Chinese Chopsticks ——To learn Chinese Chopsticks correctly with kids

Local time at 5 p.m., on 9th March, 2016, a special Chinese lesson was being held in Confucius Institute. Teacher and kids were holding chopsticks, teaching and learning to use chopsticks correctly.

In Latvia, when it talks about chopsticks, people will immediately think of sushi, but in fact, chopsticks were invented by the Chinese. At the beginning, teacher in kids’ class came up with “Kuài zi”(chopsticks) with an interesting riddle, then students repeated it again and again and learned how to write the character, “筷子”. Then with some interesting stage property and scene performance, students learned the origins of chopsticks, and they paid a lot of attention to wear the emperor’s ceremonious hat, Miǎnliú. After that, the teacher introduced diverse materials of Chopsticks in history, such as golden chopsticks, silver chopsticks, bamboo chopsticks and wood chopsticks. And obviously, students should learn to read them and distinguish them in Chinese. As a matter of fact, Chinese ancients invented “Kuài zi” not only for the meal, but also where there was many cultural meanings and principles, which means when a person holds a pair of chopsticks, he should know what should do and what should not do. For example, when many people have meals together, the young cannot move chopsticks only after the old get food. Besides that, person should not place chopsticks irregularly after using it, knock the bowl or point to other person with chopsticks.

After the introduction, the teacher organized two interesting games to train students how to use chopsticks correctly. Although kids can not use chopstick very well, they tried their best to hold chopsticks correctly and practice using it very hard by picking up beans.

Chopsticks were invented by the Chinese ancients, with it, whose one side is round, which is on be half of sky, and the other side is square, which is on behalf of land, expressing Chinese’ respect and reverence to the world. Through this lesson, students not only understood how to use chopsticks correctly, but also learned some knowledge and manners of chopsticks, which deepen their understanding of Chinese culture.