School: Cangxi Vocational High school, Sichuang Province
    Cangxi, Sichuan, China

4 students, ages 17-18 worked together to complete this CyberFair project on February 24, 2012. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2011

Classes and Teachers: Maojun

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://sc000042.edu.17888.com

1. Description of Our Community

Cangxi is located in northern margin of Sichuan Basin, south of Daba Mountains, it crosses from longitude 105 degrees 43 ' to 106 degrees 28 ' east and latitude 31 degrees 37' to 32 degrees 37' north. Cangxi has rich history and splendid culture. It has been 1700 years from setting up Taikang County in Xijin Dynasty, known as 'Chuanbeichunyi'. Here is a remarkable place which produces outstanding people, and there are many famous scenic spots. Cangxi has a splendid and colorful folk culture since ancient times. Cangxi was the home of lantern operas in ancient times, almost all the adults and children can play lantern opera, there are troupes of lantern opera throughout the year in the village, and they are playing in the northern Sichuan, southern Shaanxi and the western Jingchu.

2. Summary of Our Project

We study origin, characteristics and development of lantern opera deeply through the interview of old folk artists and cultural experts, not only feeling the unique charm of lantern opera but also fully seeing the encountered difficulties of lantern opera, we are trying to deliver charm of art in this kind of place to our students and our society, let more people like the traditional lantern opera.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:21-50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:2-3

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dial-up modem

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:more than 6

E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):

4 players have no computers at home, but there is computer in only one instructor’s family. The speed of Internet in students’ computer room is relatively smooth, so most of the contents on the website are completed in the students’ computer room.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

1. There is a few local people can play lantern opera, so there are a few means to get resources.Fully mobilizing the people around us to find the old artists and experts who know lantern opera.The ways always can be thought out. 2. Students are not familiar with on the software of Dreameaver webpage making. Learning while using, asking for help from teachers. We use it more easily through the study of this software. The money of extramural interview is insufficient. 3. Team members can get allowance from school and themselves.Preparing sufficient money before the activity and saving every penny as far as possible. 4.Team’s activity time is insufficient seriously.Making full use of the weekends and extracurricular activities.Arranging activity plan carefully.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

There is mutual influence, conflict and integration of Global culture in nowadays, lantern opera with a unique style and real life contents more easily attracts people's attention. Although the lantern opera is still weak in the global competition, the communication of mediums will not because of its impact is too small to concern and despise. Although it has some weaknesses, being subjected to time and space, but it is the most direct and lively exchange media. So we cherish the lantern opera in 'weak' very much, do our best to protect the original style and features of lantern opera, to explore new communication mode and method of local opera, to break the old concepts, cherish the social life contents in lantern opera which are in popular, full of real life, intuitive and very local characteristics.

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

Spirit of quality education is carried out carefully in our school, encouraging students to participate in social practice in spare time, to promote the overall development of students as the starting and ending point, Cultivating practice ability and creative spirit, fostering a correct outlook on the world, life, values and talents, making the students to become qualified talents who can adapt the needs of development to socialism with Chinese characteristics. Therefore a great deal of practice opportunities and making use of the knowledge opportunities are provided for the students in our study, and let the students learned a lot of knowledge and experiences which cannot be learned from textbooks. Enable students to become masters of learning. This is the best practice for the secondary vocational technical students in our school, this kind of practice is never experienced that all the students’ major is computer science. Especially it is happy that through experiencing and excising in this activity, whether in social intercourse ability and ideological sense quality or the mastery of knowledge, the students have greatly improved. They are no longer satisfied with going out to have a look, but also willing to participate in social activities, the achievements of activities are no longer confined to the written materials, but focusing more on social influence. Through this topic research activity, the students have a deeper understanding of the local culture about lantern opera, and it inspires them to love their home.

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

The software Dreamweaver MX 2004 :Webpage making WORD 2003 : Text processing photshop 7.0 ?fireworks MX 2004: Picture processing ACDSee 5.0 : scanning pictures Microsoft IE 6.0: collecting information online Cute FTP 7: uploading website QQ :Data exchanging and technical advice The hardware Mobile phone: contacting team members and interviews Digital camera: interviewing and taking picture U disk, Mobile HDD: Copying information and storing information computer: Data sorting and webpage making Dial-up Internet access: To find information on the Internet and upload data Cross network platform:Technical support and exchange

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

In the process of our research, we visited the rehearsing people in 'happy every day' troupe and experts in the museum, they gave us a lot of help and provided valuable information and photos. We also interviewed the related departments of government and understood their protection plan of lantern opera. In addition, we also shared the results of our study with students in school, we showed lantern opera that we acted and directed by ourselves in the school party, delivering the traditional culture to our students. Most importantly, we hope people can pay attention to this traditional art, so this non-material cultural heritage can be developed here.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

Our young generations including many people in our community know nothing about lantern opera at all if without our study, cultural connotation of lantern opera will be less. Through my research, we shared our research results with the students and the people in community, so they deeply appreciated the charm of lantern opera, being stimulated to understand this kind of art, and paying attention to the art.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

Our material is mainly gotten through the visits and interviews. The old folk artist has provided many information and photos about lantern opera for us, museum staffs have accepted our interview, and introduced the history of lantern opera, characteristics and the status, the school leadership provide a lot of convenience for our studies, all the school students also gave us a lot of cooperation and supports. Of course the instructor gave us a lot of help.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

In the process of the study, we found that it is really not easy to research a project deeply. We have just heard of lantern opera, through our in-depth study about lantern opera, we truly realized the unique charm of lantern opera, lantern opera is close to life, rough and concise, humorous and popular, singing while dancing, wit and humor, lyrics is simple and health with strong local flavor. It deserves to be called 'the national non material cultural heritage'. We also see that there is less and less people know lantern opera now, we hope that more people are aware of the charm of lantern opera through this project.