Finalists in the Senior Primary School category of the 2024 “21st Century Cup” English Speaking Competition (Hong Kong) dazzled the audience with vibrant displays of traditional Chinese culture. 

Their speech topic, “What I learned from my favorite Chinese story”, inspired participants to delve into the pages of Chinese Stories, a children’s book by the Hong Kong Community Foundation Ltd.

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Daryl Ng Win-kong, chairman of the Hong Kong Community Foundation Ltd, said, “We were impressed by the students’ passion and creativity in presenting this topic, and we look forward to providing more opportunities for future generations to understand and appreciate Chinese culture and traditions.”

During the competition, the young speakers conveyed the profound impact of cultural legacies from their own perspectives.  

So Yu-hang from Ying Wa Primary School won the championship with his inspiring take on the Dragon Boat Festival, which he compared to “the spirit of righteousness and working tirelessly to contribute to our beloved motherland”.

Among the 72 tales featured in the book, popular narratives include the legend of Nian, portrayed by a student as “a fierce beast beaten by collective courage and effort”, and the Chinese hotpot, celebrated as “a vessel of shared experiences and memories”.

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Lee Si-lin, a judge for the final of the Kindergarten and Primary School categories, commended the speakers. “What they had shared about Chinese ancient history and traditional culture reminded me of how important it is for us to be patriotic and to be somebody who can give back to the country,” she said.

Lee expressed that she was deeply moved by the eloquent English presentations delivered by the children, which provided valuable information for the audience to learn from.

Liu Lulu contributed to this story.