Wearing a small traditional Chinese official cap, five-year-old Kao Wan-wen (高琬雯) was walking down the red carpet with spectators applauding and photographers snapping pictures. She was one of 600 elementary school and preschool students of Taipei's Tatung district participating in a community activity dubbed the "Millennium Joint Examination for Little Chuangyuan" (千禧龍年小狀元會考) at the city's Confucius Temple.
In ancient China, the highest scorer in the imperial examination -- which was held once every three years -- was called Chuangyuan (狀元), while the second and third finishers were called Pangyen (榜眼) and Tanhua (探花), respectively.
The purpose of the activity was to promote the practice of reading Chinese classical literature including The Four Books (
PHOTO: GEORGE TSORNG, TAIPEI TIMES
The Four Books refer to The Great Learning (
The event, sponsored by the Tatung District Office and the Taipei Classics Association (TCA,台北市讀經協會), attracted about 2,000 people, including 500 students from the district's 10 elementary schools and 100 preschoolers.
Participants had to pass seven tests before they were finally crowned with the red paper Chuangyuan cap and able to cross the red-carpeted Chuangyuan bridge, and strike the Chuangyuan gong.
Taipei Mayor Ma Ying-jeou (
"Many people may be wondering why we need to read 2,600-year-old books. The answer is simple: because they are the collection of our ancestors' wisdom," he said. This is the second district annual event. Spencer Chang (張金鎮), director of Tatung District Office, said the competition has special significance for the district, where the Confucius Temple is located.
"We would like to see community residents appreciate and develop a habit of reading the Chinese classics. It benefits not only the residents themselves but also the community as a whole," he said.
Many participants are registered at the free weekly Chinese classics reading program designed for district children and their parents, offered by TCA a year ago. It takes about three years to finish the entire program, which covers the reading of the Book of Lao Tzu (
Chan Tzu-yi (詹子儀), aged seven, said she likes the program, "because it makes me smarter." Chan's mother, Chuang Li-yueh (莊麗月), said both she and her daughter benefitted from the program.
"Not only do I get to learn with her, but also she's started to like reading," Chuang said.
She proposed adding a similar program in the education system.
"It may be hard for children to learn, but it's important for them to start early and to develop the reading habit at an early age," Chuang said.
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