Event Time: Saturday, May 9, 2026, 1:00 - 3:00 pm | Location: Capital Chinese School, 710 Broadview Ave.
On May 9, as spring arrived in Ottawa, the OCLS Mother's Day Art Exhibition & Poetry Recital was warmly held at Capital Chinese School. The event was jointly organized by Ottawa Chinese Language School, Capital Chinese School, Sui Yue Culture Salon, and the Canada-Asia Arts & Culture Association.
Centered on Mother's Day, the afternoon brought together a recap of the essay campaign, Hanfu spring portraits, calligraphy exhibition, poetry readings, music, dance, and cultural performances. Poetry, ink, Hanfu elegance, and heartfelt blessings met in one shared celebration of motherly love, culture, and companionship.
Organizers: Ottawa Chinese Language School, Capital Chinese School, Sui Yue Culture Salon, Canada-Asia Arts & Culture Association
Highlights: Mother's Day essay recap, calligraphy, original readings, performances, Hanfu portraits, and Year of the Horse commemorative coin pickup
Essay Recap
The Mother's Day essay campaign received nearly fifty original works from writers across generations and cities.
Art Exhibition
Calligraphy and visual art brought an atmosphere of ink, beauty, and reflection to the celebration.
Poetry Recital
Authors and guest readers shared stories and honored mothers through words and voice.
Performances
Drama, recitation, pipa, songs, dance, hulusi, and Hanfu fashion filled the stage.
During the essay recap, editor Lingxi introduced the origin and progress of the campaign. Since the call for submissions was released in late March, nearly fifty original works were received from Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, and China.
The writers ranged from those born in the 1950s to those born after 2000, allowing readers to see mothers from different eras and life experiences. These essays were not only about one person's mother. They reflected the images of countless mothers, and awakened readers' own memories, regrets, and longings.
On-site sharing: Mr. Yongzhong Qu's "A Handful of Soybeans," Dr. Helen Tang's "A Lesson My Daughter Taught Me," and Ms. Jing Shi's reading of "The Most Precious Things in the World Are Free."
Shared blessing: May all mothers be blessed with happiness, health, peace, and joy.
After the essay segment, the stage continued with performances. KCSSC Dream Chasers Art Troupe opened with the drama "A Lifelong Call--Mother." Jasmine Xia Chapman recited "Chinese Language" and later performed the pipa piece "A Plum Blossom." Claire Zhang sang "Wutong Tree," and the kindergarten class from Capital Chinese School sang "The World Only Has Good Moms."
Five-year-old Sun Chuanxi recited "Hello China! Hello Canada!" The Dream Dance Team presented "Fireworks of Life," and Song Liqiang performed "Love Song of the Bamboo House" on hulusi with Kang Jianjun dancing alongside. Qu Feng, Yang Xiaoming, Li Siyuan, and Yang Yajie also offered songs in celebration of Mother's Day.
Lu Yi and Wang Xiang recited "A Song for the Wanderer," and the finale, "Millennium Splendor: Hanfu Fashion Show," brought the beauty, etiquette, and cultural memory of Hanfu to life. Lucky draws, Mother's Day flowers, Hanfu photos, and Year of the Horse commemorative coin pickup added more warmth to the afternoon.
With Gratitude
Our sincere thanks go to all performers, essay contributors, volunteers, sponsors, and guests. Special thanks also go to photographers Weimin Mao, Yuan Jia from the Canada-China Arts Association, Weimin Zhang from Capital Chinese School, and the KCSSC senior friends for preserving these warm and beautiful memories.
Because of everyone who joined us, this spring afternoon honoring mothers was warm and bright. May all mothers be blessed with warmth every day and health every year.