Mrs. Qiu’s success in reviving Changhua Raoping Hakka is old news, and everyone feels it fortunate to live in the town she lives in. This is the fourth year that Mrs. Qiu has been touring giving lectures mainly on literature and histories in Yongjing communities for senior citizen. Within held a year, from July to December in 2015, she had given 20 lectures on Raoping Hakka in the communities. On Monday night on October 9th, we went with her to the second floor of Ganshu Templein Nangang village, Yongjing town. Those that settled there are offspring of Zhan and they all came nicely-clad and prepared to learn Hakka with us.

This time, Mrs. Qiu prepared to teach on vocabularies of fruits, conversations on greetings, poem reading on Grandma Eats Ice Stick, Paper Scissor Stone, and 250 Dollars for a Pound of Pork, and seven-word songs on Yongjing Loyal House and Yongjing Nangang. These materials not only draw people closer to Hakka but also draw them closer to their hometown –Yongjing. Mrs. Qiu did not only write seven-word songs, she also taught them to sing them in opera tone and in Raoping tone, which moved us. She also prepared for model materials and posters to aid her in teaching. Seeing the senior citizen to start speaking Hakka from ground zero is amazing.

On that day, many came with their families. One of the Corp members Ningyu Chen’s three-generation family had a great time learning together. Mrs. Qiu gave the microphone to the ten-year-old Ningyu and he was a little teacher. He taught the elders daily Raoping Hakka conversation and won a round of applause. Children learning with the elders and listening to history stories together gave them a sentiment that went beyond description. Learning their mother language that had been lost for half a century together definitely strengthened the bond between them and their love for Hakka increased along way.

We used to be completely unfamiliar with Changhua Raoping accent and history, and yet, now we found that most of the members in the Corp are Raoping Hakka, it’s good that we started speaking our mother language. After we realized how great and important it is for us to take Raoping Hakka class together with our senior citizen, we really thank Yongjing Township Office, Nangang Community Senior Citizen Learning Center and Mrs. Qiu, who spent so much time preparing for courses and coming to teach Raoping Hakka. It really means a lot to rescuing the mother language, and we all look forward to her next lecture.

That night my grandfather, grandmother, father, mother, neighbors and I learnt Hakka with Mrs. Qiu in the village temple. It was so heartwarming and fun. Even my illiterate grandmother can speak and sing Hakka!

Mrs. Qiu gave me the microphone to tell the sotry of Sky Broken Day in Raoping Hakka. This was the first time performing such an essential task. When I finished, everyone gave me a big hand and I felt a sense of accomplishment. The elders told me I did a good job and that made me so happy. I also taught them several daily conversation sentences in Hakka and they repeated after me loudly, which made me feel like I am a vanguard in the Corp.

Community Director General Huiwen Xiao asked me if there is another Hakka activity in the community, would I come to perform. I assured her I would! Learning with Mrs. Qiu strengthen the bond between families, neighbors, and we started to delve into the history of Changhua Raoping Hakka to look for our origination.