Connecting Communities: Min-Nan Opera Celebrating the Legacy of Shadong Temple

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At Yanping Elementary School in Nantou County, students are engaging in an artistic exploration of local culture through Min-Nan opera, focusing on the community's religious center, Shadong Temple. Students learned about the historical significance of Shadong Temple, particularly a famous phrase associated with a drought prayer from the Showa 8 year. Through collaboration with teachers, they researched and wrote a script, culminating in a performance that showcases their newfound appreciation for local language and culture.

To better understand the cultural background, students participated in community explorations, interviewing local elders to uncover the history of Shadong Temple. They returned to school to gather more information online and engaged in discussions, ultimately deciding to focus on the theme "Divine Power of Shadong Temple." They invited opera instructors to teach basic movements and choreography. The students underwent individual rehearsals, makeup lessons, costume production, and prop-making, cultivating artistic perception and respect for local cultural beauty.

The performances received enthusiastic praise from community members, transforming the local narrative into emotional and vibrant artistic expression. Parents actively engaged in the process, learning makeup application, prop production, and even showing interest in opera training. Additionally, the students participated in community activities, performing for the elderly in the community and assisting in community evaluation events, achieving the goal of creating synergy between the school and the community.

Despite facing many challenges during this project, such as students lacking dance experience and proficiency in Taiwanese, everyone started from scratch. The most common phrase heard during rehearsals was "Let’s try again." Numerous attempts led to many tears, but the dedication behind the short performances highlighted the hard work put into practice. Through their theatrical interpretation, the students hope to sustain local history and culture, sharing the most authentic and beautiful aspects of Dongpu with everyone while contributing to the sustainable development of their hometown.