Happy Teachers Day!!

教師節快樂!!!

The only thing I am doing for Teacher's Day is going out with a colleague for lunch to eat Korean food.   And, really, that is just because we want to . . . doesn't really have anything to do with the holiday.

But, I wanted to make sure I wished all the teachers out there . . . Happy Teacher's Day!!

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Here is a repost of what I wrote last year, explaining Teacher's Day:

Today is Teacher's Day in Taiwan.  And, like so many holidays in so many cultures, Teacher's Day in Taiwan is a mix of both the religious and secular.

To many Taiwanese, Teacher's Day is a day to show respect to their teachers and to thank them for all their hard work (I like that). 

Nonetheless, as Wikipedia correctly points out, "This date was chosen to commemorate the birth of Confucius, believed to be the model master educator in ancient China."  At the crack of dawn in Confucian temples all over the island cermonies take place in honor of Confucius.  These 祭孔大典 (or "Grand Ceremonies Dedicated to Confucius") start with the beating of drums. "54 musicians dress in robes with blue belts, 36 (or 64) dancers dress in yellow with green belts. They are led and followed by cermonial officers. Three animals--the cow, the goat, and the pig--are sacrificed. The hair plucked from these sacrificed animals are called the Hairs of Wisdom."

So, now you know some students simply give their teachers cards which say "Happy Teacher's Day," but others go to temples and make sacrifices to a dead man.

(Pictures above come from this and this photoset on flickr.)

Comments

[Kristy]

well, happy teachers' day to you! :) did you enjoy your korean? i was thinking a little earlier that you might enjoy getting to know a new friend of mine, jo...she is a teacher, single, Godly, fun, and oh-so-friendly. there is a link to her blog, Jo's Journal, under my family/friends section if you're interested!

[charlotte]

Happy Teacher's Day to you too! Did you get any cards from your students this year?

[amanda]

This year, since I've known my current students for a grand total of about 5 hours, no cards from them.

But, several text messages on my phone from former students. :)

How about you?

[Eric]

Happy Teacher's Day, I hope you are enjoying your new school!