| Subject Areas |
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Art and Culture
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Folklore |
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Visual Arts |
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History and Social Studies
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World History - Asia/Far East |
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Literature and Language Arts
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World |
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| Time Required |
| | Lesson 1 – 1 hour 45 minutes
Lesson 2 – 45 minutes
Lesson 3 – 60 minutes
Lesson 4 – 1 hour 30 minutes |
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| Skills |
| | Observing and describing
Comparing and contrasting
Interpreting written and visual information
Gathering, classifying, and interpreting written and visual information
Making inferences and drawing conclusions |
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| Additional Data |
| | Date Created: 05/31/02 |
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| Author(s) |
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Suzanne Art
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| Date Posted |
| | 4/17/2002 |
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Lions, Dragons, and Nian: Animals of the Chinese New Year
Introduction:
The most important holiday in China is the New Year, also known as the
Spring Festival. It falls in late January or early February, the actual date being
determined by the Chinese lunar calendar. The celebrations last for 15 days, although
in modern times most families celebrate for only five. Perhaps the most popular
event of the festivities is a colorful parade through the city streets. It features
a huge, undulating cloth dragon and prancing lions, which make their way through
the flurry of excited spectators amid frequent bursts of firecrackers.
In this lesson, the students will learn about the major differences between eastern
and western dragons and discover why the eastern dragons are associated with the
Chinese New Year. They will hear a story about how the dragons came to rule over
the major rivers of China. In the second lesson they will learn about the New
Years parade and discover that firecrackers are set off to drive off evil spirits,
particularly one called Nian. In the third lesson the students will see
images of parading dragons, including a sound-enhanced video, and read poems about
the New Year. In the fourth lesson the students will discover that the Chinese
lion is just as imaginary as the dragon. They will view images of this highly
stylized beast and hear a story explaining why it is viewed with such reverence
in China. They will also hear about how the lion once fought the ferocious Nian.
They will learn about the lion dancers in the New Year parade and compare them
to the dragon dancers. Finally, they will make their own lion masks. Guiding
Questions:What are the characteristics of the Chinese dragon? Why is the
dragon connected with the Chinese New Year? What is the dragon dance? Why are
firecrackers ignited during the New Year parade? What do Chinese lions look like
and why are they considered protective guardians? Why do lions dance in the New
Year parade? Learning Objectives:- Understand the symbolism
of the dragon in Chinese culture and its role in New Year celebrations.
- Become
familiar with a popular origin myth about the Chinese New Year.
- Discover
the function of firecrackers during the New Year parade.
- Learn about the
appearance and characteristics of the Chinese lion and its role in the New Year
celebrations
Preparing to teach this lesson:Access and become
familiar with the EDSITEment-reviewed websites listed in Lessons 1-4. Download
the dragon graphic at Color
a Chinese Dragon, available through the EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source, and make sufficient copies for your students. Do the same with the graphic
of a parade dragon at Dragon
Dance at, available through the EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source. Gather colored markers and sheets of white paper for a drawing
activity. You'll also need brown paper bags (one for each student), glue, sequins,
and fake fur for making a lion mask. Additional information for teachers about
the Chinese New Year is available at the following websites through EDSITEment-reviewed
resource Asia
Source: Spring Festival, Chinese
New Year Introduction, and Chinese
New Year. Supplementary materials for teachers about Chinese dragons
can be found at Chinese
Dragons. This site is available through EDSITEment-reviewed resource
Asia Source. Information about the Chinese zodiac is available through the EDSITEment
Lesson Plan for K-2 entitled Animals of the Chinese Zodiac.
Suggested Activities:
Lesson
1: Introduction to Chinese New Year: What is a Chinese Dragon? Lesson
2: A Monster Named Nian Lesson
3: Dragons and the New Year Parade Lesson
4: Chinese Lions and Lion Dancers Lesson
1: Introduction to Chinese New Year: What is a Chinese Dragon? - Read
aloud Celebrating Chinese New Year by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith or The Dancing Dragon
by Marcia K. Vaughan. Discuss the pictures as you go along. Explain to the students
that they are going to learn more about the Chinese dragon and lion, as well as
another mythical creature named Nian.
- Open a discussion by telling the
students that the Chinese dragon is very different from the western (European)
dragon. Ask for volunteers to describe the western dragon they might have heard
about in stories (a nasty creature, who eats humans, breathes fire, and flies
with bat-like wings). Now look up descriptions of the Chinese dragon at Chinese
Dragon Physical Appearance, available through EDSITEment-reviewed resource
Asia Source. Have different students read parts of the description aloud. (Omit
the last three paragraphs, which are repeats.) Then access "Pictures
of Dragons" available through EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source. Skip the third graphic for now (a dragon in a parade). Ask the
students which dragons pictured on this web page are Chinese and which are western.
Have them explain the differences. An optional activity is to make a Venn Diagram
comparing the characteristics of the western and the Chinese dragon.
- Now
go to Chinese
Dragon Habitats, available through the EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source. Have different students read the various descriptions aloud. Explain
that throughout Chinese history most of the people have been farmers. Ask what
is most important to a farmer's crops (sun and rain). Tell the students that in
the main farming regions of China there is plenty of sun, but sometimes there
is not enough rain. For this reason, farmers prayed to the dragons in hopes of
having enough rain for their crops. Now read more about the role of the dragon
to the students at Chinese
Dragon Magic available through the EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source.
- Hand out the dragon pictures you previously downloaded
and copied from
- Color a Chinese
Dragon. Tell them they may color their pictures while you read aloud a
folk tale about dragons.
- Access "Four
Dragons Folk Tale", available through EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source, and read it aloud. Ask if there are any questions about the appearance
or function of the Chinese dragon before concluding the lesson.
Lesson
2: A Monster Named Nian Remind the students that one
of the highlights of the Chinese New Year celebrations is a parade. Read them
a story that helps explain some of the traditions associated with the parade,
"Nian the Dragon Monster", available through the EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source. Ask if there are any questions about the story. Remind the students
that the word "nian" means year as well as the monster. Explain that on the eve
of the Chinese New Year everyone is so anxious to get rid of the old year to make
way for the new that they open all their doors and windows. Now ask who can tell
the meaning of "Guo Nian" (Goo oh Nee ahn, celebrate or welcome the (new) year).
Tell the students that Chinese people often eat special rice dumplings known as
"nian guo" during the New Year celebrations. The monster, Nian, was not
physically described in the story. Ask for volunteers to describe him as they
envision him. Hand out paper and markers to each student. Have them draw their
personal impressions of what this monster looked like -- the scarier the better.
Lesson 3:
Dragons and the New Year Parade Since the New Year festival traditionally
marks the beginning of the planting season in China, a major character is a dragon,
bringer of rain and good luck. It is a huge puppet - the fierce-looking mask of
bamboo or paper-maché worn by one man, and the long body of brightly colored cloth
carried by the many dancers hidden beneath it. Spectators throw firecrackers at
the dragon's feet, not only to frighten away evil spirits but also to keep the
dragon awake. (Dragons hibernate during the winter.) Show the students the picture
of the parade dragon in Shoebox
Dragons, available through the EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia Source.
Scroll down to end of the page to get to the picture. Comment upon the bright
colors and dragon features. Then go back to Pictures
of Dragons and scroll to the third photo, which is a variation of a parade
dragon. Point out that this is a dragon is carried aloft. - Now access
Chinese Dragon
Poetry, available through EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source. After everyone enjoys the fireworks video (ask the students to
explain why there are fireworks at the parade), have someone read aloud the poem
at the top of the page. Then scroll down to the box entitled "Oriental Dragon
Poetry." Click on "Happy Chinese New Year" and have a student read it aloud. Do
the same with "A Great Big Dragon."
- Go to San
Francisco's Chinatown available through EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source. In the box at the bottom click on "The Parade Dragon." This is a highly
detailed photograph of a dragon mask. After looking at it and discussing it, click
on to the words below the picture ("click here to see this dragon…") to bring
up a Quicktime movie of a dragon parading in San Francisco's Chinatown. (Wait
about a minute for the entire video to upload.) Then view it with the students.
Make sure everyone hears the firecrackers.
- Choose between these activities.
1) Have each student write a short poem about the New Year parade. 2) Have the
students color the picture of a parade dragon downloaded from Dragon
Dance available through the EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source.
Lesson
4: Chinese Lions and Lion Dancers - Explain that
the lion did not originally live in China. The local people heard about lions
from travelers and tradespeople, and they formed their own ideas of what the creature
looked like. This might lead to a discussion about how different people envision
a given object described in many different ways. Allude to the variety of images
the students produced of the Nian in Lesson 2. Access Shi
Shi Lion Coloring Page available through EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source. In what ways do these creatures look like lions? (Similarities include
general body build, tuft of fur at the tip of the tail, a mane, and a fierce expression.)
In what ways do they not? (The figures are stylized, with curling hair, human-like
noses, and huge eyes.) Now go to 2002
Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Festival & Parade available through the
EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia Source.
Discuss this picture in the same way as the previous one. Ask the students if
they think the lions look scary and mean. (They certainly do!) Explain that actually
these animals were considered helpful and protective, much like guard dogs. Pairs
of lion statues (called "fu lions") are often placed at the entrance to Buddhist
temples and other sacred places.
- Now go to Lion
Dancing, available through EDSITEment-reviewed Asia
Source, and scroll down to "The Lion Saves An Emperor." Read the story aloud
from the second sentence "Legend has it…" through the second sentence in the second
paragraph, ending with "a dancing lion chased away evil spirits." Have students
comment upon the role of the lion in this short episode.
- Tell the students
that the lion often appears in a Chinese New Year parade. Unlike the dragon, a
lion consists of only two people, one wearing the head and the other the furry
body. Say that the lion appears in the parade not only because it is considered
a lucky and benevolent creature but also because of its connections with Nian.
Explain that there are many versions of the Nian story and that you will read
the one that has a lion in it. Access "The
Lion and the 'nien'", available through EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source, and read it aloud. (This site can also be accessed through The
Kingdom of Lions - The Chinese Lion Dance available through EDSITEment-reviewed
resource Asia Source.) Ask for questions
and/or comments.
- Now go to Chinese
New Year Lion Dance, available through EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source, to see a drawing of lion dancers. Then access Lions,
available through EDSITEment-reviewed resource Asia
Source. At the top left is a photograph of the mask of a lion used in a lion
dance. (On the right is a dragon mask.) Explain that the mask is made from strong
but light materials, such as paper-mache and bamboo, and fits over a dancer's
shoulders. He can move the lion's eyes, mouth and ears with his hands. The lion's
body, which is attached to the head, consists of a long piece of cloth. It is
often decorated with sequins and mock fur. As the lion dances in the parade, it
is often accompanied by three musicians playing a large drum, cymbals, and a gong.
The loud noises are intended to chase away any evil spirits. (Remind the students
of how, in one story, the loud noises scared away Nian.) Ask how the lion dance
is like the dragon dance. Then ask for differences.
- Tell the students
they will make lion masks using paper bags, markers, feathers, and fake fur. When
they are done, display them in a prominent place. Students can also make colorful
signs with the words "Guo Nian!"
Extending the Lesson:
Learn
more about the Chinese New Year and the animals associated with it in the following
books (suitable for ages 4-8):
The Dragon New Year by David Bouchard, Chinese
New Year by Catherine Chambers, The Runaway Rice Cake by Ying Chang Compestine,
Sam and the Lucky Money by Karen Chinn, Happy New Year! Kung-Hsi Fa-Ts'Ai Kung-Hsi Fa-Ts'Ai by Demi, Celebrating the Chinese New Year by Diane Hoyt-Goldsmith, Dragon
Feet by Marjory Jackson, Chinese New Year Festivals by Sarah Moyse, Chinese New
Year's Dragon by Rachel Sing, The Dancing Dragon by Marcia K. Vaughan, Lion Dancer:
Ernie Wan's Chinese New Year by Kate Waters and Madeline Slovenz-Low, This Next
New Year by Janet S. Wong.
The entire class can work in groups on a large
paper dragon. The head is made by painting a large paper bag. The body consists
of a long roll of packaging (butcher) paper, which can be decorated with feathers,
glitter, and/or markers. When the dragon is complete, have groups of students
wear it through the halls of your school, to the accompaniment of drums or cymbals.
Selected EDSITEment Websites
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