The Pui Ching Middle School Dance Team arrived in Lisbon, Portugal and performed in parades on local streets. The team captured the audience with its rhythm and beat and won cheers from many.  The local Chinese community commended the students on their graceful dance moves and traditional Chinese dance styles and expressed interest in visiting Macao one day.

Invited by the Consulate General of China in Portugal, the Pui Ching Dance Team attended the annual Happy Spring Festival Gala. The dance team attended the event with Education Bureau Chief Ms. Wai Kei Leong, Language Promotion Center Director Mr. Zang Chi Wong, Pui Ching Middle School Principal Dr. Kam Fai Kou and Vice-Principal Mr. Keng Man Kuok.  Upon arrival, students visited various local attractions including Our Lady of Fatima Church, the Padriao dos Descobrimentos and the Liston Cathedral and learned about the local history and culture.  The dance team engaged in their final rehearsal after the tour and attracted much applause from onlookers.

The dance parade began with the 20-member Tibetan group dance “A Weaver on the Horizon”, which re-enacted scenes from the Tibetan folklore where Lady Lianzhi taught local Tibetan girls to weave and helped to change life for the better.  At the Martim Moniz Square, our dance team put on performances including “Why Flowers are so Red”, “The Foot-Stomping Song”, “Feminine Grace”, and “Yibandu”.  Among these, the Han dance “Feminine Grace” was brought alive on stage with famous Macao Zitherist and teacher of the School of Music at the Conservatory of Macao Ms. Tek Ka Leong. 

After the parade, the team joined the organizer at dinner and was invited to an impromptu dance on stage. The team once again captured the audience with its marvelous performance and won many cheers.

The 2017 Happy Spring Festival Gala in Portugal was jointly hosted by the Consulate General of China in Portugal, the Lisbon government, the Porto government, and the Portimao government. The event showcased cultural performances and exhibitions as well as photography exhibitions.  It aims to bring Chinese New Year festivities to the local Chinese community and promote cultural ties between China and Portugal.  The dance team is to continue its performance on stage the next day.

The grand event has been covered in various newspaper articles:

http://www.macaodaily.com/html/2017-01/23/content_1152691.htm

http://www.macaodaily.com/html/2017-01/23/content_1152693.htm

http://www.macaodaily.com/html/2017-01/23/content_1152697.htm

The 2017 Macao Pui Ching Cup Fencing Invitational Tournament cum Celebration of the 20^th Anniversary of the Founding of the Macao Fencing Association was held from 8:30am to 6:30pm on Sunday, January 22 at the Block H stadium at Macao Pui Ching Middle School.

The opening ceremony of the invitational tournament was held at 11:00am.  Guests of honor included Mr. Fei Toi Fong, Chief of the Macao Institute of Sports Support Services Division, Mr. Wai Lam Kuan, Vice-president of the Macao Fencing Association, Dr. Keng Lim Chan, Vice-principal of Macao Pui Ching Middle School, Mr. Veng Tong Leong, Director of Macao Pui Ching Middle School, and Mr. Chi Wai Mok, President of the Macao Pui Ching Alumni Association. 

Fencing instruction has been available to students in Pui Ching for years.  These years, the school further opened systematic fencing courses from Primary 1 to Senior 3 and founded the school fencing team.  An inter-class fencing competition was held last December at Pui Ching for students from Primary 1 to Senior 3 and inspired much enthusiasm.  To further promote the sport, Pui Ching hosted the current invitational competition with the assistance of the Macao Fencing Association, the Macao Ho Kit Fencing Sports Association, and the Macao Ngou Cheong Sports Association.  The competition attracted over 120 contestants from Macao, Mainland China, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.  Contestants’ age ranged from 8 to 18 and competition categories included Men’s and Women’s Epee Fencing, Sabre Fencing, and Foil Fencing.

Pui Ching Junior 3 student Mr. Man Kit Hoi won the championship at the competition in Foil Fencing Category B.  He is set to participate in the Asia Youth Championship in Thailand next month.  He has ramped up training since the competition and hopes to be one of the top four players at the Asia Youth Championship.

In Women’s Foil Fencing Category A and B, Ms. Hoi Cheng Lee of the Hong Kong i-Fencing Alliance Club won the championship; Ms. Cheng Lam Ho of Pui Ching Middle School won the second place; Mr. Wan Wong of the Ho Kit Fencing Sports Association won the third place; Ms. Chi Cheng Cheung of the Ngou Cheong Sports Association won the fourth place.  In Women’s Epee Fencing Category A, Ms. Weng Si Leong, Ms. I Nim Leong, and Ms. Hoi Cheng Si won the first and second place; Ms. Suet Cheng Lam of Ngou Cheong came in the third place.  In Men’s Foil Fencing Category A, Mr. Jia Hao Ren from Guangzhou clinched the championship; Mr. Zheng De Lin from Taiwan was the first runner-up; Mr. Wai Kit Ng of Pui Ching was the second runner-up; and Mr. Man Hin Cheong of Ngou Cheong came in the fourth place.

The Macao Pui Ching Middle School Dance Team joined the 2017 Happy Spring Festival Gala in Portugal.  The team had the pleasure of the company of Education Bureau Chief Ms. Wai Kei Leong and Director Mr. Zang Chi Wong on their trip to Portugal.  The students also received warm welcomes from the president, the secretary-general, as well as the chief supervisor of the Macao China-Portugal Dance and Art Association.

Continuing one’s education in prestigious universities in the Mainland has been many students’ dream. The increase in student intake this year by Mainland universities has been exciting news to local students. Many Pui Ching students with the interest to pursue these opportunities are encouraged to apply for school recommendation for direct admission if their grades meet the requirement. The application rate for school recommendation has increased this year to five times the rate last year.

In this morning’s weekly assembly, Principal Kam Fai Kou encouraged students accepted into universities through school recommendation to make the best of this learning opportunity. Pui Ching alumnus Mr. Ka Chon Leong returned to Pui Ching in the afternoon to share his student experience at Fudan University of Shanghai with current students of Pui Ching. He talked about the strong academic climate in Mainland universities and expressed that he would make the same choice if he were asked to choose a university again.