[SOLD OUT] Bromance of the Three Kingdoms Full Day Workshop

In this full-day workshop, learn about the 14th-century historical novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms, and the life values of 忠 (loyalty) and 慧 (wisdom) it embodies.

Activities include:

Morning session

– Mask-painting activity to introduce children to opera facial makeup (脸谱), which involves the painting of mask templates on Chinese opera actors depicting archetypes such as 生(male lead), 旦(female lead), 丑 (joker) and others.

– Understanding Guan Yu’s mask, and how its characteristic features (red face, phoenix-like eyes and long beard) convey his story and associated values, such as a kind and pure heart (赤子之心).

– Appreciation of the elements of Guan Yu’s visual representations in art, such as the Green Dragon Crescent Blade (青龙偃月刀), the legendary Red Hare Stallion (赤兔马) and others.

– Dramatic story-telling of selected excerpts from the Romance of The Three Kingdoms, such as the Oath of the Peach Garden (桃园三结义) and Guan Yu’s surrender to Cao Cao (身在曹营心在汉), that show how Guan Yu never broke his promise even after many years.

– Play an original game allowing students to experience the tensions between temptation, loyalty and betrayal.

– Facilitated discussion of why it’s important to do the right thing, even when others are selfish. Understand why this idea of righteousness and brotherhood is important to the Chinese, many of whom ventured abroad to forge a new life during times of instability in China.

– Understand what true friendship means, as our children grow up into a world of FB, IG and instant gratifications.

– Warning: Parents, be warned that your children may start holding you to your promises after the workshop! 😛

Afternoon session

– Time travel through co-composing a battlefield soundscape.

– Collective problem-solving via role-playing with original props of the chapter “Borrowing Arrows with Thatched Boats” (草船借箭), in which military strategist Zhuge Liang managed to obtain 100,000 arrows from the enemy without a fight. This exercise will be child-led, with the exploration of different possibilities before revealing what Zhuge Liang did historically.

– Dramatic re-telling of the chapter The Bitter Trick, the risky act of deception by the selfless veteran general Huang Gai, that paved the way for an unlikely yet overwhelming victory eventually at the Battle of Red Cliff.

– Re-living of the famous Battle of Red Cliff, via a giant game of Chinese Chess, with chess pieces as large as pizzas!

– Children will discuss offensive and defensive strategies. Complexity will be layered, with the use of a minimal number of chess pieces before the addition of more. Children will learn the importance of foresight, patience, adaptation (顺应时势), understanding your opponent (见招拆招), and commitment (起手不回).

– Facilitated discussion of how in life, we succeed when we plan, strategise and make the best use of the tools available to us. More importantly, we succeed when we build strong bonds with people, winning not just their minds but also their hearts.

Tickets sold out.

Lunch: Bento sets will be provided. Children will have their lunch from 12.30pm to 1.30pm, followed by a 45-min guided tour of the SINGAPO人 exhibition on level 2 to reinforce their learning. Part 2 of the workshop will commence at 2.30pm.

Non-religious and taught in bilingual format (blend of English & Mandarin). For all enquiries, please email education@singaporeccc.org.sg.