Confucius Institute begins week of Chinese cultural events

default-hero-image

October 13, 2009

[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/zhu.jpg” caption=”Mme. Taoying Zhu, consul general of the People’s Republic of China in Toronto, addresses an audience at Convocation Hall on Oct. 13, 2009. Photo by Matt Terry.”]A week of cultural activities and events will kick off today (October 13) to introduce popular Chinese traditions to campus and to the greater Hamilton community. Using the theme of gratitude, the Confucius Institute at McMaster University for Culture, Language and Business hopes to draw a link between the Chinese Mid-Autumn Moon Festival and Canadian Thanksgiving.

An opening ceremony on Tuesday will be attended by Peter George, president of McMaster University, Madame Taoying Zhu, consul-general of the Peoples Republic of China; Fred Eisenberger, mayor of Hamilton; and Xiliang Cui, director of Beijing Language and Culture University. It will take place at 10 a.m. at McMaster's Convocation Hall.

Angela Sheng, director of McMaster's Confucius Institute, says that with an estimated 400,000 people of Chinese descent living in southern Ontario, the Institute plans to offer residents a chance to familiarize themselves with Chinese culture through language classes, art workshops, executive business education, lectures, and trips. Eventually, she hopes that everything from research initiatives to summer camps for children will help the Institute to connect with the community.

Highlights during the week include:

  • Oct 14: 1:00 p.m. Lecture by James Chen, associate of the Confucius Institute, on Canadian Thanksgiving and Chinese Filial Piety (Togo Salmon Hall, room 719)

    7:00 p.m. An evening of Canadian and Chinese music and performance (Convocation Hall)

  • Oct 16: 10:00 a.m. The art and history of Chinese tea, presented by tea master Richard Leclerc (Togo Salmon Hall, room 719)
  • Oct 17: 7:00 p.m. Film Up the Yantze, followed by a discussion between Brian Johnson, film critic with Maclean's, and filmmaker Yung Chang via Skype.

    Full details of the activities can be found here.

    Opened earlier this year, the Confucius Institute was established in partnership with Beijing Language and Culture University. It is one of nine Confucius Institutes in Canada, and the only one in the world with an integrated business component.