What a surprising thing we’d like to share with you about Minnan language!

To hear Minnan songs is not difficult, but to hear Minnan language poetry is unusual. Well, never mind! The following students, Chen, Ying-an; Hsu, Chen-kai; Cheng, Yu-yao; Kuo, Chen-yu; Yeh, Yu-hsi and Chang, Ching-jo at our school can tell you what they learned. 

Language, undoubtedly, is regarded as a communication medium and a cultural learning material. From this academic year, Taiwanese native languages will become the required courses both in high schools and junior high schools stipulated by the Education Bureau. The objective is hopefully to cultivate students to respect diversifying cultures and appreciate the value of different cultures through learning different tribal languages. 

Furthermore, by establishing mutual respects, multilingual usages and friendly environments, every citizen can use native lanaguages more confidently. Thus various tribal history and culture can be inherited from generation to generation.

This summer vacation, our school was honorably invited to participate in “ The seminar on Chiang-Hsia Culture bewteen bilateral sides of the strait ” for an interflow on Net, which entirely focused on Minnan language consisting of its literature and culture. The intonation poet was Teacher Kang, Chi-shih, who taught carefully our students from words and sentences to intonation step by step. In the beginning, our students were too shy to intone, later they became gradually better and could intone fluently the ancient poetry finally under the direction of Teacher Kang.

After the class inside school, we particularly searched for some special views on Pu Yen Ting(a gorgeous pavilion on mountains) and Coastal High Way for the students to intone poetry immersed by natural scenery. This can highlight Keelung’s natural character surrounded by the mountain and ocean, besides, the students can also experience the joyfulness from the ancient people who intoned poems. 

“This invitation for our school is really meaningful. Not only can the class make the students express their emotion through listening, talking and reading Minnan language, but also can enlarge children’s life experience, and show their great concern in local diversifying cultures as well. Above all, students can therefore broaden their international view.”, said by Chang, Chih-ming, the principal of Cheng Kung Junior High School.

Students! Let’s learn local native languages from now on, whenever,  wherever.