Drama Card 1

Levels 3-4

Sixteen dragons

There are many different beliefs about the beginnings of the lantern festival and the legend below is just one. Make sure your whole group knows all about it.

It was believed, in ancient times, that the lantern festival was a time to worship Taiyi, the God of Heaven. Taiyi, it is said, controlled the destiny of the human world and to help him do this he had sixteen dragons.

It was said, and this was long ago, that these dragons, brought drought, storms famine or pestilence and as everyone knows these are not good things.

Qinshihuang, the first Emperor to unite China ordered splendid ceremonies be held every year and it was thought by the people and the Emperors that followed, that these ceremonies pleased Taiyi and helped bring good weather and good health to the people of China.

A later Emperor, and his name was Wudi, proclaimed that this celebration was one of China's most important and for this reason it would last all night.

And this is why, says this ancient story, that the lantern festival began and continues to this day.

Your mission

Create a short drama that tells this legend to the rest of the class. Perform it in mime or add words but as you work it out, decide which characters could be stilt walkers, for they are an important part of the Lantern Festival.

Stilt walking is a traditional performance and a popular lantern festival event. Some actors even perform plays while walking about on stilts. You might not perform your play on stilts but we still want to know which characters from your story would use them.

See some stilts here.