Flag Raising Ceremony Teacher’s Sharing 2026-4-30

Miss Angel Chow, our Assistant Head of School Life, Teacher of Design Technology, and Form 5 Cassia House Tutor, delivered an insightful sharing during the National Security Education Day activity. Using the relatable example of “chopstick culture,” she explained the profound importance of cultural customs in defining our collective identity. She further explored how, through active practice and purposeful promotion, we can transform traditional culture into a living heritage, ultimately demonstrating a sense of cultural confidence in our modern lives.

Good morning, Principal, Assistant Principals, teachers, and our fellow students.

Two weeks ago, we watched 2 videos, one about Chopstick culture and one about the Chinese Cheongsam. After watching, students were asked to answer two questions.

Dear students, Thank you all so much for your contributions. There were many thoughtful responses that I simply cannot list all of them here. Instead, I would like to take a moment to summarize the key points you shared and reflect on why cultural customs matter.

Through the use of Chopsticks, we can discover layers of meanings about history, identity, anthropology and social etiquette. Chopsticks are not just a utensil. They carry centuries of tradition and wisdom passed down through generations. For example, when we eat with chopsticks, we do not stick chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice because it resembles incense at a funeral—a gesture of disrespect to the living and the dead. Also, we do not point chopsticks at others or use them to drum on the table. These customs deeply reflect cultural values about respect, harmony, and mindfulness. Every small action at the dining table shapes our daily behavior in a way we might not even notice. The cultural customs strengthen community bonding by giving us shared practices and expectations. They distinguish our cultural identity and remind us who we are and where we come from. Through the ‘Zhi’ reflected from the elegance of the cheongsam or the simplicity of a pair of wooden chopsticks, these traditions tell our story.

On top of that, many of you offered practical suggestions, and I would like to highlight a few. First, we can integrate traditions into our daily lives. Using chopsticks at home and wearing traditional clothing on special occasions - like the CSS Creative Chinese Festival, or cooking family recipes are ways to keep heritage alive.

Second, some of you also suggested that we could promote cultural awareness through education and social media. Sharing what we know with classmates, posting the traditions online, or even creating school projects about our heritage, culture spreads when we talk about it openly and proudly.

Preserving culture is not the responsibility of the government alone— it belongs to all of us. When we practice our traditions and share them with others, we build pride in our identity. Starting from today, perhaps most simply, we can teach others how to use chopsticks, to share the ‘Zhi’ of chopsticks in CSS.

Thank you.

Written by

Miss Angel Chow

Assistant Head of School Life

Teacher of Design Technology

Form 5 Cassia House Tutor