Nanjian Primary School is located in the picturesque Nanjian Yi Autonomous County of Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province. On November 2nd, "Happy Keys" Music Together Classes donation ceremony was held in this beautiful campus.
During the donation ceremony, students performed the Yi dance "Blessed Child Jumping Dish," (Fuwa Tiaocai) showcasing the Yi children's talent in singing, dancing, and their hospitality. "Jumping Dish"(Tiaocai) refers to the act of serving dishes while dancing, a traditional cultural practice that combines dance, music, acrobatics, and cuisine. It has been listed as a national intangible cultural heritage, and Nanjian County is renowned as the "Home of Chinese Folk Jumping Dish Art."
After the donation ceremony, the music teacher brought the students to the "Happy Keys" music classroom and began their first piano lesson. Mr. Liu Chengmin, the director of Langlang Art Foundation, also sent blessings through video to encourage children to study hard.
Inheriting Ethnic Culture and Promoting Comprehensive Development
Nanjian Primary School has more than half of its students belonging to ethnic minorities. These children, growing up in the "Home of Jumping Dish" and "Home of Dance," can be described as naturally gifted in music, often "singing as soon as they speak and dancing as soon as they walk." Their innate musical talent and strong adaptability make them highly resilient.
The school emphasizes the cultivation of students' comprehensive qualities. Through various artistic and cultural activities, it has fostered students' interests and hobbies, and sparked their love for ethnic culture. The school has also become the first in Dali Prefecture to be listed as a national intangible cultural heritage transmission demonstration campus within a national ecological protection zone. Despite the school's strong emphasis on music education, outdated and insufficient music teaching equipment has hindered the development of their music programs. The "Happy Keys" Music Together Classes initiative brings professional music equipment, enabling these young inheritors to better learn and promote their excellent ethnic culture.
Gentle Care, Spreading Love
Nanjian was once a nationally designated poverty-stricken county. Although it alleviated poverty this year, many people still work away from home. Over 95% of the students at Nanjian Primary School are left-behind children or children of migrant workers, with parents who are often absent for extended periods. To help these children overcome various challenges in their studies and daily lives, the school established the "Affection Section" to fill the emotional gap left by their parents' absence.
The arrival of the "Happy Keys" music classroom has provided the children with a great place to spend their free time. Accompanied by music, they feel the love and warmth of society, alleviating their sense of loneliness. This enriches their extracurricular life, helping them to grow up healthy, cheerful, and optimistic.