The Confucius Institute for Scotland in the University of Edinburgh

To coincide with the exhibition ‘China: A Photographic Portrait’ at the City Art Centre, the Filmhouse, working with the Confucius Institute for Scotland, presents three programmes of short and experimental films from the moving image project My China Now, which aims to redefine modern-day China in moving images through the prism of a dynamic group of filmmakers and artists.

A collection of fascinating tales of China today, covering every facet of life in shades of humour, pathos, fun, frivolity, frustration and fears, using diverse subjects of change, advance, development, poverty, displacement, fashion, nightlife, food, health, music, business, love, and money: burning topics, issues, and emotions that underpin their experience of the times. Filmmakers from all over China and of all ages and backgrounds. This is their China, now.

Part of the China Now In Scotland festival, this work was commissioned by China Now in collaboration with Intelligent Alternative, Beijing. Distribution in Scotland is handled by the Confucius Institute for Scotland.

Ticket Info: £4.80 (£3.20)
For More Info: www.filmhouse.com
Call 0131 228 2688.

Every year the deeply knowledgeable Garden Guides within the Botanics create a special themed tour; for 2008 it will look in depth at the collection of plants from China.

The tour will explore the wealth of plants and trees that originate from China and now thrive in the Botanic`s collection. A chance to have a truly fascinating walk around the garden in the company of an expert in the garden.

In an era when protecting the environment has never been so important RBGE spearheads a world-renowned programme of science, horticulture, conservation, education and art; in its mission to explore and explain the world of plants to people of all ages, cultures and level of interest. As part of this global programme RBGE has been an ambassador in China for over 100 years and has the biggest collection of Chinese plants in cultivation outside China. RBGE has an impressive track record of collaboration with Chinese scientists and is currently involved in many joint research projects striving to learn more about Chinese plants and working to conserve China`s rich biodiversity for future generations.

£4.00 per person
Tickets on 0131 248 1031

The Whole Country is Red: China’s Cultural Revolution as told through the Stamp Issues of the Period.

China’s Cultural Revolution convulsed the world’s most populous country in the late 1960’s and early 70’s. While stamp collecting was denounced as ‘bourgeois’, the Cultural Revolution produced some of the most interesting, and rarest, People’s Republic stamps.

This is the eighth in this series of lunchtime talks being run in conjuntion with China: A Photographic Portrait brought to the Edinburgh`s City Art Centre by the Confucius Institute for Scotland.

The speaker today is Dr Robert McLean, City of Edinburgh Council

This talk starts at 1.30 on Friday 5 September and last for around one hour. Admission to the talk is included in the price of an exhibition ticket. To book a seat in advance please call 0131 529 3963/2

In the seventh of the series of talks being run in conjunction with China: A Photographic Portrait, brought by the Confucius Institute to Edinburgh`s City Art Centre, Marc Cousins will present a vivid picture of perceptions of Chinese films in the West.

Mark Cousins is a film writer, producer and director. He has received awards for his own independent films while at the same time he is known as former director of the Edinburgh Film Festival and as an acclaimed film critic and researcher. His recent interest in China was reflected in the extraordinary nationwide festival Cinema China .

This talk starts at 1.30 on Friday 29 August and last for around one hour. Admission to the talk is included in the price of an exhibition ticket. To book a seat in advance please call 0131 529 3963/2

In the sixth of the series of talks being run in conjunction with China: A Photographic Portrait, at Edinburgh`s City Art Centre, Kimho Ip a renowned composer, performer and intercultural artist from Hong Kong, will draw on his practical and theoretical expertise to present a vivid picture of the changing nature of the contemporary Chinese music scene with many audio-visual examples.

Kimho Ip has received numerous awards and his compositions have been performed in the UK and China.

This talk starts at 1.30 on Thursday 28 August and last for around one hour. Admission to the talk is included in the price of an exhibition ticket. To book a seat in advance please call 0131 529 3963/2