K S LO ENGLISH

As a student immersed in Chinese culture, I take immense pride in one of its most wonderful aspects—Chinese cuisine. Chinese food is famous worldwide for its delicious flavors, unique cooking methods, and rich history. It represents the heart and soul of Chinese culture, bringing people together through shared meals and tastes. I want to explore why Chinese cuisine is so special and why I am proud of it.

Cultural Significance
Chinese cuisine reflects the important values and traditions that have shaped Chinese society for a long time. It embodies the idea of hospitality, community, and strong family connections. Sharing meals is a way to bring people closer together and is an important part of Chinese culture. Chinese cuisine is important because it reflects values like respecting elders and gathering with family and friends to share meals. Eating together strengthens relationships and creates a sense of belonging.

Regional Diversity
China’s vast size and diverse ethnic groups have led to a wide range of culinary styles across different regions. Each region has its own unique flavors and cooking techniques, making Chinese cuisine a delightful exploration of tastes and textures. Whether it’s the spicy Sichuan dishes, the delicate flavors of Cantonese dim sum, or the hearty dishes from the north, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Each region has its own unique flavor and ways to cook.

Historical Legacy
Chinese cuisine has a deep connection to the history of China, providing a glimpse into the past. Cooking techniques like stir-frying, steaming, and braising have been perfected over many generations. Traditional ingredients and cooking methods have been passed down, preserving ancient culinary traditions. The historical origins of Chinese food, such as soy sauce and five-spice powder, have been integral to Chinese cuisine for centuries.

Chinese cuisine is more than just food. It represents a celebration of culture, heritage, and togetherness. It showcases the richness and diversity of Chinese traditions, bringing pride and unity to the Chinese people. As we continue to explore and appreciate the wonders of Chinese cuisine, let’s cherish the lessons it teaches us about unity, respect, and the beauty of cultural diversity.

S4 Champion, Chinese Culture Week 2023-24 English Writing Competition

China, with its ancient history and vibrant traditions, boasts a culture that is as diverse as it is fascinating. Chinese culture is a tapestry of customs and practices that have captivated the world for centuries. In this article, I will delve into the various aspects of Chinese culture, including cuisine, language, art, and festivals. These elements not only showcase the depth of Chinese culture but also serve as a testament to the rich heritage that Chinese people proudly uphold.

Chinese cuisine is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated and influential culinary traditions in the world. Chinese food has permeated global culinary landscapes. Chinese cuisine is characterized by its emphasis on balance, harmony, and the use of fresh ingredients. The art of Chinese cooking lies in the skillful combination of flavors, textures, and colors to create a symphony of taste. Whether it is the famous Peking duck, the comforting hot pot, or the mouth-watering dumplings, Chinese cuisine continues to tantalize taste buds and leave a lasting impression on food lovers around the globe.

The Chinese language, Mandarin, is another source of immense pride for the Chinese people. With over a billion native speakers, Mandarin is the most widely spoken language in the world. Its uniqueness lies in its writing system, which uses characters to represent words or concepts rather than sounds. This intricate system has a history dating back thousands of years and is a symbol of Chinese civilization and cultural identity.

Chinese art, with its rich history and diverse forms, is a testament to the creative spirit of the Chinese people. From traditional painting and calligraphy to ceramics and opera, Chinese art has left an indelible mark on the global art scene. Chinese sculpture ranges from intricate jade carvings to majestic stone statues, showcasing the craftsmanship and attention to detail that the Chinese people hold dear. Chinese ceramics, renowned for their exquisite designs and craftsmanship, have been highly sought after for centuries. This shows how Chinese art is a source of pride for us.

Chinese festivals are vibrant and integral parts of Chinese culture, and they are celebrated with great pride and enthusiasm. The Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most significant and widely celebrated festival in China. It is a time for family reunions, feasts, fireworks, and dragon dances, all of which symbolize good fortune and prosperity for the coming year. The Lantern Festival, celebrated on the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar, is another cherished festival where beautifully crafted lanterns light up the night sky. The Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Moon Festival, celebrates the harvest and is a time for families to come together, enjoy mooncakes, and appreciate the beauty of the moon. These festivals reflect the Chinese people’s deep-rooted traditions, family values, and reverence for their cultural heritage.

In conclusion, whether through the Chinese language, Chinese art, or Chinese festivals, these elements, among many others, contribute to the rich fabric of Chinese culture, a source of pride that continues to shine brightly both within China and beyond its borders.

S4 First Runner-up, Chinese Culture Week 2023-24 English Writing Competition

When mentioning Mainland China, what comes to mind? The magnificent Palace Museum, the red flag fluttering in the wind at Tiananmen Square, or the downy, fluffy Sichuan panda? I think the panda is the best answer. It is the national treasure of China and has lived for 8 million years on Earth. Its adorable appearance, with black and white fur, is the highlight of its charm. For foreigners, the panda is truly marvellous. For me, if it were to become one of the Chinese zodiac animals, it would be well-deserved. But what is the reason I chose it, and why is it special?

Nowadays, the panda is still on the list of endangered animals. Their habitats are often damaged, creating long-term threats to their lives. Although the Chinese government particularly focuses on conservation work, the number of pandas is continuously declining. In my opinion, if the panda becomes a Chinese zodiac animal, it would draw more attention. People would notice the panda and its lovely look, and conservation groups like the World Wide Fund would keep carrying out promotional activities. It is a great way to appeal to everyone to protect the panda, whether it works or not. In addition to this, the panda is closely linked with the Chinese school of thought, Taoism. According to data, the panda’s digestive system retains the characteristics of a carnivore. From Taoism’s point of view, the panda’s choice to give up eating meat and become a vegetarian conforms to the spirit that Taoism proposes. Furthermore, the panda’s fur is black and white, which is in accordance with the Taiji Yin and Yang. Undoubtedly, it has a strong religious connotation.

It is believed that the panda symbolizes friendship, kindness, and unity. It highly reflects the culture of China and is fully qualified to represent it. For example, China has given away pandas to many countries, such as the United States, Japan, and France. Especially noteworthy is when the China Forestry Administration presented pandas An An and Jia Jia to Hong Kong’s Ocean Park to express gratitude for Hong Kong’s assistance during the Wenchuan earthquake incident.

As I have said, the panda symbolizes friendship and kindness. I think that the personality of people with this Chinese zodiac animal would be that of a mediator, as they are skilled at reconciling in a gentle way. The most outstanding individuals could even become diplomats.

You may ask, which animals would be my animal’s friend? Perhaps the goat is a nice choice. People with the goat zodiac care about relationships and are polite all the time. Their personalities are alike, so they may become friends easily and get along well.

To conclude, the panda is the pride of Chinese people. It devotes its life to bringing peace and harmony and should be the one to become a Chinese zodiac animal.

S1 First Runner-up, Chinese Culture Week 2023-24 English Writing Competition

My heart is beating so fast now, and I am holding my father’s hand tightly. I am going to miss the girl whom I have waited to meet for 5 years. Everything started when I decided to be a little sponsor at seven years old.

I have enjoyed helping others since I was a small child because I like the feeling that comes after helping people in need. The smiles on people’s faces motivate me to help others. Therefore, I had the idea of becoming a little sponsor after participating in a talk at school.

When I was in Primary Two, I listened to a talk about helping poor children around the world in places such as China, Africa, and South America. These poor children live in extreme poverty and lack necessities as basic as nutritious food, clean water, and education. I was so shocked to hear about this because I had been living with a warm and loving family, which provided me with everything I needed. So, I told my father immediately after school about my desire to be a little sponsor.

Later on, I joined a program to become a little sponsor. The organization matched me with a child named Coco from South America. She lived with her parents and three younger brothers and sisters in a poor village. They didn’t even have a healthy diet every day. Although she was only seven years old, she already needed to take care of her siblings. Their household lacked basic facilities like baths, showers, and an indoor flushing toilet. She had never been to school.

Although I couldn’t go to South America to help her, my dad and I donated money annually to the organization. They would use the money to help children by providing education, water, medical support, child protection, and livelihood support. The reason I didn’t give money and supplies directly to Coco was that it was not a sustainable or effective way to help her out of poverty. Instead, my dad explained that empowering her to become resilient and self-sustainable was more important.

During these five years, I received Coco’s photos and her school reports every year, even though I hadn’t met her face-to-face yet. I learned to save money each month so that I could have enough for Coco each year. I kept donating money to her through the organization, and today, I can finally see her.

Finally, Coco arrived. I hugged her tightly when I saw her. We were both speechless. She thanked me for helping her and her family over the years. We shared our life stories and experiences at school. I finally felt the satisfaction of helping others; it was satisfying and wonderful.

Joker, which is a 2019 American psychological film directed by Todd Phillips and based on DC Comics characters, stars Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker.

The Joker, who is the ‘villain’ in the film, is called Arthur Fleck. He was gentle and kind at first. Even though he was suppressed by a messy and ridiculous life, he still wished to be a comedian to make people happy.

Unfortunately, he suffered from a mental illness caused by his mother’s roommate, who was violent to him. Therefore, he always laughed at inappropriate times. The public regarded this as an irritation and even ostracized Arthur Fleck, making fun of him. What’s more, based on their status, Arthur Fleck was always discriminated against. Those encounters caused him to feel self-abasement and marginalization. Not to mention the tribulation he befell is worse and longer than mine, I can totally empathize with him. It is reasonable that he became furious.

Finally, standing on stairs and holding a cigarette, the Joker was dancing wantonly. This is a famous scene and my favorite part of the movie. Arthur Fleck, fed up with the foul unfair society, released the anger he had accumulated. Becoming a crazed murderer, he made up with a Joker appearance and cruelly killed numerous innocent people.

There is no smoke without fire. The tragedy happened for a reason. After finishing the movie, I often think that if people had treated Arthur Fleck kindly and tolerated his illness, he wouldn’t have committed the slaughter. As the master said, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ But analyzing this movie more deeply, is the Joker a true villain in Gotham City? Who are the ‘mice,’ or savages in the true sense – the lower-class people who live an ignoble existence every day or the high-class people who live lively and luxuriously every day? The protests launched are evident proof that many people are dissatisfied with the state of society. Maybe, the Joker is a fire that Arthur Fleck spread out successfully.

Have you ever thought about the meaning of life? If you find your life to be meaningless, you should definitely watch the movie Soul. This movie will inspire and encourage you.

In the story, a pianist named Joe Gardner dreams of playing jazz professionally. However, his mother wants him to accept a full-time job. Impressed by Joe’s piano playing, the famous jazz musician Dorothea Williams hires him for her show at a jazz club. Joe is over the moon, but his excitement distracts him, and he falls down an open manhole to his death. Joe becomes a soul and he escapes from the ‘Great Beyond’ because he wants to finish the show. He arrives at a place called the “Great Before,” where new souls get prepared for life on Earth. Joe is assigned to 22, a soul who has been in the Great Before for thousands of years. 22 hates and avoids living on Earth. To return to Earth using 22’s badge, Joe must help find her “spark” to complete her badge.

After experiencing life on Earth, 22 discovers the joy of living. The “Spark” isn’t what you enjoy doing, but rather it’s about the passion for life. When 22 is in Joe’s body, she is curious about everything, even the things that we ignore in our lives. On the other hand, Joe loves jazz and thinks it is his whole life. He works hard, but he dies before achieving his dream, leading him to believe his entire life was meaningless. Actually, we have busy lives, so we often miss many things that can make our lives meaningful. If we care about everything and every person we meet, we will find the reason to live and can enjoy our lives.

In conclusion, this film leads us to find the meaning of life. Overall, I think this movie is worth watching and is thought-provoking.

Have you watched the film, Coco? Whether yes or no, read this film review! Coco is a fantasy and heartwarming film directed by Lee Unkrich, with Adrian Molina as the co-director. It’s about a boy named Miguel who loves music. Suddenly, he touches his grandfather’s guitar and is cursed—he needs to receive his family’s blessing before sunrise or he cannot return to the world he lives in.

Miguel receives the curse and sees a lot of people who have died on the Day of the Dead. He feels worried but has no choice. He seeks his grandfather immediately because he doesn’t want to die. On this journey, he also discovers the truth behind his grandfather’s death and why his grandfather did not return.

As for the plot of the film, I think it is touching and interesting as it talks about music and family. The music is timeless and fits the plot perfectly; it is well-composed and effective. The image quality is good, and the characters are very lively, which is great.

In my opinion, the plot of the film, where Miguel reunites with his family and reveals the truth about his grandfather, let me understand one thing: even though someone has died, if their family remembers them, they continue to live in their hearts. I really recommend all of you to watch this film!

In conclusion, the film is fascinating and enjoyable. It also taught me that when people die, they are truly gone only if no one remembers them. If you haven’t decided to watch this film, I suggest you go and watch it!

Last year, I came across the most meaningful movie I have ever watched, Barbie. At first glance at the poster, I thought it was merely a fantasy comedy movie, but it turned out to teach me a significant lesson.

At the beginning, Barbies and Kens live in Barbieland, happily ever after. During a party, Barbie is suddenly stricken with worries about mortality. Overnight, she develops bad breath, cellulite, and flat feet, disrupting her usual routines the next day. To cure her affliction, she sets off to the real world to find the child who played with her. In the real world, Barbie tracks down her owner, Sasha, who criticizes Barbie for encouraging unrealistic beauty standards. Distraught, Barbie discovers that Gloria, a Mattel employee and Sasha’s mother, inadvertently caused her existential crisis after playing with Sasha’s old Barbie toys in a similar deteriorated state. As Mattel attempts to remanufacture Barbie, she returns to the real world with Sasha and her mother.

Meanwhile, Ken learns about patriarchy and feels respected for the first time. Before Barbie returns, he persuades the other Kens to take over, and the Barbies are indoctrinated into submissive roles, such as agreeable girlfriends, housewives, and maids. When Barbie arrives in Barbieland, she is shocked to see the changes. She feels depressed. Then, Gloria delivers a speech about society’s conflicting expectations of women, restoring Barbie’s self-confidence. Soon, Gloria extends her speech to all Barbies in Barbieland, and they regain their confidence. The Barbies apologize to the Kens and emphasize the need for better treatment of Kens and all outcasts. Finally, Barbieland returns to peace.

Just after watching the movie, I realized that everything has its benefits and drawbacks. Patriarchy seems perfect for men as it often grants them greater power. Nevertheless, it puts pressure on sentimental men, as crying is considered weak and girly in a patriarchal society. Women’s rights have been fought for centuries, but they have not yet led to complete success, and many men still live in a patriarchal society, believing women are only capable of cooking and taking care of children. Clearly, we still need to make efforts to change this patriarchal society. From my point of view, everyone is different but equal. We shouldn’t be judged or constrained by anyone. You can continue living in your patriarchal world, but you can’t stop me from continuing to fight for my rights.

The film I have viewed, called Hacksaw Ridge, is about the odyssey of a young American soldier, Desmond Doss, who refuses to carry any weapons and becomes a medic to serve his country during one of the most intense wars of World War II. At the beginning of the movie, he is portrayed as an inexperienced, idealistic, and timid young man. However, as the narrative unfolds, Doss is forced to confront the brutal realities of war and the harshness of his fellow soldiers. He witnesses the devastating effects of violence and discovers the strength of his inner courage, which allows him to put his faith into action. Desmond pushes his limits to save the lives of his comrades as much as possible. With his unwavering courage, Desmond fearlessly and doubtlessly ventures into the battlefield, constantly risking his own life to provide medical aid to injured soldiers, even when often under heavy enemy fire. Without weapons to defend himself, Desmond navigates the treacherous battleground, employing improvised stretchers and ropes to lower injured soldiers down the cliffside to safety.

The director has successfully portrayed the brutal and cruel atmosphere of war by taking close-up shots of an injured soldier and using horrible audio such as screaming, the sound of firing. Besides, the performance of Andrew Garfield, who acted as the main character, was impeccable as the audience could really feel his hardship in saving lives.

The movie is meaningful, and the message the director tried to convey is profound. There are a multitude of predicaments in our daily lives, and even if some obstacles seem insurmountable, we have to be intrepid to overcome them. Also, bravery can be embodied in various ways, not only by saving people’s lives but also by standing up for our beliefs, even when it is difficult or unpopular. The importance of standing up for our own beliefs is highlighted in the movie. Despite facing ridicule and discrimination from his fellow soldiers, he still decides to serve as a medic. He says, “While everybody else is taking life, I’m going to be saving it. That’s going to be my way to serve.” The movie teaches us that there is a price to be paid for integrity, but that the rewards are far greater than any sacrifice we may have to make. In today’s world, where it is easy to be swayed by public opinion or to compromise our principles to fit in or avoid conflict, the film serves as a powerful reminder that true heroism lies in staying true to ourselves and our beliefs, even in the face of insurmountable predicaments.

In conclusion, Hacksaw Ridge is irrefutably an emotion-triggering and thought-provoking film. If you are interested in historical events, I sincerely recommend you enjoy this masterpiece.