General Highlights:

Brick carving is a traditional folk art that was used to decorate architecture and adorn tombs. The Shanxi region was an area famed for its brick carving; artisans there developed very sophisticated carving techniques such as high relief, open carving, and round carving, which transformed plain bricks into vibrant artworks. Theatrical scenes were popular subjects for brick carving in Shanxi and revealed the passion for theater and opera in this region. Their tombs, adorned with beautiful, intricate brick carvings and other décor revealed two kinds of popular entertainment：Za Ju, formal performances of written plays and San Qu, performances related to village festivals. Theater, Life, and the Afterlife：Tomb Décor of the Jin Dynasty from Shanxi will bring to life the intersection of the brick carving and theater traditions. More...

Make your child's summer a fun-filled experience by enrolling in China Institute's 2012 Children's Summer Program. More...

Your child will learn Mandarin Chinese language and culture through songs, stories, games and art projects in a student-centered classroom environment. More...

Classes start the week of June 25! Learn to read, write, and speak Chinese from the first session. More...

This six-week intensive course covers the basic sounds and tones, fundamental sentence patterns and structures of the Chinese language, and a vocabulary of at least 500 written characters. Cultural activities to augment the primary language instruction in the past have included a museum trip, a contemporary Chinese film, a live traditional musical performance, and a final banquet. Each day begins with two hours of language drills, followed by two hours of smaller group instruction. Upon completion, students will be able to conduct conversations about everyday life and read and write short passages. The course is equivalent to a two-semester university language program. Prospective students should be prepared for an intensive learning environment and daily homework. More...

Practice your Chinese by participating in our language workshops. For June, we have Phonetics & Pronunciation（June 1）and Essential Chinese for Travelers（June 10）. More...

Join fellow members for special guided tours of the Staten Island Snug Harbor Cultural Center's New York Chinese Scholar's Garden, an authentic classical Chinese garden, and the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art. The New York Chinese Scholar's Garden was designed by Zu Gwongwu and based on the Suzhou Couple's Retreat Garden built in the 18th century during the Qing Dynasty. The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art was founded by the pioneering American woman Jacques Marchais（1887-1948）, an important collector and respected expert on Tibetan art. More...

Join us for the month of June as we celebrate the work of famed Hong Kong filmmaker, Wong Kar Wai, with free screenings of four of his films, Chungking Express （1994）, Fallen Angels （1995）, In the Mood for Love （2000）, and Days of Being Wild （1990）. Screenings are held on Tuesdays, starting June 5th. Seating is limited, pre-registration required. More...

Between the eras of Mongol and Manchu dominance, the Ming（1368 - 1644）was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic Han Chinese. The Ming is described by some as "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history." During the reign of the Ming dynasty, China exerted immense cultural and political influence on East Asia and the Turks to the west, as well as on Vietnam and Myanmar to the south. To help understand the unique history of the Ming Dynasty, Mr. Ma Weiyuan, an authority on the Ming history and a special guest invited from China, will give an extended lecture capturing the 300 years of the Ming reign. More...