January 2013

Spotlight on Education Understanding China Through Literature and the Arts A professional development course that examines Chinese culture & history using genres in literature & the arts. More... "Plan for Better Teaching" A pedagogy short course examining key concepts & issues relating to curriculum development, instruction & assessment from Dr. Wei-Ling Wu. More... Summer Study in China Do you know a high school student interested in traveling to China? Learn more about Summer Study in China’s exciting 2013 offerings! More...

Calendar of Events: Click here to view the full Calendar of Events.

General Highlights: Special Events SAVE THE DATE! Chinese New Year “Year of the Snake” ~ February 8, 2013 Join us for China Institute’s much anticipated annual Chinese New Year event on Friday, February 8, 2013 at Cipriani 42nd Street! More... Gallery New "China"：Porcelain Art from Jingdezhen, 1910-2012 ~ September 21, 2012 - February 17, 2013 Our current exhibition, New "China"：Porcelain Art from Jingdezhen, 1910–2012, has been extended through February 17, 2013. More... Arts & Culture 2013 Paul Chih Meng Memorial Lecture and Reception Mysteries of China：The Lost City of Jinsha - US Premiere（History Channel Asia HD）~ January 25, 2013 In memory of China Institute's second president from 1930 to 1967, please join us to celebrate Paul Chih Meng's legacy as a pioneer and visionary who introduced Chinese culture to America during a tumultuous time in Sino-US history to advance the understanding between the peoples of the two nations. We will be joined by the Executive Producers, Director, and Host of the new TV series Mysteries of China for an adventure to discover one of the most fascinating and important archaeological discoveries in China. More... Art Salon：Wang Xieda ~ January 10, 2013 Join us for an intimate conversation with contemporary Chinese sculptor Wang Xieda about his first solo exhibition in the United States, Sages' Sayings. The title of the exhibition refers to the artist's rigorous study of ancient Chinese pictograms or ideograms and, in particular, Fourth Century Chinese calligraphy. On view at the James Cohan Gallery in January will be Wang Xieda's bronze cast sculptures, ink drawings, and his recent sculptural works made of rattan that are suspended from the ceiling and evoke the idea of a drawing in space. More... Public Intellectuals in China：A Conversation with Zha Jianying ~ January 15, 2013 Born in Beijing in 1959 to a family of intellectuals（her father was a professor at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences）, Zha Jianying joined the first class of students at the newly reopened Peking University（now Beijing University）in 1978. Subsequently, she came to the U. S. to study comparative literature at Columbia University, chaired by the renowned scholar Edward Said. Zha will be interviewed by Joanna C. Lee, a noted translator and interpreter who served the former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, film directors Luc Besson and Peter Greenaway, and Hong Kong action star Jackie Chan. More... Film Screening & Director's Talk with Du Haibin ~ January 22, 2013 Du Haibin's award-winning documentary of the earthquake that devastated China's Sichuan province in 2008 explores how victims, citizens, and government respond to a national tragedy. The Great Sichuan Earthquake took place at 14:28 on May 12, 2008, causing 70,000 deaths and 375,000 casualties. Days later, Du Haibin visited Sichuan to capture the devastation as well as the recovery effort. Screening will be followed by an interview with the director, Du Haibin, conducted by Maya E. Rudolph. More... Education Adult Language & Studio Group Classes ~ Winter 2013 Classes for all levels and interest start the week of January 7th. Try our new Listening Comprehension, Business Weekend Intensive, or Taijiquan courses! More... Screening of China：From Cartier to Confucius, Q&A with the Producer ~ January 16, 2013 The documentary China：From Cartier to Confucius follows a group of students at an elite Chinese university as they question the value of a market-fundamentalist developmental path China has embarked upon. Through the work of Confucius, this group of self-claimed cultural conservatives is exploring an alternative political and social system anchored on Chinese cultural tradition as opposed to the Marxist or Liberal Democratic model of Western origin. Following the screening, please join Professor Ying Zhu, professor of Media Culture at the City University of New York and co-producer of the documentary, for a question and answer session about this fascinating look at contemporary Chinese engagement with its Confucian tradition. More... Spring 2013 Educators' Reception – Celebrating the Year of the Snake ~ February 1, 2013 The Chinese calendar year associated with the year 2013 is Sì Shé 巳蛇, or the Year of the Snake. Please join the China Institute Education Department as we celebrate the Year of the Snake with traditional activities that you can also share with your students. Guests will have the opportunity to tour an ongoing exhibition, meet and mingle with other educators, as well as learn more about China Institute's various educational offerings. Bring a colleague and ring in the Chinese New Year! More... Renwen Society Stephen Owen’s Interpretation of Chinese Literature in the Context of American Sinology ~ January 13, 2013 The Renwen Society at China Institute presents a lecture by Dr. Li Qingben, Director of the Institute of World Literatures and Cultural Studies at Beijing Language and Culture University, on Dr. Stephen Owen of Harvard University, the foremost Sinologist in the United States. Dr. Li will specifically discuss three aspects：1）how does Owen interpret Chinese literature; 2）how should we assess his studies; and 3）the significance of his studies in the context of American Sinology.  Free, but advance registration required. More...