After more than a month of rehearsals, 50 fourth grade students at Yutan Street Central Primary School in Ningxiang, Hunan province, delivered a performance based on the narrative poem?The Ballad of Mulan.

Through poetry, song and dance, the students vividly retold the story of Mulan, a Chinese woman who masquerades as a man to take her ailing father's place in the army. One man from every family was conscripted to fight the invading Huns.

"It is one of many themed activities at our school," said Chen Rong, the students' head teacher. "Well-prepared performances with different themes can make deep impressions on students."

Since choosing Mulan as their theme, the students and teachers have received great support from the parents and the school, she said.

"For some of my students, it was their first time to join in such a performance, but none of them complain about the laborious rehearsals in their spare time after school," Chen said.

"I feel quite happy to see their improvement in singing, dancing and performing. Furthermore, the innovative form can help the students better understand the meaning of the poem."