Experience of Shi-yi Activities

     “Shi-yi” of Shi-yi Building means it is the ideal place for “playing instruments, chess, reciting poetry, drinking, painting, flower appreciation, moon gazing, playing games, smoking and tea tasting”. In the past, the literati often met in the building to recite poems, taste the tea and appreciate the moon. In order to reconstruct the scene and allow team members to experience literacy pursuits in Shi-yi Building, we arranged a series of activities and obtained the support from students of club of nankuan music and drawing club of the school to result in more professional activity content.

     However, with the concern of students’ age and the place, we only practiced “playing instruments, chess, reciting poetry, painting and tea tasting”. Activities are shown below:

     The literati call instrument, chess, calligraphy and painting as “four techniques of gentlemen”. “Instrument” is the tool for the literati to express emotion and cultivate the character. Those who master instruments are calmer. The literati often play instruments, recite poems and thus make friends. It is essential enjoyment in life. For professional result, we invited the students of club of nankuan music in school to perform the music. In the following video, Huang Yi-xiang on the left played “Sanxian” and Huang Ming-chen on the right played “Pipa”. Please enjoy their performance!

     We can make friends and enhance intelligence by playing “chess”. “Playing chess at leisure time” is the literati’s enjoyment in life. Manners of chess playing are critical and they reveal the players’ personality. Although chessboard is small, the strategy is changeable. The game of chess resembles the battlefield. The players fight with each other by strategy and intelligence. In the history, many celebrities were benefited by the games. We presented wooden chessboard and Chinese chess to reconstruct the scene of the past.

     By “reciting poetry”, the literati in ancient time expressed their affection and aspiration. During Japanese Colonial Period, numerous poetry societies in Taiwan were founded. In the meetings, the literati recited the poems and exchanged with each other. We invited students to recite the poems related to Shi-yi Building. For activity records in detail, please see “poetry of Shi-yi Building” in “literati” item.

     “Painting” is the measure for the literati to express feelings or make friends. Paintings of creation, collection or even decoration hung in the houses can show the literati’s preferred style and their aspiration. “Painting in the poems and poems in the paintings” is the ideal state for the literati. For the concern of more professional presentation, we invited students of drawing club in the school to paint outside. The process and work will be presented in turn as shown below. The playing will be stopped by moving the mouse on the picture: