit themselves toone child. For factory workers, are used as rewards. bonuses As a result in Chinatoday there are more than 32 million singlechild families. My father's name is LuoYanxu. He is a cardiac pediatrician in Chengdu'slargest hospital. He just returned from a year'sstudy and work ata hospital in Seattle. As our family couldnot travel with him (we neither the money had nor government permissionto allow mother and me to go), I didmiss him very much. My mother is Li Xiaoping. She is a pediatricianalso, but at a different hospital than my father. Mother kept herown family name when she married;this is verycommon in China today. grandmother is retired My and spends her timetaking care of our apartment andme.
As I said, myname is Luo Xianda. name and Xianda is Luo is my family my personal name. Here in China we write our family names first and our personal names second. In Chinese, mynames look like this.
Most Chinese names havea meaning. first to get to Mine means goalor .a certain place. Other examples ofnames with meaningsare Ying (hero), Ling (bright). (clever), and Ming Some popular girls'names today translate to swan, slender, and beautiful while some popularboys' names are strong, brave, and soldier. There are very few different last names in China. Many people ina village will have thesame family name. (The most common family name in the world isa Chinese name: Chang.)
86 79
My mother's parentsare in their eighties. They have retired and liveon a farm about 60 kilometersfrom Chengdu near a town called Guanghan. With them live my uncle,aunt, and their three childrenand my Aunt Li Fan. It is very common, especially in the countryside,for three generations to live in the same house. This is becoming less the cities. usual in
My Aunt Li Fan teaches atthe primary school in her village. She is thirty-three whichis old for aperson still to be single. My grandmother worries thatAunt Li Fan will never marry. Family is very important inChina and seldom is a person unmarried after he or she reachesthirty. QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES:
1. What traditional customsrelated to the family continue in China today?
2. What changes have takenplace in traditional Chinese families? Why do you think thesechanges may have occurred?
3. What do you think accountsfor the government's encouraging one-child families? Does their encouragement seem to be working? What might account for the government'ssuccess? 4. Make a chart listing thesimilarities and differences between the lifeof Luo Xianda, and your own family life.
5. Write a one page story ofwhat you would want to tell Luo Xianda about familylife in the United States.
87 80
LUO XIANDA'S EDUCATION
GRADE LEVEL: 5th to 7th grade
TIME: 2 to 3 forty-five minutelessons OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. read basic facts about lower middleschool (junior high level) education.
2. identify similarities anddifferences between the Chinese and American educationalsystem. 3. analyze what valuesappear to be exhibited by the Chinese educational system.
4. evaluate their own conduct by writinga set of representative classroom rulesas they would present them to a Chinese studentand analyze what those rules say about theirvalues. MATERIALS:
1. Handout about "Luo Xianda's Education" PROCEDURE:
1. Distribute the handoutto the students and have them read it.
2. Individually, in pairs,or in groups have the students answer the questionsand do the activities at the end of the handout.
3. Discuss theiranswers to the questions and responses to the activities.Have them post their rules of conduct for theclassroom around theroom.
88 81
STUDENT READING:
LUO XIANDA'S EDUCATION
I am a student at Number 12 MiddleSchool; it is one of four key middle schools in Chengdu. Being designateda key school means that it provides the besteducation possible because it gets the best teachers, brighteststudents, and more funding than other middle schools. I had to score 240 points out of a possible 250 pointson an examination in order to be accepted to this school. The average marks to get into an ordinary middle schoolare 140 points, and many people are not accepted.
Only 4 to 5% of middle school graduatesget to go on to colleges or universities; that isabout 1.2% of the people who are college age. Therefore, entrance exams forthem are really competitive. I have had to studyvery hard to get into a key school. I am glad I am here as 70 to 80%of our graduates get into colleges, muchmore than the average.
Students at middle schoolsrange in age from twelve to seventeen or eighteen years old, andour program is divided into a junior middle schoolof three years and a senior middle school of two to threeyears. I am in my first year of junior middle school. Classes begin for me at .8a.m. after a period of exercises. Classes end at 3:00, but I generally stay at school until4 or 4:30 to participate ina literature interestgroup as I would very much like to bea writer some day. I do notgo home for lunch as home isa 45 minute bus ride away. I generally have about two tothree hours of homework each night.
I go to school from earlySeptember until the second week in July, Mondays throughSaturdays. I get a winter vacation of four to five weeksabout the time of our Spring Festival (Chinese New Year). In the summer many middle school students spend two to threeweeks of voluntary labor in a factory or ona farm.
There are 1,680 students inmy school. Our class size is. 50 students, butwe often break into smallergroups to review homework and hold discussions. The subjects I have this year and the number ofhours I have them each weekare as follows: Chinese (6 hours); Mathematics(6 hours); English (5 hours); Physics (3hours); History, Geography, and Physiology (2 hours each); PhysicalEducation (2 hours); Music (1 hour); Art (1 hour);and Political Science (2 hours).
Sports are important in my school,too. We won first place recently in the city in swimmingand gymnastics. Our school has labs, a swimming pool,play grounds, dormitories
89 82 -
for students who liveso far away that it is not convenient for them to travel to andfrom school daily, and apartments for the teachers and staff. Oh, we recently got a computer lab and a televisioncamera and recorder. I hope I can someday learn to film things;maybe I could write scripts for television.
On my report card I get gradesin percentages, like 90%. I also get evaluatedon whether I am meeting the "Rules of Conduct for Pupils." They are posted at the school and we are constantlyreminded to follow them. The moral standards by whichstudents in China are evaluated these: are
1. Have a warm love for the motherlandand the people. Study well and makeprogress every day.
2. Be punctual and do not miss classwithout a good reason.
3. Be attentive in class anddo your assigned homework conscientiously.
4. Keep at physical training;take an active part in recreational activities.
5. Pay attention to personalhygiene and dress neatly. Do not spit!
6. Love physical labor. Keep within your ability.
7. Observe school discipline andpublic order. 8. Show respect foryour teachers and be united with your fellow pupils.
9. Show concern for the collective. Take good care of collective property. Hand in whateveryou find. 10. Do not tell lies andbe ready to correctyour mistakes.
During our vacationswe have one to two hours of work each day. My study group will meetthis summer to review homework and to organizesome type of service activity. It might be something likehelping in a nursery, planting trees, or pickingup litter. I'll do the service activity -two or three times a week for several hours each time. I will also continueto have morning exercises inthe summer and will participate in some kind of physical activity. I will probably playbasketball as I really love thesport, and I am tall so I alwaysget to play center. I will also get to take my mid-daynap in the summer; I really miss it during the schoolyear. In the evening I will usuallywatch 83
some television .or read. Since I am studying EnglishI am trying to read English books.Someone recently gave me Tom Sawyer. I am finding it difficult,but I keep trying to read it. Oh, I enjoy going to the movies,too. We get some Japanese films here andsome American ones. I've seen Star Wars and Rambo.
QUESTIONS AND ACTIVITIES:
1. Make a chart of the differencesand similarities between Chinese and American juniormiddle schools (junior high level here in the U.S.).
2. What values do you thinkare important to the Chinese based on what you've justread about their educational system?
3. What specific values doyou think the Chinese hold based on their "Rules of Conduct for Pupils"?
4. Write a set of rules foryour own classroom conduct that you could give to a Chinese studentto study. What do the rules you've composedsay about American values?
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LUO XIANDA'S HOME
GRADE LEVEL: 5th to 7th grade TIME: 2 to 3 forty-five minutelessons OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. read about some basicfacts about housing in China. 2. illustrate similaritiesand differences between Chinese and Americanhousing and the influencesthe Chinese government hason housing in China. 3. draw their own floorplans for an apartmentfor a family' of four andanalyze the ways the family would adjust their behaviorto life in the they design. space MATERIALS:
1. handout on "Lou Xianda'sHome" 2. meter sticks 3. masking tape PROCEDURE:
1. Distribute the handoutto the students and have them read it.
2. Have them individuallyanswer the questions on the handout and then discuss'their responses.
3. Have the students getinto groups of 4 to 5 students to designto scale the apartmentfor a family of four at8.8 square metersper person. Then have thegroups vote on which planthey like best. Have that plan measuredout on the classroom floor or playground. 4. Allow students an opportunity to millaround in the "apartment" created. Discuss how the size ofthe apartment might affectthe behavior of the four people who livethere.
92 85
STUDENT READING:
LOU XIANDA'S HOME
I live in Chengdu, the capital of SichuanProvince. It is .a city ofalmost 4,000,000 people. There is new construction goingon everywhere. Hotels, a sports and many, many complex, new apartment buildingsare going up to help meet the demands ofour growing population. in great demand Apartments are and many people haveto wait a long timeto get one. They are crammed intowhat space is available while they wait.
My family is very lucky,however. We have what is probably considered quitea large apartment for My father told four people. some visitors from the U.S.who came toour apartment recently that itwas average for Chengdu. I am not sure that iscorrect, but thenmy father is very proud of our home and whathe has accomplishedand I cannot fault him for wanting toput China in a goodlight. I will describe my apartment and drawyou a diagram of what it looks like. (I am not an artistor a budding architect so I hopeyou won't expect too muchof the drawing.) Also I will describehousing in the country, where my relatives live.
My family's apartmentis on a wide father has a 30 minute new boulevard. My bike ride to hishospital, but my mother can walk toher hospital in 10minutes. the third floor of We live on an eight story building. The building is constructed of cementand is staineda pale green. five rooms: We have a kitchen, two bedrooms,a sitting parlor,a combination room(bedroom for my grandmother room for all of us), and and a living a toilet. The floors areconcrete. Our entry is big enoughto hold our washing small dining table. machine and a A balcony runs alongone side of the apartment; it is loadedwith potted plants hang our laundry. and is where we Our toilet dooropens onto the balcony, too. Our toilet consists ofa hole in the floor, and we have no bathtub, since we bathe in a small tubwe set up in the kitchen or go toa public bath. Some of the newer apartments are being builtwith showers; they demand. are in high
One bedroom is mine,but it alsoserves as my mother's study. Both my mother and Ihave desks in of bookcases. my room and lots My parents' bedroomalso serves as father's study. my He has a huge desk andseveral bookcases there, too. In both bedrooms there which we store are large wardrobes in our clothes as Chineseapartments rarely have closets. We have a bottledgas stove with two burners no oven. but My grandmother andmother usually cook ina wok. 86
We have two floor fans to helpcool us off during our hot summers. We also have a refrigerator which isin our sitting room. The sitting room is usually onlyused when guests come. It holds a large framed pictureof my grandfather, my father's father,who died several yearsago. We don't have a heating systemso we have to dress warmly and do sometimes usea coal stove for heat, but it is rather dirty. Some newer buildings have heatingsystems, but they are still rare. My father stores his bicycle ina special storage room on the first floor.
Our apartment may seem small toyou, but it is very comfortable for us. China is so densely populated thaton the average there are only 8.8square meters of living space per person in cities. I have a friend who lives with his parents and sister in oneroom on the second floor of an old building. They have room for two double bedsand a dining table that also servesas a desk. They share a kitchen down the hall with three other familiesand the toilet with seven families. Our government is now buildingmany new apartments, and my friend's family is hopingto get into one of those soon. Housing is so scarce that workmenon construction sites live intemporary shelters of reed matting, and when aroom in the building under construction is partially finished, theymove into it until the building is finished.
We do not own our apartment;the governmentdoes.We pay 16 yuan a month rent and utilitiestogether;this is about $4.50 U.S. The peasants, however, usuallyown their own homes. Since they can own homes,they oftenspend extra money they earn in making theirhomes as nice aspossible. Many peasants' homesare still made of sun-dried mud bricks with the wallsfrequently painted over with whitewash to provide waterproofing.The roofs are of rice straw thatching. In humid South China such housesdo not last many years and have to be rebuilt. More prosperous peasants make their homes today fromfired bricks with tile roofs. The homes are usually builtaround a courtyard or two, off of which will be the kitchenand a pen for chickens, ducks, rabbits, and/or a pigor two. Many of the homes have a colorful gate. Some homes are two stories tall.
94 87
QUESTION AND ACTIVITIES:
1. In what ways does thegovernment influence China? housing in
2. What facilitiesare not included ina Chinese apartment that are common inan American home? 3. Which of these itemsdo you feelare necessities? Luxuries?What do your choicessay about your values? 4. What do you think are values in Luo Xianda'shome?
95 88
FLOORPLAN OF MYAPARTMENT,
Toilet
A L 0 N
w rrci
my Po, re rris TiZEM= does Bedrverni wincloidS 96 shall 89
CONSTITUTIONS ACROSS THESEA
GRADE LEVEL: Intermediate or junior high
TIME: 3 to 5 forty-minutelessons OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. read and discuss parts ofthe United States and Chinese Constitutions.
2. graphically depict articlesfrom the constitutions.
3. find similarities anddifferences between the constitutions.
4. create a book about "ConstitutionsAcross the Sea." MATERIALS:
1. student reading on "ConstitutionalRights" 2. student reading on the"Constitution of the People's Republic of China" 3. comparison chart 4. lined paper
5. white ditto paper cut4" x 7" TEACHER BACKGROUND:
For thousands ofyears of rule by emperors, Chinahad laws but no single fundamentaldocument like our constitution. Since the Revolution endedin 1949, China has adopted four constitutions,but they do notassume the importance in the ChineseCommunist system ofgovernment that our Constitution has inour democracy. The Chinese constitutions are more likepolicy statements whichreflect the views of the currentleadership.
In China, as in many othercountries, a Constitution, laws, and a judicial systemare not the dominant means of resolving conflictsor punishing crimes that theyare in the U.S. In fact, China does not havean independent judicial system, unlike ours which isdeliberately createdas part of a system of checks and balancesbetween different branches of government. The Chinese have developedtheir own methods of conflict resolution anddealing with those who violate the laws and customs oftheir society. Mediation, collective responsibilityfor behavior, peerpressure, and proceedings by peersor political officials ratherthan by 97 90
judges or attorneysare all important components ofthe Chinese system. They can be profitably studiedby viewing several of the videotapes inthe Heart of the Draaon television series.
Despite the differentuses and significance of constitutions in the U.S. and China,it is worthwhile to study the Chinese constitution,particularly if a class is studying constitutions around Leworld. Older students might also benefit from studyingthe changes in Chinese constitutions and recent changes inthe Chinese legal system.
PROCEDURE:
1. Run a classroom set of copies for eachdocument and/or prepare overhead transparenciesof.each. 2. Establish a lesson set bymeans of the following discussion.
Ask "What document states howwe will be governed?" (THE CONSTITUTION OFTHE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.) Ask "How long havewe had a constitution? (SINCE 1787.) Ask "Do you think other countries have constitutions?" (YES, MANY DO, INCLUDING CHINA.) Tell the students that some countries have unwritten constitutions,like Britain. Others, like France, have hadten separate constitutional orders inthe past 200 years. China's latest constitutionwas adopted in 1982.
Tell the students we willspend a few class periods comparing partsof the U.S. and Chinese constitutions.
3. Ask, "What is an amendment?" (A REVISION OR CHANGE IN A LAW OR BILL.) Tell the students thatour Constitution might never havebeen ratified without the promise to supportamendments, or changes to the original Constitution.These amendments protect individual liberties. While 26 amendments have been added toour Constitution, the first ten are known as the Bill of Rights.
The Chinese have a section oftheir Constitution called "The Fundamental Rightsand Duties of Citizens."We will first become familiarwith our own amendments, then look at this partof the Chinese Constitution.
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4. Read and discuss the twenty-sixamendments. (An abridged version is attached. Use the World Book Encyclopedia for a clearlywritten resource.) During the discussion,ask probing questions such as, "How does that apply to dailylife now?" "Can you name an example?" "What do you think had happened that made peoplefeel so strongly that they needed to change theConstitution to protect this right?" (You may want to break thisinto two sessions, doing about 13amendments per class period.)
5. Pass out lined paper. Instruct the students to choose an amendment to writea paragraph about in their own words. "WhatAmendment ?? Means to Me," should be four to sixsentences. You may want to make sure all 26 amendmentsare covered but it is not essential.
6. When the students have finishedtheir rough drafts and proofreading, tellthem you want to see the papers for a quick check. As you are checking their short paragraphs,the students should illustrate their paragraphon the 4"x 7" white paper. Encourage the use of bright colorsand filling in all thepaper.
7. Pass back the correctedparagraphs. Instruct students to recopy them in theirbest handwriting after attaching their pictureto the right corner of the page, using thetop line as a guide. Keep at least one-inch marginson the left to facilitate book-making later.
8. Display paragraphs/pictureson the bulletin board. 9. Pass out "The Fundamental Rightsand Duties of Citizens" from the ChineseConstitution. 10. Read them aloud discussingthe meaning. Encourage hypothetical thinking but discouragestereotypical remarks. By probing, "How doyou know that?" or "What are you usingas a basis for that remark?" you can often get to the root ofthe stereotype and expose it. When you do not know theanswer, admit you do not know and tell the studentsthat is a question to investigate. Although this lessonmay end in a day to two,your class can keep up its awareness about the questions and continueto seek accurate answers.
11. Pass out Comparison Charts. Ask students to individually make decisionsabout which of our 99 92
amendments and theChinese articlesare similar and which are different. Tell them thereare no correct answers butthey must be able totell why they decidedas they did.
Begin to share inclass differentstudents' perspectives. Remember, this is nota question of whose constitution isright or wrong; itis simply an exercise for thestudents to comparetwo sources of data. Consequently, thereare no real right or wrong answers about howmany of our amendments similar to or different are from the Chinese. The. important task here isto encourage critical thinking. Students must justifytheir choices. Constantly ask, "Why?""Why do you say that?" did you make that "Why decision ? ". Studentsshould be encouraged to disagree witheach other. Ask "Does anyone have a different opinion?"Telling students they will not bewrong if they givea reason for their choice willfree them up touse their higher order thinking skills.
12. Ask the students whichChinese articles different. seem very Articles 48 and 49are two which can be pointed out.
13. Guide the studentsto an understanding American and Chinese that the Constitutions stateideals. Ask if they knowof situations where have not been put the ideals into practice. An example would be the historicdenial of voting Americans. rights to black Draw their attention to Articles 51 to54 of the Chinese Constitutionand ask them tostate hypotheses about theimpact of these other ones. articles on
Conclude with theobservation that thepower of constitutions resultsfrom the supportthey are given by governmentsand citizens. 14. Collect ComparisonCharts. 15. Using the same procedure as in #5and 7, writea second set of paragraphs,this time on the Rights and Chinese Responsibilities. You might want to hang them on thesame bulletin board, the similarities. emphasizing 16. Put the pages together to form a book. Have one student make acover out of lightweight use regular construction tagboard or contact paper paper and laminate it with or a laminating machine. Title the 10 93
book, "CONSTITUTIONSACROSS THE SEA," similar title. or some 17. Encourage studentsto take it homefor a night and share it with theirfamilies or put. itout for parents and studentsto read inyour classroom.
1.©1 94
STUDENT READING:
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS Abridged from the WorldBook Encyclopedia Volume 4, 1985 AMENDMENT 1 Congress cannot establisha state religion. Congress cannot pass laws limitingworship, speech,or the press or prevent people from meetingpeacefully. Congress cannot prevent people from askingthe government for relief unfair treatment. from AMENDMENT 2 Congress cannot limit people'sright to bear arms. AMENDMENT 3 Congress cannot force peopleto take soldiers into their homes. AMENDMENT 4 Authorities must havea search warrant before they search, seize, or arrestpeople in their homes. AMENDMENT 5 A person cannot be triedtwice for thesame crime nor can a person be forced to testifyagainst himself/herself. No person's life, libertyand property are subjectto the uncontrolled power of thegovernment. take a person's The government cannot property for highways,schools, and other public facilities withoutfair payment. AMENDMENT 6 A person accused of a crime must have a prompt,public trial by an open-mindedjury. AMENDMENT 7 When more than $20.00is in question,people may have a jury trial fornon-criminal (civil)problems. AMENDMENT 8 Bails, fines andpunishments must be fairand humane. AMENDMENT 9 Just because a rightis not listed inthe Constitution does not mean that itis not protected. AMENDMENT 10 The national government cannot overpower thestates. A21 the powers not givento the nationalgovernment are retained by the statesand the people. 95
AMENDMENT 11 It is possible for a citizenof one state to sue another state in federal court. AMENDMENT 12 Members of the "ElectoralCollege" vote for oneperson as President and for anotheras Vice President. AMENDMENT 13 Slavery is prohibited. AMENDMENT 14 People who had been slaves becamecitizens of the United States and thestates in which they lived. It is against the law forany state to deny equal rights toits citizens. People can become naturalizedcitizens by law (granted citizenship). AMENDMENT 15 A voter must be allowed to voteno matter what his race. AMENDMENT 16 Congress has the power to tax income. AMENDMENT 17 The people of each statehave the power to elect their senators. AMENDMENT 18 Known as Prohibition, thisamendment made it illegalto make, sell or transportliquor. It was later repealed by the 21st Amendment. AMENDMENT 19 Women have the right to vote. AMENDMENT 20 This amendment, called the"lame duck amendment,"moves the date that newly electedPresidents and Congressmentake office closer to electiontime. Before this amendment, defeated Congressmen continuedto hold office for four months. AMENDMENT 21 This amendment repeals the18th Amendment. AMENDMENT 22 No person can be elected Presidentmore than twice. AMENDMENT 23 Citizens of the District ofColumbia may vote for President; however, theymay not vote for members of Congress. 103 96
AMENDMENT 24 A "poll tax" or "head tax" is illegalin national elections.
AMENDMENT 25 If the President resigns, diesor is removed from office, the Vice President shallbecome President.The President can appoint a Vice President,should that office become vacant. AMENDMENT 26 Citizens who are 18 years ofage or older have the right to vote.
104 97
STUDENT READING:
THE CONSTITUTION OFTHE PEOPLE'S (Promulgated for REPUBLIC OF CHINA Implementation onDecember 4, 1982) CHAPTER TWO: THE FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND DUTIESOF CITIZENS ARTICLE 33 All persons holdingthe nationalityof the People's Republic of Chinaare citizens of the China. People's Republicof All citizens of the People's Republicof China are equal before thelaw. Every citizen enjoys the rights and atthe same time must perform theduties prescribed the law. by the Constitutionand
ARTICLE 34 All citizens of the People's Republicof China who have reached the age of18 have the right election, regardless to vote and standfor of nationality,race, sex, occupation, family background,religious belief, status, or length education, property of residence,except persons deprived political rightsaccording to law. of ARTICLE 35 Citizens of the People's Republicof China enjoy freedom of speech,of the press, of association, of assembly, of procession and ofdemonstration. ARTICLE 36 Citizens of the People's Republicof China enjoy freedom of religiousbelief. No state organ, public organizationor individual may compel citizensto believe in,or not to believe in, religion; normay they discriminate any believe in, against citizenswho or do not believe in,any religion. The state protects normal religiousactivities. No one may make use of religionto engage in disrupt public activities that order, impair thehealth of citizens interfere with the or educational systemof the state. Religious bodiesand religiousaffairs are not to any foreigndomination. subject ARTICLE 37 The freedom of person of citizens ofthe People's Republic of Chinais inviolable. No citizen may be arrested exceptwith the approval by decision ofa people's procuratorate or or by decision ofa people's court, andarrests must be made security organ. by a public Unlawful deprivationor restriction of freedom ofperson by detention citizen's and unlawful search or other means isprohibited; of the person ofcitizens is prohibited. 105 98
ARTICLE 38 The personal dignity of citizens-of the People's RepUblic of China isinviolable. Insult, libel, false charge or frame-up directed againstcitizens by any means is prohibited. ARTICLE 39 The home of citizens of the People'sRepublic of China is inviolable.Unlawful search of, or intrusion into,.a citizen's home is prohibited.
ARTICLE 40' The freedom and privacy of correspondenceof citizens of the People's Republic of Chinaare protected by law. No organization or individual may,on any ground, infringe upon the freedom and privacy of citizens'correspondence except in cases where, to meet theneeds of state security or of investigation into criminal offenses,public security or procuratorial organs are permitted tocensor correspondence in accordance with proceduresprescribed by law. ARTICLE 41 Citizens of the People's Republicof China have the right to criticize and make suggestionsto any state organ or functionary. Citizens have the right to maketo relevant state organs complaints andcharges against, or exposures of, any state organor functionary for violation of the law or dereliction of duty; but fabricationor distortion of facts for the purpose of libelor frame-up is prohibited. The state organ concernedmust deal with complaints, charges or exposures made bycitizens in a responsible manner after ascertaining the facts. No one may suppress such complaints, charges andexposures, or retaliate against the citizens making them. Citizens who have sufferedlosses through infringement of their civic rights byany state organ or functionary have the right to compensation inaccordance with the law. ARTICLE 42 Citizens of the People'sRepublic of China have the right as well as the dutyto work. Using various channels, thestate creates conditions for employment, strengthenslabour protection, improves working conditions and,on the basis of expanded production, increases remuneration forwork and social benefits. Work is the glorious duty ofevery able-bodied citizen. All working people in stateenterprises and in urban and rural economic collectives shouldperform their tasks with an attitude consonant with theirstatus as masters of the country. The state promotes socialistlabour emulation, and commends and rewards model andadvanced workers. The state encourages citizens to take part involuntary labour.
106 99
The state provides necessary vocationaltraining to citizens before they are employed. ARTICLE 43 Working people in the People'sRepublic of China have the right to rest. The state expands facilitiesfor rest and recuperation of working people, and prescribesworking hours and vacations for workers and staff. ARTICLE 44 The state prescribes by law thesystem of retirement for workers and staff in enterprisesand undertakings and for functionaries oforgans of state. The livelihood of retired personnel is insuredby the state and society. ARTICLE 45 Citizens of the People's Republicof China have the right to material assistancefrom the state and society when they are old, ill or disabled. The state develops the social insurance, social reliefand medical and health services that are requiredto enable citizens to enjoy this right. The state and societyensure the livelihood of disabled members of the armed forces, providepensions to the families of martyrs and givepreferential treatment to the families of military personnel. The state and society helpmake arrangements for the work, livelihood and educationof the blind, deaf-mutes and other handicapped citizens. ARTICLE 46 Citizens of the People's Republicof China have the duty as well as the right toreceive education. The state promotes the all-roundmoral, intellectual and physical development of childrenand young people. ARTICLE 47 Citizens of the People's Republicof China have the freedom to engage in scientificresearch, literary and artistic creation and othercultural pursuits. The state encourages and assists creative endeavorsconducive to the interests of the people thatare made by citizens engaged in education, science, technology,literature, art and other cultural work. ARTICLE 48 Women in the People's Republic of Chinaenjoy equal rights with men in all spheresof life, political, economic, cultural and social, including familylife. The state protects the rights andinterests of women, applies the principle of equalpay for equal work for men and women alike and trains and selectscadres from among women. 107 100
ARTICLE 49 Marriage, the family and mother and childare protected by the state. Both husband and wife have the duty to practicefamily planning. Parents have the duty to rear and educate theirminor children, and children who havecome of age have the duty to support and assist their parents. Violation of the freedom of marriage is prohibited. Maltreatment of old people, women and children is prohibited. ARTICLE 50 The People's Republic of China protects the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese nationals residingabroad and protects the lawful rights and interests ofreturned over-seas Chinese and of the family members of Chinese nationals residing abroad. ARTICLE 51 The exercise by citizens of the People's Republicof China of their freedoms and rightsmay not infringe upon the interests of the state, of society andof the collective, or upon the lawful freedoms and rights of other citizens. ARTICLE 52 It is the duty of citizens of the People'sRepublic of China to safeguard the unity ofthe country and the unity of all its nationalities. ARTICLE 53 Citizens of the People's Republicof China must abide by the Constitution and the law,keep state secrets, protect public property and observe labourdiscipline and public order and respect social ethics. ARTICLE 54 It is the duty of citizens of thePeople's Republic of China to safeguard the security,honour and interests of the motherland; they must not commit actsdetrimental to the security, honour and interests ofthe motherland. ARTICLE 55 It is the sacred obligation ofevery citizen of the People's Republic of China to defendthe motherland and resist aggression. It is the honourable duty of citizensof the People's Republic of China to perform militaryservice and join the militia in accordance with the law. ARTICLE 56 It is the duty of citizens of thePeople's Republic of China to pay taxes in accordance withthe law. 101
COMPARISON CHART
UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION CHINESE CONSTITUTION (Put the Article number by those amendments you believe are similar. There may be more than one. You might briefly give your reason.)
AMENDMENT 1 Freedom of Religion, Speech, and the Press; Rights of Assembly and Petition
AMENDMENT 2 Right to bear Arms
AMENDMENT 3 Housing of Soldiers
AMENDMENT 4 Search and Arrest warrants
AMENDMENT 5 Rights in CriminalCases
AMENDMENT 6 Rights to a Fair Trial
AMENDMENT 7 Rights in CivilCases
AMENDMENT 8 Bails, Fines and Punishments
AMENDMENT 9 Rights Retained bythe People
109 102
AMENDMENT 10 Powers Retained by theStates and the People
AMENDMENT 11 Lawsuits Against States
AMENDMENTS 12 Election of Presidentand Vice-President
AMENDMENT 13 Abolition of Slavery
AMENDMENT 14 Civil Rights
AMENDMENT 15 Slaves. Become Citizens; Race No Barrier to Voting
AMENDMENT 16 Income Taxes
AMENDMENT 17 Direct Election ofSenators
AMENDMENT 18 Prohibition of Liquor
AMENDMENT 19 Women May Vote
AMENDMENT 20 Terms of President and Congress
o 103
AMENDMENT 21 Repeal of Prohibition.
AMENDMENT 22 President Limited to Two Terms of Office
AMENDMENT 23 Citizens of Districtof Columbia May Vote
AMENDMENT 24 Poll Taxes Prohibited
AMENDMENT 25 Presidential Disability and Who Takes Over
AMENDMENT 26 18 Year Olds May Vote
111 104
RESEARCH SKILLS AND CHINESEAGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS
GRADE LEVEL: 4th through 6th grade
TIME: 7-10 forty-minutelessons OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. discover the chief agriculturalproducts of modern China.
2. describe cultivation needs andtechniques.
3. write marketing data regardingthese products.
4. draw conclusions regardingagriculture in China. MATERIALS:
1. data sheets for the class(masters included) 2. World Book Encyclopediaor similar reference set
3. assorted reference booksabout China (optional) TEACHER BACKGROUND:
The most difficult partof this unit will be gettinga sense of the intensive agriculturalproduction done in China with little orno modern technology. The insight for the students shouldoccur as they become aware of thehighly mechanized agriculture thatis standard in theU.S.A. Additional resources, suchas National Geographic, filmstrips and films,presentations like Heart of theDragon from educational television,and pictures from books and magazines when childrencan observe the "bare hand and bent back" agricultural practicesof China would be Although some mechanization very helpful. has occurred, most machinesare small, suitably adaptedto the small plots ofland and maintenance capabilitiesof the country. Pictures will help students comprehend theage-old methods Chinesefarmers still use today to feedthe largest populationon earth. PROCEDURE:
1. Ask students toname the chief agricultural products of China. Use the World Book Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, toverify the list. The products are: RICE, TEA, WHEAT, COTTON,PEANUTS SOYBEANS, CORN, and MILLET. SILK, while not strictly an agriculturalproduct could be added because it is so interestingto study.
112 105
2. Tell students theyare going to become academic detectives. They will investigatethese products and share their informationwith other class members. Tell them to stay alertfor parallels with agriculturalproducts in the U.S. 3. Explain that informationis requestedon the data sheets. Students should notcopy whole sentences from the referencesources, only phrases and facts. The products listed in capitalletters are ones which have complete entriesin the World Book Encyclopedia. These would be best forthe fourth and fifth graders. Sixth graders might beable to handle other chief productsthat are not so adequately covered inone reference. 4. Data Gathering:
a. Fourth Graders: Pass out one data sheetat a time to groups offour. Instruct students to work together to findinformation. Tell them to choose one memberto be a scribe. Either you assign the topic or letthe groups decide.
b. Fifth Graders: Divide class intogroups of four. Each group is assignedor chooses a topic. Give a different datasheet to each person in the group to fill in.
c. Sixth Graders: Assign four studentsto a topic. Two will research Chineseagriculture and two will researchAmerican agriculture. Each is responsible forfilling in all the information on all thesheets but they should be encouraged tocooperatively share information and insightswithin the group of four.
5. Data Reporting:
a. Fourth Graders: Give an oral reportto the class. Each student in thegroup takes responsibility fora section.
b. Fifth Graders: Each student writesa paragraph about the data collectedon his/her sheet.
c. Sixth Graders: Independently writea five paragraph report, includingintroduction and conclusion plus the diagram. Share with other students by doing "round-robinreading." To do this, place students innew groups with students who studied differentproducts. Sit 106 in a circle. Pass reports to the left. Read and write a comment. Then pass again. Read . and write a comment. Continue on around the circle untileveryone in the group has had the opportunity to read andcomment on every report in the circle. 107
Name
GENERAL DATA
Appearance Uses
Kinds Countries Grown In
History Scientific Name/Classification
115 108
Name
CULTIVATION DATA
Climate Soil (or Conditions)
Planting (or Growing) Care
Diseases or Enemies Harvesting/Processing
116 109
Name
MARKETING DATA
1 Transportation Storage
Selling World Demand
/
New Technology or Developments Future
117 110
Name
Draw a DIAGRAM. Choose to illustrateone of the following: A. The product B. The life cycle C. Steps in processing
REMEMBER: Use dynamic colors, label clearly,keep it simple. You may choose to use a larger sheet ofpaper for your diagram.
118 111
CHINESE AOUACULTURE
LEVEL: 5th through 8th grade TIME: 5 days
UNIT OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. identify the structure ofcarp.
2. recognize how basic needs of fishand humans are met.
3. recognize the advantages ofaquaculture.
4. identify the ecosystem ofthe Chinese fish pond.
5. examine the importance of fishin Chinese culture.
6. discover possible effects ofmodernization in China upon the ecosystem of the fish ponds. MATERIALS: See each day's plan TEACHER BACKGROUND:
China has a long historyof freshwater fish culture dating back to around theeleventh century b.c. China may also boast of havingone of the world's largest inland freshwater areas, totalingsome 20 million hectares, of which most is located inthe lower reaches of the three major rivers: Huang He (Yellow River), Yangzi,and Xi Jiang (West River).*
But, despite images to thecontrary, China does not have plentiful suppliesof fish. On average each Chinese person eats only about 6 kilogramsof fish per year, which is less than one-third of the world average andimplies that China ranks only aboutone-hundredth in the world interms of fish consumptionper capita.
Marine fishing is believedto have reached itspeak and, mainly due to overfishing,is now declining. The government, as part of its effortsto improve the diet of its increasing population,has placed emphasison the development of fish culture,and in particularon freshwater aquaculture.
Of China's total inlandwater area, at least 5 million hectares are suitable for fishfarming, but less thanone
*See measurementconversion chart in the appendix 119 112
-fifth, around 900,000hectares, is now underany form of cultivation. There are therefore vastwater areas still available for the developmentof fish farming. Also there is still considerablescope for additional increases of annual unit production, primarilythrough improved management, better inputs,and modernization of equipment and facilities for collection,storage and distribution.
Lack of financialresources, in particular at the local level in poorerareas, led to requests from thegovernment to the World Food Program(a division of the United Nations Development Program) for assistancein fishery development. The main objective of theWFP-assisted fishery projects is to improve the economic andsocial conditions of the fisherfolk involved, whileincreasing fish production and contributing to overall developmentof China's aquaculture production. In addition, changing economicpolicies in China have created financialincentives for individuals and families to expand theirown raising and harvesting of fish, independent of officialprojects. DAY 1:
OBJECTIVES: The students will: 1. define aquaculture.
2. develop hypotheses aboutthe production of protein. 3. read to validate hypotheses.
4. write positionpapers in the form of letters from an imaginary village to theWFP. MATERIALS:
1. transpardncy of the "ProteinConsumption Chart" 2. copies of the "Aquaculture"reading for each student PROCEDURE:
1. Explain that China produces25% of the world's fish and that 60% of thatcomes from fish ponds. Tradition tells us that Chinesepeasants raised fish as long agoas 2698 b.c. Fish were grown in ponds on silkworm farms, andfarmers developed a way to grow various other speciesof carp in the same pond. The first written account of fish culture was by Fan Lai in475 b.c. With some changes, this method is stillused in China today.
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2. Write the word AQUACULTUREon the board. Have the students define it: "growing fish and shellfish for human protein" or "methodsof growing animal and vegetable life in water."
3. Display the "Protein ConsumptionChart." Discuss the conversion ratio and itsimplications for feeding large populations.
4. Ask students to read "Advantagesof Aquaculture." Discuss why fish arean excellent food source and why polyculture isa good way to raise fish.
5. Have students write a letterto the United Nations Development Program in which theyexplain why their "village" should receivea loan to expand their fish pond. The following address couldbe used to add authenticity to their lettersor may be used to write for more informationconcerning aquaculture in China:
World Food Program Division UNDP Division of Information 1 United Nations Plaza New York, N.Y. 10017
121 114
PROTEIN CONSUMPTION CHART
25:1
20:1
15:1
10:1
01=1=9 8.3
5:1 5.5
0 Ti it. t li 0 o ? "5 ii 60Bu I .0 Ii. a a. POUNDS.OF PROTEIN GIVEN TO VARIOUS LIVESTOCK TOPRODUCE 1 POUND OF PROTEIN FORHUMAN CONSUMPTION. 122 115
STUDENT READING:
ADVANTAGES OF AQUACULTURE
Aquaculture has severaladvantages over other food production which types of have led peopleconcerned with world hunger to recommendthat this method more widely employed. of producing proteinbe Fish contains thehighest proteinper gram and per calorie of allcommonly eaten foods.
Fish producemore edible proteinper pound of protein fed to them than docattle, hogs or poultry. that the water in One reason is which they livesupports their weightso they do not need todevelop heavy bones have. like land animals Another reason is thatcold-blooded fishuse no energy to keep warm. Therefore most protein converted into flesh. energy is
In contrast, hogsmust have heavybones with which their bodies resistthe pull of gravity These large bones upon their bodies. reduce the ratio offlesh to bone in butchered animals. Being warm-blooded must also use means that the hog some of its proteinenergy to maintain constant body temperature. a Therefore, notas much energy can be converted to fleshas is possible in fish. If you picture thethree-dimensional world pond, all levels of of the fish the water can containfish and nutrients. On dry land, cattle and their nutrientsare found only on thesurface.
Fish also makecontributions to disease several ways. control in By eating largequantities of mosquito larvae, they helpfight diseases like fever. malaria and yellow Human consumption offish cuts downon protein- deficiency illnesses. Also, fishare used in the manufacture of medicinesand food supplements.
Polyculture is the raisingof two or more species together in a pond. A good polyculture natural food makes use of the sources there. Often, one speciesproduces food for other speciesin the pond. need to add The farmer doesnot as much new protein tothe pond as would necessary in feeding livestock. be
Polycultures are resistantto disease because may kill one species of disease fish but not others. Also, weather changes such asa long cold winter not all of them. may kill some speciesbut' Thus, there is lesschance of all fish being destroyed ina pond where more then raised. one species is
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DAY 2:
OBJECTIVES: The students will:
1. observe and describe goldfish.
2. read for information aboutthe structures of fish. 3. apply information by labelinga diagram of carp. MATERIALS:
1. goldfish--one fish in a smalltransparent container for each group of 4-6 students
2. student copies of "Structures andTheir Functions"
3. student copies of "Structure ofa Carp" PROCEDURE:
1. Observe the goldfish. Note their structures and discuss what each is usedfor, based on observations. Goldfish are related tocarp, the fish raised in Chinese fishponds.
2. Read and discuss "Structuresand Their Functions" with students.
3. Distribute the diagramsand have students label the parts of acarp. STRUCTURE OF A CARP
125 Cultured "Mirror" Carp NAME 126 118
STUDENT READING:.
STRUCTURES AND THEIR FUNCTIONS EYES
As in humans, eyesserve a variety of purposes. Fish use their eyes to seek out food, avoidpredators and other dangers, establish territory,find mates, and perhapseven to navigate in theocean. Fish do not have eyelids. Their eyes are constantly bathed in waterand do not need tears. Fish cannot see very well. LATERAL LINE
The lateral line is a smallline of nerve cells which runs along the length of the body aboutmidway on the side of the body. Sometimes the lateral line iscovered by a layer of scales; sometimes itis a different color thanthe rest of the body. In any case, the lateral line isan area of sensitivity which helpsthe fish feelpressure and temperature changes in the wateraround it. MOUTH
The mouth is used to catchand hold food of various types, but their food is notchewed before swallowing,as in humans and many other animals. In addition, the mouth isa very important part of the breathingprocess. Water is constantly taken in through-themouth and forced outover the gill filaments throughthe gills. GILLS
Fish gills are composedof two basic parts, thegill covers and the gill filaments. The gill covers protect the very delicate filaments, andtogether with the mouth,force oxygen-containing waterover the gills. The gill filaments are richly supplied with bloodvessels which, as in humans, take in oxygen needed forlife and releasegaseous waste products, such as carbondioxide. FINS
The fish's fins help itsteer through the water and hold it upright in thewater. Fins on the body includethe caudal and tail fins forpropulsion. For balance in the water a fish has a dorsalfin, along the top;pectoral fins, a pair on the sides behind itshead; pelvic fins,a pair toward the rear of itsbody; and an anal fin,at the rear, bottom end.
127 119.
SCALES
The bodies of carp are protected byscales which grow in regular concentric patternsand can be used to determine the age and life history of the fish.Over the scales is a layer of mucous ("slime") which furtherprotects the fish from disease organisms and helps it slidethrough the water more easily. MUSCLES
Carp have many differentmuscles, just as you have. A fish needs a different musclefor each movement. Carp have powerful muscles just beneaththe skin. It is these muscles which enable the fish tomoveback and forth and to dart quickly. 120
DAY 3
OBJECTIVES: The studentswill:
1. recall how humans satisfybasic needs. 2. investigate howcarp satisfy basic needs. 3. generalize about theadaptation of fish towater, and humans to land. MATERIALS:
1. transparency or handouts of"Basic Needs of Carp" 2. student worksheets PROCEDURE:
1. On the blackboard writeBASIC NEEDS. Under it write: Air, Water, Food,Shelter. 2. Ask students to considerthe following questionsas they pertain to people.
a. Air: Can you describe whatkind of air we can and cannot breathe? b. Water: What are someways to describe the kinds of waterwe can and cannot drink ?. c. Food: What are some of thefoods we can and cannot eat? d. Shelter:. Why do humansneed shelter?What does shelter protectus frzn?Describe the kinds of ways shelterkeeps us alive. 3. Distribute "BasicNeeds of Carp" and the worksheets. Have students work insmall groups to complete theanswers.
4. Discuss as a classthe following questions: a. How is the carp adaptedto live in water? b. How are humans adaptedto live on land?
1 2 9 121
STUDENT READING:
BASIC NEEDS OF CARP
WATER: FOOD: a. Temperature 20 to 30 a. Grass Carp: large floating degrees centigrade plants b. Still or slowly b. Bighead & SilverCarp: moving water plankton c. Not contaminated c. Mud & Common Carp:bottom. animals & carp feces d. Nutrients available d. Black Carp: freshwater (Greenish colormeans mollusks it has fish food.)
e. Not too muddyor smelly
AIR: SHELTER: a. Oxygen in the a. water Still, quiet water b. Plants in which tohide and spawn
130 122
O STUDENT WORKSHEET 1. AIR
Do carp breathe air?
If not, why not? If yes, where wouldthey get it?
2. WATER Do carp drink water?
If not, why not? If yes, describe the kinds can and cannot drink. of water they
3. FOOD
What are some of thefoods in a pond thata carp could eat?
4. SHELTER, a home
Describe the kindsof water that would for carp. provide a safe home
Describe the kinds ofwater that might not for carp. provide shelter
131 123
DAY 4:
OBJECTIVES: The student will:
1. read and discuss informationregarding the ecosystem of fish ponds.
2. construct a food chainbased on information in the reading and graphs.
3. apply modernization informationto the ecosystem of fish ponds. MATERIALS:
1. student copies ortransparency of the "Species of Carp in a Fish Pond"
2. student copies of the reading"Sacred Carp in an Ecosystem "
3. OPTIONAL: Film about modernizingand expanding China's food sources PROCEDURE:
1. Have students defineECOSYSTEM: "A communityof animals, plants and bacteriaand its interrelated physical and chemicalenvironment." 2. Distribute copies of thechart and reading. Have students read and discuss"The Sacred Carp in Ecosystem." an
3. Have students draw andlabel the food chainfor this ecosystem.
4. Review modernization inChina if that hasbeen studied already. If not, a filmor videotape could be shown. Have students list andexplain at least four threatsto the food chain whichare the result of China'smodernizations. They might mention:
a. Water contamination fromindustrialization. b. DDT use oncrops. Plant waste is thenput in ponds or water which isrecycled from fields to ponds.
c. Autos and trucks: air pollution, oiland antifreeze in the watersystem. 132 124
d. Construction: soil stripped for buildings paved lots. or e. Containers: plastic, aluminum, andglass are not biodegradable.
f. Deforestation andresultant erosion. g. Nuclear waste. h. Acid rain.
133 125
. SPECIES OF CARP IN A FISHPOND
134 126-
STUDENT READING:
THE SACRED CARP IN ANECOSYSTEM
The Chinese fish pond isan excellent example of an ecosystem which containsa variety of edible species.
The farmer may raiseas many as six species ofcarp, each of which feeds ata different level on differentfood. At the surface might befound the Grass Carp (1) whichfeeds on large floating plants. At the mid levels live the Bighead (2) which feedson microscopic animals and Silver (3) which feeds on microscopicplants. The Mud Carp (4) and Common Carp (5) feedon bottom animals and carp feces. In some ponds, Black Carp (6) eat freshwater mollusks. The farmer increases fish yieldby putting animal manure and excess vegetable foodsor other organic matter in the pond. This fertilizes the waterand increases the plant growth. The excess foodenergy moves up the food chain to the carp. In a healthy pond, enough floatingplants will grow to feed both Grass Carp andhogs.
The farmer also uses the pondto irrigate and fertilize his crops. When the pond is drained,the bottom sludge is used as compost for fields.
In China today, the pondsystem provides at least 60% of the fish consumedeach year. The system of fish farming in China dates backthousands of years andthe carp is regarded as sacred in muchChinese tradition.
135 127
DAY 5:
OBJECTIVES: the studentswill: 1. read material.
2. translate this informationonto a worksheet. 3. create an original designand compare it witha traditional design.
4. identify the valuestaught in a children'sstory. MATERIALS:
1. student copies of "Chinese Traditions About Fish". 2. student copies of worksheet
3. transparency or largereproduction of traditional "Kissing Fish" design
4. student copies of "TheCarps Who Leapt Over Gate" Dragon PROCEDURE:
1. Distribute the reading"Chinese TraditionsAbout Fish" and the worksheet.
2. Have students in smallgroups read and complete the worksheet.
3. Share answers.
4. Discuss the KissingFish symbolism. Have students share their drawingsof the Kissing Fish. the Chinese version. Display
5. Explain that afterthe Revolution in1949, the Communist Party encouragedthe rewriting ofmany traditional stories toexemplify the virtueswhich the Party wished toencourage. Originally, the carp that leapt over DragonGate became a dragon. 6. Distribute copies of"The Carps Who LeaptOver Dragon Gate." Read them. 7. Ask students to identify the values being taughtin this story. List them on theboard. 8. Ask what changes mighthave been made in "The Who Leapt Over Dragon Carps Gate" to modernize thestory.
136 128.
Record possible changes. Ask.students to hypothesize about why thisstory continues to be popular.. EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:
1. Create paper cuts of the KissingFish. Paper cuts are a traditional Chinese art form,inexpensive enough for peasants toown.
2. Research American traditions aboutfish.
3. Research Pacific Northwest traditionsabout fish and art work about fish.
4. Make large butcher papercarp and stuff them with shredded paper. 5. Write carp poems or stories.
6. Find recipes forcarp in Chinese cookbooks and share them in class. Encourage observations comparing Chinese cookingmethods with American.
7. Explore the world's environmentalcrises. Consider the impact of each of thesecrises on China's fish ponds:
a. toxic chemicals
b. environmental causes of disease c. threats to the ozone level
d. deforestation and desertification
e. erosion
f. wastes - agricultural andhazardous g. energy shortages
i. acid rain
13 7 129
STUDENT READING:
CHINESE TRADITIONSABOUT FISH Fish are suchan important source of Chinese people that protein for the many traditions and folkloreinclude fish. In Chinese the wordfor fish, YU, sounds word for abundance. like the This pun is usedfrequently in Chinese art and poetryas an omen of good fortune For the same and prosperity. reason, a fish is traditionallyserved as the last course ata banquet.
In water, the fishmoves effortlessly in all directions, making ita symbol of freedom. perserverance are also qualities Flexibility and to fish. that the Chineseattribute
In China, a pair of fish facing eachother as if they are kissing is symbolicof the joys of marriage common wedding gift. and is a Fish are believedto swim in pairs, this symbolrepresents harmony. so Buddhist symbolism regarding fish includesa wooden clapper formed in theshape of fish backbones. since it never The fish, speaks, representsperfect submissionto Buddha. The clapper is usedto focus concentration meditation. during
A favorite folktaleof China told of working hard carps which after were able to leapover Dragon Gate,a natural waterfall of the YellowRiver, and then tenacity and effort become dragons. The displayed by the fishwere encouraged in Chinese children. Fish, either realor artistic representations of fish, were often sent toyoung men who were studying for theImperial Examinations effort and persistence. to encourage They were also sentas congratulatorymessages to those who achieved task. any difficult
138 130.
40.
OUTLINE OF JADE CARVING OF "KISSING FISH"
139 131
STUDENT WORKSHEET:
CHINESE TRADITIONSABOUT FISH
1. Explain why a fish ina painting might make person think of wealth. a Chinese
2. What can fish do whichmight encourageus to describe them as flexible andfree?
3. Explain two other Chinese traditionsabout fish.
4. Draw your idea of the Chinese symbol for"Kissing Fish."
140 132
STUDENT READING:
THE CARPS WHO LEAPTOVER DRAGON GATE By Jin Jin Majestic green mountains stood in the distance. Below was a village in front ofwhich floweda clear river that meandered through goldenfields of wheat. Along the banks of the riverwere graceful poplars and see across the way peach willows and you could trees that were aboutto bloom. The swallows skimmedover the stalks of wheat arrows, flew into azure skies. and then, like The bees were busyworking among the flowers while thebutterflies were fluttering happily about. Several dragonflies leaves which rested on the calumus grew beside the river. At that moment several young carps raised theirheads above the waterto have a look. The sight of dragonflies swam away. frightened them,so they
Golden Carp, who seemedto be the leader of called out, "Come on! the school, Quick! I have good news foryou."' "What is it?"All the othercarps were very curious.. Golden Carp said,"Hey! I can jump over the just tried it!" bridge! I
"You're boasting!"someone said. Angered by these words, Golden Carpretorted, "You think I'm boasting?If you don't believe you!" it, I can show
"All right. Let's just wait andsee. I don't think he will make it," one of them responded. Not far from them was an old stone bridgebeside which was a young Chinesescholartree. "Look everyone, I'm going to jump!" Then Golden Carp took a step backwards,gathered himself with all his might. together and leapt
When they were about to cheer himon they heard a voice calling behind them. It was GrandmaCarp. immediately. They went to her
"Who allowedyou to jump over the scolded Golden Carp bridge?"Grandma sternly. "Don't you know howdangerous it is?What are we goingto do if you should stone bridge?" bump into the
"That won't happen,Grandma," Golden confidence. Carp answered with
141 133
"It'll be too late ifyou me tell you a story." hurt yourself! Come' on, let
So all the carpsgatheredaround her, listening great attention. with
"This story was toldto me by myown grandma," she began. "Legend has it thatthere's a Dragon stood in the place Gate which where the sea andriver met. It was magnificent and high. A carp who could jump Dragon Gate would over this become a dragonimmediately and fly Heaven. Your great ancestors to all tried to jumpover the gate, but none ofthem succeeded...."
"Do you think I couldjump over it, Carp cut in. Grandma?" Golden
"You're too young now to make a try, dearchild. when you growup, you may not be able Even Dragon Gate." to jump over thehuge
"Grandma, where's theDragon Gate?" carps inquired. one of the other "I don't know exactly," Grandma said,shaking her head. When she left, allthe carps got talk. together to havea
Golden Carp spoke first, "I'm goingto look for the Dragon Gate. Who wants tocome with me? become a huge dragon! If only I could I'm bored stayinghere." All his companionsagreed to go along, youngest one, who said, except the "I'll go withyou. But I prefer to come back again after thejump." Looking at him with scorn, Golden Carp snappedback, "You'd better thinkagain. It may betoo late!" "Then I'll go wherever you go!" The youngestcarp said, feeling ashamedof himself. So they began their journey, swimmingtogether along the big river. On the way, Golden above the water from Carp raised his head time to time, buthe did not see the gate. Curiosity led them on. They felt sure thatif they kept on going,they would succeed.
After turning a fewbends, they foundthat the river became wider anddeeper. Suddenly there violent that they .came a whirl so had to swim with alltheir might. When
142 134
they had passed through the troubled waters,they took a rest, thrusting theirheads upward fora bit of fresh air. At last the youngestone who had lagged behind with them. caught "Where can we find theDragon Gate?" he asked. "Is it in the southor in the north?" another wondered. one
"Grandma said itwas very high. as we swim toward the In my opinion, so long upper reach we'll find thegate sooner or later."Golden Carp's words calmedthe others.
After a short rest, theywent on. But before long, they came upon water weedsthat blocked their path. Cautiously, they movedamong the tall weeds. "Ouch!"the youngest carp called out,for his tail was caught inthe thicket and he couldnot free himself. They were at a loss as to what to do, when suddenlya voice roared, "Who is that intruding into my forest?"Looking up at them withangry black eyes wasa big crab who was sittingon a rock. out of here!" the crab "Get yelled, waving his sharppincers. Golden Carp, whowas very bold, introduced to him and said, "We themselves are in search of the DragonGate so that we can try to jumpover it."
The crab crawled downfrom the rock then and "Jump over the Dragon asked, Gate?Who said you could doit?"
"We decided byourselves," Golden Carpreplied. The crab burst intolaughter and praised them courage. for their "You're good children. I'll give you a hand." He began to cut thelush weeds with his youngest carp free. pincers and set the
After thanking thecrab, the group movedon.
Suddenly they hearda strange sound. Looking up, they saw ahead of them a bigiron bridge spanning 'Here's the Dragon over the river. Gate! Here's the Dragon Gate!"they shouted, jumping withjoy.
Golden Carp was aboutto leap across whenone of his friends stopped him,pointing out that it go under the bridge instead. would be easier to So in no time, they allpassed under and appearedon the other side. A heated discussion ensued. Some argued that itwas the Dragon Gate, while others had a differentopinion. Meanwhile, a train with white smoke comingout of its stackwas approaching. Thinking that thismust be the big dragon,they were so frightened that they hidin the depths of thewater.
143 135
When the noise became fainterin the distance thecarps came up from the bottom. They decided to leave theplace and not take any morechances.
They continued on their journeyin pursuit of the real Dragon Gate. Not long afterward they meta mother fish with her children. She advised them, "Don'tgo further. Go back quickly. Otherwise you'll be washedaway by the swift. currents."
"We're looking for the DragonGate." The young carps replied.
Astonished at this, Mother Fishshook her head and said, "You're only daydreaming."Then she left with her children.
The carps went on, comingto a big river. Golden Carp caught sight ofnew construction. In order to have a closer look, he flapped his tailand leapt a bit higher. "I've seen the real Dragon Gate!" he toldhis companions excitedly.
"Is it very high?" "Where isit?" His companions asked eagerly.
One after another they leaptup, hoping to see with their own eyes. The Dragon Gate wasa tall bridge made of stone on which weremany red flags that fluttered in wind. the They were sure that itwas the real Dragon Gate. But who could leap over it?
"I'll jump first, thenyou follow," Golden Carp volunteered to take the lead.He rushed toward the gateat high speed and leaptup. Though he leapt higher than before, it was stilla distance to the top of the gate. He made a few more attemptsbut failed each time. Then there came a wave. Hoisted by the wave, GoldenCarp could leap much higher than before. He got an idea. He told a carp to leap into the air, and whenthat carp was about to drop down, Golden Carp toldanother one to give a push from below, pushing his companionover to the other side of the Dragon Gate. It worked. At last with the help ofa wave, Golden Carp himself alsoleapt over the gate.
On the other side, the waterwas clean and calm. Resting, the youngcarps looked about and found that itwas even more beautiful than what Grandmahad described. Along the river banks were alternatelyplanted willows and peach trees. The sight of green trees dottedwith pink peach blossoms was really splendid..In high spirits now, the carps played with abandon in thewater.
144 136
Nightfall was approaching. Suddenly the surface of the water was lit up. The villages in the distancewere ablaze with lights with theirreflection shiningon the water. The carps had never seen somany lights before. They wondered if this could be Heaven.While puzzling over this,a swallow happened by.
"How did you come here,you carps?" the swallow asked, greatly surprised tosee them.
"We jumped over the Dragon Gateand settled down here," the carps answered. Then they asked the. swallow ifthe lights twinkling overheadwere the stars. "Those are legendary luminous pearls," theswallow replied, smiling. Then she told them that therewere more "stars" in the distance.
When the swallow was about toleave, one of the carps asked her, "Howcan you see your way?"
"With the luminous pearls lightingthe way, I won't get lost," the swallow replied.
Then Golden Carp gotan idea and asked, "Auntie Swallow, could you pleasetake a message to our grandma? Please tell her thatwe have jumped over the Dragon Gate."
Another one cut in, "TellGrandma we'd like her to join us."
The swallow nodded. "But I must tellyou that is not the Dragon Gate, but theDragon Gate Reservoir."
"It makes no difference. Anyhow, it is a very nice place," the carps said.
After saying goodbye tothem the swallow flewon her way. Before long the youngcarps lost sight of her. They were sure thaton receiving the message, Grandma, Father and Mother wouldsoon come and live with them happily ever after. 137
REFERENCES:
1. Agriculture in China by G.F.Sprague. SCIENCE. Vol. 188 (May 9, 1975), 549-555.
2. Aauaculture: the Farming andHusbandry of Freshwater and Marine Organisms byJohn E. Bardach. New York: Wiley- Interscience, 1972.
3. Better Fresh Water Fish Farming inthe Pond. FAO Economic and Social DevelopmentSeries No. 3/29. 1981, 43p. ISBN 92-5-101127-3.
4. Energy. Food and You. Olympia: Washington StateOffice of Health O.S.P.I., 1978.
5. FAO Food and Agriculture Organizationof the United Nations. FAO Liason Office for North America 1776 F. Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20437
6. Favorite Children's Stories FromChina. Beijing: Foreign Languages Press, 1983.("The Carps Who. Leapt Over Dragon Gate")
7. Fish and Invertebrate Culture:Water Management in Closed Systemsby Stephen H. Spotte. New York: Wiley Interscience, 1970.
8. Folktales of China by WolframEberhard Chicago: University of Chicago Press,1973.
9. Food: Where Nutrition, Politics,Culture Meet by. Deborah Katz and Mary T. Goodwin. Washington, D.C.: Center for Science in PublicInterest, 1976. .10. Fresh Fish Pond Culture AndManagement. Marilyn Chakroff. Washington, D.C.: Vita Publications, 1982. Peace Corps Information Collection And Exchange Office of Program Development 806 Connecticut Ave. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20526
11. The Heart of the Dragon. Alasdair Clayre. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1985.
12. United. Nations StatisticalYearbook. New York: U.N.. Publishing Service, currentyear.
146 13. World Fisheries. UNDP at a Glance. . United Nations Development Programme, 1982. U.N.D.P. Division of Information One United Nations Plaza New York, N.Y. 10017
MEDIA:
1. A aculture: Farmin Under Water 1979color30 min VC History including China. Focuses on developments in the Pacific.
2. China (Journey to theHeart of China) 1983color102 min VC "Modernization: Part 1" explores population problems, agriculture and feeding the Chinese,the legal system and community healthcare. 3. Living 1984color 57 min VC "Heart of the Dragon: Part 7." Life of a peasant family. 4. Working 1984color57 min VC "Heart of the Dragon: Part 6."Industrialization in China.
147 or
139
APPENDIX 1:
PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
Chinese words in this bookare written in the Pinyin romanization system, which isthe one most commonly usedto write the Chinese languagein a Roman alphabet. Until recently, names weremore often written in the Wade-Giles romanization system. This has caused changessuch as Zhou instead of Chou for thatdynasty and Qin Shihuangdi instead of Ch'in Shih-huang ti for theFirst Emperor. Mao Tse-t'ung is now written Mao Zedong.
Most Pinyin symbolsare pronounced more or lessas English- speakers would expect, with theexception of:
is pronounced like the is init's q is pronounced like the ch incheap x is pronounced like the sh insheen zh is pronounced like the j injump z is pronounced like the ds inlids
e is pronounced like thee in talent or the uh in huh e before ng is pronounced likethe u in rung 0 is pronounced like theaw in law ou is pronounced like theo in go
Chinese isa tonal language, with the standarddialect using - four tones. Using the syllable "ma"as an example, the tones are:
ma first tone: relatively high-pitched,does not rise or fall
ma second tone: mid-range, rises rapidly
ma third tone: starts mid-range, dips toa low pitch and then rises ma fourth tone: starts high and falls rapidly
Since tones are essentialto the meaning of thesyllables in Chinese, the four examplesof "ma" can mean,among other things:
ma mother ma hemp V ma horse
ma scold 148 APPENDIX 24
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES LENGTH:
1 li = 0.31 mile= 0.5 kilometer 1 chi = 1.09 feet= 0.33meter 1 mile = 3.22 li= 1.61 kilometers 1 foot = 0.91 chi= 0.31 meter 1 chi = 10 can 1 can = 1.2 inches
AREA:
1 mu = 0.16 acre= 6.67 hectares 1 acre = 6.07 mu= 0.41 hectare 1 hectare = 15 mu= 2.47 acres
WEIGHT:
1 in = 1.1 pounds= 0.5 kilogram 1 pound = 0.91in = 0.45 kilogram
143 141
APPENDIX 3:
CURRICULUM MATERIALS ABOUTCHINA Sources for good teaching materialsabout China include:
CTIR PRESS, Center for TeachingInternational Relations, University of Denver, Denver,Colorado 80208. CTIR distributes a variety of usefulmaterials, including Changing Images of China andDemystifying the Chinese Language, both of which use creativeactivities to further cultural awareness. Suitable for a widerange of grade levels.
CHINA BOOKS AND PERIODICALS, 2929Twenty-fourth Street, San Francisco, California 94110. This is the best singlesource for English-language materials fromand about China. The free catalog includes craft itemsand children's books. EAST ASIA RESOURCE CENTER, JacksonSchool of International Studies, Thomson DR-05, Universityof Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195. Telephone: (206) 543-1921. This book is one of a series of curriculum materialsabout China, Japan, and Korea developed by theEARC. Letters from Chengdu, Letters from Korea, Modern Japan:An Idea Book for K-12 Educators, and Teaching aboutJapan through the Artsare others. Write to the EARC to receivea free quarterly newsletter announcingprograms, institutes, and curriculum materials.
EAST ASIAN CURRICULUM PROJECT,East Asia Institute, Columbia University, 420 East 118thStreet, New York, New York10027. This project has publishedtwo comprehensive curriculum supplements on China and Japan. China: A Teaching Workbook covers a wide range of topics and includescharts, maps, and audiovisual suggestions. The second edition, publishedin 1982, is 333 pages ling and costs$39 including handling. SPICE, Lou Henry Hoover Building,Room 200, Stanford University, Stanford, California94305-3219. Many outstanding teaching units aboutChina and other countries have been developed by thisinternational education project. Write for a catalog which describesteacher-tested units for all grade levels. Some are Demystifying the Chinese Language (originally published bySPICE), Traditional Chinese Celebrations: Continuity and Change in Taiwan,and Contemporary Family Life in Rural China.
150 SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, Office of Multicultural and Equity Education, Old Capitol Building, FG-11, Olympia, Washington 98504. This office publishes a variety of teaching materials about Asia and Asian Americans. Letters from Chenadu, an introduction to China for elementary school students, isone of them. All are free.
151 361
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