CHINESE ANIMATION SERIES 中国唱诗班 “THE CHOIR OF CHINESE POETRY” IN CHINESE LITERATURE TEACHING

Abstract

The goal of modern literature teaching is no longer learning of poems by heart but to introduce life as the author understood it. It is true to the learner of the literature of your motherland an is even more important to a foreigner who enters an unknown world of strange culture, traditions and history. The use of materials which deal not only with literature theory, but those that are at the intersection of history, culture and literature helps to form a wide picture of the world, and learning as a cognitive process goes to another level. In the process of studying Chinese literature, culturally authentic material is especially relevant. It acquaints with the history, life, way of living, traditions of the people, thus contributing to the socio-cultural competence of the learner. The article introduces a mini-series of six animations that are annually produced with a great part of Chinese government’s investing. The authentic series carried out research about classical Chinese poems, culture, traditions in various spheres of life. Each part is based on the real historical episode or character which suits the main idea of the classical poem. The well-known poets like Li Bo, Wang Wei, Wang Anshi are recited and sung as a perfect background to the events of the animation. Thus the main ideas of the poems as well as the author’s feelings are depicted vividly. Also the directors of the series introduce Chinese paintings’ symbols, historical events, cuisine and traditional values. Successfully using Chinese traditional aesthetics of ink painting and emotional plots, the authors of the cartoon series evoke an emotional response in the audience, which contributes to a better memorization of a literary work. The variety of content makes the series the perfect additional material to enliven classical Chinese poetry, makes it contemporary and easily understood for foreign learners.