Category: announcements

Gold Medal Award / Outstanding Contribution Award

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At the sixth global Confucius Institute conference in Beijing, following on from four consecutive annual awards of the title `Confucius Institute of the Year`, a special Gold Medal award was given to the University of Edinburgh’s Principal, Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea. The award for ‘Confucius Institute Outstanding Contribution’ was received by the Institute’s Director, Professor Natascha Gentz at a special ceremony held in the National Centre for the Performing Arts.

Gold Medal
The photograph above shows Professor Gentz along with other recipients of awards for outstanding contributions, individual performance excellence and Institute and Classroom of the Year.

The award to the Principal recognises his contribution in establishing the Confucius Institute for Scotland. His commitment to Sino-Scottish relations is demonstrated not only by the ongoing support for the wide array of cultural, educational and business events organised by the Confucius Institute for Scotland but also by his active participation as a Council Member of CI Headquarters where he has served for two terms, a total of four years.

Prof Natascha Gentz who received the Gold Medal and Certificate of Honour on behalf of the Principal said:

“The Institute has had a significant impact on Scotland’s strategy of engagement with China, as well as the Headquarter Council’s plans for the future development of Confucius Institutes worldwide. We`re most delighted to receive this award as another recognition of the University`s strong commitment to strengthen links with China.”

Overview of the Institute’s work

A report is available, in Chinese or English, which gives a brief overview of the Institute`s work over the five year period 2007-2011.

brochures

Please download a PDF copy of the report:
Confucius Institute For Scotland 2007-2011 [Chinese Version]
Confucius Institute For Scotland 2007-2011 [English Version]

You can also view these documents online:
Confucius Institute For Scotland 2007-2011 [Online Chinese Version]
Confucius Institute For Scotland 2007-2011 [Online English Version]

Related information

Professor Sir Timothy O’Shea’s profile page
Professor Natascha Gentz’s profile page

Take One Action Film Festival-China – January 2011

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Think you know China? Think again. To mark Chinese New Year, four award-winning films offering different perspectives on the complex transformations taking place in contemporary Chinese cinema, society and industry, and how they relate to the wider world will run at Edinburgh Filmhouse on Wed 25, Thurs 26, Sat 28 and Sun 29 January 2012. Please check out the Filmhouse website for timings, ticket prices and special offers.

Presented by Take One Action Film Festivals, all screenings will be followed by expert and audience discussion. This programme is supported by the Confucius Institute for Scotland in the University of Edinburgh, Scotland China Education Network, Scotland-China Association and the Blackford Trust.

Wed 25th Jan 2012 (eve) `Mr Tree` (Jie Han, 2011)

Synopsis
This double prize winner at Shanghai Film Festival is a complex reflection on the challenges and questions arising from China`s rapidly changing rural economy. The film charts a year in the life of Mr Shu (aka Tree), a Chinese man with learning difficulties whose life allegorically mirrors the social and economic development of his home-town. Generally viewed as a benign but lazy idiot, Shu loses his job after a workplace accident but at the same time transcends community hierarchies, giving the viewer a unique insight into the ties between local leaders, families, workers, businessmen, and even the past and future. When in parallel, a locally-run mining company starts to relocate the townspeople, and Shu gets drawn into doomed marriage with a deaf mute girl, the town`s carefully maintained boundaries between order and disorder begin to unravel. Although it is never clear whether the dangers associated with a changing China are merely a mental disturbance or situated more widely, the film nonetheless begs the question: where is China going?

“A satire that bridges the personal and political with fantasy and black humour.” The Hollywood Reporter

Winner – Jury Prize, Best Director, Shanghai International Film Festival

This film will be followed by a discussion on the changing face of China’s rural economy and Chinese cinema.

Thursday 26th January 2012 (eve) `Last Train Home` (Lixin Fan, 2009)

Synopsis
Every spring, China’s cities are plunged into chaos, as all at once, a tidal wave of humanity attempts to return home by train. It is the Chinese New Year. The wave is made up of millions of migrant factory workers, and the homes they seek are the rural villages and families they left behind to find work in the booming coastal cities. It is an epic spectacle that tells us much about China, as it rapidly modernises and increases its global economic dominance. Last Train Home draws us into the fractured lives of a single migrant family caught up in this annual migration. Intimate and candid, the film paints a human portrait of the dramatic changes sweeping China.

“An exceptional documentary… stunningly photographed.” IndieWire

Winner – Best Feature Documentary, International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam

This showing will be followed by a discussion

Saturday 28th January 2012(eve) `Apart Together` (Wang Quan’an, 2010)

Synopsis
In his follow-up to the Berlin Golden Bear winner `Tuya`s Marriage`, director Wang Quan’an has fashioned a bittersweet late life romance, reuniting former lovers separated some fifty years earlier by the end of China’s civil war.

When a political thaw permits surviving veterans in Taiwan to return to Shanghai to visit their families, ex nationalist soldier Liu returns to his native city Shanghai to find the first love of his life, Qiao, who he left behind, pregnant, five decades earlier. In the meantime, Qiao has married and built a family, but Liu tracks her down and is determined to get the family’s approval to take her away with him. Made with support from the Chinese government, `Apart Together` marks a new frontier in representations of China’s history and its relationships with the outside world.

“An engaging chamber piece about autumnal romance, bittersweet memory and self-sacrifice.” The Times

Winner – Best Screenplay, Berlin International Film Festival
This programme will be followed by a discussion

Sunday 28th January 2012 (eve) `Manufactured Landscapes` (Jennifer Baichwal, 2008)

Synopsis

In this series of extraordinary visual portraits, renowned artist Edward Burtynsky travels through China photographing the evidence and effects of its massive industrial revolution and the implicit impact on the environment. Director Jennifer Baichwal captures the artist at work amid some of the most surreal landscapes of the 21st century: the mountains of `ewaste` in China where 50% of the world`s computers end up to be recycled; the Yangtze Valley where whole towns are being demolished to make way for the Three Gorges Dam and the crowded skyline of Shanghai which has recently attracted millions of new inhabitants.

“Powerful! Engrossing! Unsettlingly beautiful!” LA Times

Winner – Best Canadian Film, Toronto International Film Festival

This showing will be followed by discussion about Chinese industrialisation and its social and environmental impacts.
Plus…

Free School Screening `Please Vote For Me`(2009) Wed 25th Jan 2012 at 10.30am

Sponsored by SCEN
Synopsis
Although millions of Chinese recently voted in China’s version of Pop Idol, political elections in China currently only take place only inside the Communist Party. Against this background, `Please Vote For Me` follows the experiment of one grade 3 class in an elementary school in the Chinese city of Wuhan, where three eight year old candidates stand for election to the coveted position of class monitor. As their campaigns progress, they are abetted and egged on by teachers and their doting parents, whose actions start to influence the results.

Director Weijun Chen’s film explores how, if democracy came to China, it would be received. Is democracy a universal value that fits human nature or do elections inevitably lead to manipulation? `Please Vote for Me` paints a portrait of a society and a town through a school, its children and its families.

For more world-changing cinema visit www.takeoneaction.org.uk

Record numbers for HSK exam in 2012

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The growing importance of China and Chinese language is shown by the significant increase in the number of HSK candidates registered with the Confucius Institute for Scotland in 2012.

The HSK exam which was significantly revised in 2010 to be more appropriate for non-immersive learners drew a pool of 101 candidates, up from 34 in 2011. Candidates sat exams at five different levels with an increasing number also opting to sit the optional oral component of the exam known as HSKK.

With plans being finalised to offer candidates an online option in the future we anticipate that the number of people who want to test their skill level in this globally recognised and globally run examination will continue to increase.

Information on the 2013 HSK exam diet in May next year will be published around March 2013. An online trial test may be available in early spring.

Please email info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk to let us know of your interest in a future HSK exam and we will contact you as soon as information is available.

Meantime for details of the HSK 2012 exam please visit www.confuciusinstitute.ac.uk/education/hsk

HSK Exams 03 Dec 2011

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The exam timetable for those students sitting HSK exams on Saturday 3 December is now confirmed. All registered students should have received their admission cards which must be brought to the exam. Please arrive 15 minutes before the scheduled start time.

HSK 5: 09.30-11.30
HSK 4: 09.30-11.10
HSK 3: 10.00-11.30
HSK 2: 11.30-12.20
HSK 1: 12.00-12.35

Good luck to all candidates! The next round of HSK exams will take place in May 2012. Registration should be available from March 2012. Please email us if you wish to be notified when the registration opens for the May 2012 exam diet.

Calligraphy and Beyond – November 2011

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A special guest lecture by Antje Richter from the University of Colorado will examine the letters of Wang Xizhi in both form and content on Wed 30 Nov from 6pm.

Whilst famous for the beauty of the calligraphy, Prof Richter will consider more fully the content of this unique corpus of early medieval epistolary texts.

ABSTRACT

The scholar-official Wang Xizhi (303–61),famous for his calligraphy, is one of the greatest cultural icons of Chinese culture. Except for a handful of other pieces, we know of his handwriting exclusively from hundreds of very short, casual letters, which he wrote to friends and family. Celebrated as many of these letters may be, they are mostly appreciated for the beauty of their calligraphy, while their content remains largely ignored.

But Wang Xizhi’s letters also constitute a unique corpus of early medieval epistolary texts, unparalleled in transmitted literature, not only in terms of sheer quantity but also in their apparent informality and intimacy. In this talk Antje Richter will introduce the structure, main rhetorical strategies, and literary characteristics of these notes in the broader context of early medieval letter writing culture focusing on two recurrent topics: firstly, the lament of separation from the addressee and, secondly, Wang Xizhi’s epistolary treatment of his health or rather lack thereof. Analyzing the relation between the letters’ frequent use of epistolary clichés and set phrases vis-à-vis their power to convey authentic, personal sentiments, she will set out the argument that the overwhelming topicality of these letters does not reduce their epistolary efficacy. Even letters that seemingly lack any particular message and consist of nothing but convention have the potential to fulfill genuine communicative functions, to a great extent independently of their calligraphic appeal.

BIOGRAPHY

Antje Richter (PhD Munich, 1998) taught at the universities of Kiel and Freiburg (Germany) before she became an assistant professor of Chinese at the University of Colorado in Boulder in 2007. She is the author of two monographs and a number of articles on various aspects of Chinese literature, medicine and art. Her research interests include the epistolary culture of mediaeval China, literary thought (especially in Wenxin dialogue), reflections on nature and wilderness in the poetry of Xie Lingyun (385–433) and others, as well as literary representations of sleeping and dreaming. At the moment, she is Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Research Fellow at the Needham Research Institute in Cambridge and Visiting Fellow at Clare Hall.

VENUE: The Confucius Institute for Scotland, Abden House, 1 Marchhall Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 5HP

TIME : 6pm -7.30pm followed by a short drinks reception

BOOKING: no booking required, all welcome

HSK Workshop Sat 19 Nov

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This Saturday will see a special workshop take place for those students who have registered for the December diet of the HSK Examination.

HSK is the only officially recognised qualification accepted in the People`s Republic of China. For those who want to study in China or work for a government agency a certificate at an appropriate level in this exam is vital.

With registration for December now closed the next opportunity to seek this door opening qualification will be in May 2012. For more details on HSK please click here.

If you have any questions please call us on 0131 662 2180 or email our office on info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk

Panda Pals Competition

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With the arrival of the Giant Pandas to Edinburgh Zoo drawing ever closer a special competition organised by the Chinese Embassy in London is offering one lucky winner the chance to win a trip to China!

Entries are being sought from all primary schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland for the art competition. Secondary schools in Scotland and Northern Ireland where there the study of China and Chinese is underway can enter the secondary school competition.

Please read the three PDFs below which provide general background and detailed information on the the Primary and Secondary school competitions. But be quick! The deadline for entries is 15th December 2011.

To take part please complete and return the Confucius Institute registration form ASAP, then notify your pupils to start their preparations by visiting www.panda-pals.org to find out more about these very special creatures.

On the Eve of 1911 Revolution – October 2011

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Join us at on Thursday 27 Oct for an exploration of the historical-political arena of Sun Yat-sen’s revolutionary attempt, the role of the new elites and the historical context leading up to October 10th, 1911 when Associate Professor Jia Jane SI from Fudan University will present this lunchtime talk till 3pm including Q&A. No booking is required for this event which will take place at the Confucius Institute for Scotland.

BIOGRAPHY
Holding a B.A in Literature and an M.A. in History from Fudan University and a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, Jia Jane SI’s career has taken her to the USA where she worked in St Joseph`s University, Philadelphia, and the University of Pennsylvania. More recently she has worked as a Post-Doctoral Fellow at Kansai University, Japan.

SUMMARY
This talk will cover the chronological range from the last ten years of the Qing dynasty to the early Republican period, and aim to give a detailed exploration of the historical-political arena of Sun Yat-sen’s revolutionary attempts. The talk will also examine the role of the new elites who led the revolution, as well as the historical context of the eve of October 10th, 1911, so as to offer a better understanding of the birth of a new China.

DETAILED ABSTRACT
Defeated by Japanese navy on the sea in 1895, the Qing government eventually decided to learn from the West—yet the question was how? The three-decade long Self Strengthening Movement seemed not to bring fruitful results as expected, which in turn made Chinese officials and elites further reflect upon the so-called modernization issues. Although the Movement initiated the translation and learning of Western sciences and technologies, the majority of Chinese gentry-literati still lived in the mental universe of their own tradition. After 1896, a segment of the literati realized that China was facing a new situation. Not only the navy, industry, railway system, and cotton factory were included in the modernisation plan, the second step during the 1898 “Hundred Days” Reform introduced Western philosophy and thoughts on political institutions, as well as brought about changes for newspapers, school systems, and various channels related to local civil society.

The Empress Dowager Cixi’s coup d’état in September 1898 and the Boxers Uprising afterward jeopardized China’s future heavily, and meanwhile, anti-Manchu sentiments were fermenting among the revolutionary gentry-class, particularly in southern China. The concept of national sovereignty, an idea of political nationalism, was constructed in many revolutionary writings. Treaties signed with foreign powers lacked equality and thus national sovereignty was impaired. The new Nationalism aroused around 1900 marked the awakening of patriotism, based on which the idea of a new Republican China was elaborated.

Awards and Honours

2005-2006 Dissertation Fellowship, Graduate School of Arts and Science, Univ. of Pennsylvania
2002-2004 William Penn Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania.
April 2004 Wason Collection Library Grant, Cornell University.
2001-2002 Haney Foundation Fellow, University of Pennsylvania
August 2000 “Young Scholar Award for Outstanding Academic Paper.” Issued by Scientific Committee of Chinese Historical Geography and Tan Qixiang-Yu Gong Foundation

Recent Publications (Primary Author):

2010 《麦都思〈三字经〉与新教早期在华及南洋地区的活动》，《学术研究》第12期，112-119页。

《见闻、谈资与讽刺诗 ——中国洋泾浜英语在十八至二十世纪初西方出版物中的流传》，载《九州学林》(Chinese Cultural Quarterly) 春夏季: 172-189.

2009 Circulation of English in China: Speakers, Historical Texts, and a New Linguistic Landscape. VDM Verlag, 2009.

“Collecting and Collection: Local Chinese Culture in Robert Morrison’s Dictionary” Fudan Journal (The Humanities and Social Sciences), 4 (Dec. 2009).

“Breaking through the ‘Jargon’ Barrier: Early 19th century missionaries’ response on communication conflicts in China. Frontiers of History in China, 4.3 (Sept. 2009): 340-357.

《〈五车韵府〉的重版与十九世纪中后期上海的英语出版业》，载《史林》第2期，6-13页。

2008 “Life around English: The Foreign Loan Word Repertoire and Urban Linguistic Landscape in the Treaty Port of Shanghai.” Fudan Journal (The Humanities and Social Sciences), 1 (Mar. 2008): 126-143.

Rising China and Global Justice – October 2011

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Join us on Tues 25 Oct when Ian Holliday, professor in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at the University of Hong Kong delivers a seminar entitled `Rising China and Global Justice`.

Professor Holliday`s research focuses on Burma/Myanmar: issues of political development and reform inside the country, and issues of political engagement confronting actors in the wider world.

His talk on`Rising China and Global Justice` will take place at the Confucius Institute for Scotland on Tuesday 25 Oct 2011 from 6pm-7.30pm following which there will be a short drinks reception.

To reserve a seat please email info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk or call us on 0131 662 2180.

His most recent publication is Burma Redux: Global Justice and the Quest for Political Reform in Myanmar. His teaching addresses dilemmas of humanitarian intervention in Burma/Myanmar and elsewhere.

Each summer he directs the MOEI programme, which takes students to the Thai-Burma border and other parts of Southeast Asia to deliver intensive English language classes in marginalized and impoverished communities.

He co-edits the journal Contemporary Politics and was a founding co-editor of Party Politics and of the Journal of Asian Public Policy. He currently serves on about a dozen journal editorial boards. He was educated at the University of Cambridge (BA/MA) and the University of Oxford (MPhil/DPhil).

He taught at the University of Manchester in the 1990s and at City University of Hong Kong in the early 2000s. In the late 1990s he was a Fulbright scholar at New York University. From 2006 to 2011, he was Dean of Social Sciences at the University of Hong Kong.

TALK TITLE: Rising China and Global Justice
VENUE: Confucius Institute for Scotland, Abden House, 1 Marchhall Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 5HP
DATE & TIME: Tuesday 25th October 6pm-7.30pm followed by a short drinks reception.
BOOKING INFO: email to info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk or phone 0131 662 2180

100th Anniversary Exhibition

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A special photographic exhibition of 80 images marking the 100th Anniversary of the 1911 Revolution will be held in the University of Edinburgh`s Adam House on 4th, 5th and 6th November.

The 1911 Revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution ended imperial rule in China and ushered in Asia`s first republic.

Friday 4th November : 10.00-17.00
Saturday 5th November: 10.00-17.00
Sunday 6th November : 10.00-14.00

This touring exhibition has been organised by the London office of the Chinese Embassy with support from the Consulate General`s offices in Manchester and Edinburgh. The venue for the exhibition has been arranged by the Confucius Institute for Scotland.

The event is co-hosted by the London Bureau of Xinhua News Agency and the Confederation of Chinese Associations UK. The exhibition has been produced by C Cubed Media. Special support has been given by COSCO (UK) Ltd.

VENUE:
Adam House, 5 Chambers Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1HT
DATES:
Friday 4th November : 10.00-17.00
Saturday 5th November: 10.00-17.00
Sunday 6th November : 10.00-14.00

Confucius Institute for Glasgow

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To help meet the growing demand for learning about China and Chinese the University of Glasgow held an opening ceremony to mark the establishment of a Confucius Institute within the University.

Established as a partnership with Nankai University in Tianjin, the CI in Glasgow is headed up by Professor Jane Duckett. For full details of the launch and to read about the CI University of Glasgow plans please visit their website.

A special exhibition of art works by Fan Zeng, one of China’s most famous artists, whose traditional ‘splashed ink’ and figure drawings are hugely popular in China will run in the Kelvin Gallery of the Hunterian Museum for six weeks to mark the opening of the Confucius Institute in the University of Glasgow.

CPD-Chinese Language & Culture 4 Nov

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Join us on Friday 4th Nov for a morning CPD session from Shaz Lawrence covering development of Chinese language/cultural programmes and
assessment strategies.

Whether you are considering teaching Chinese or are already doing so, this is a seminar that will give you insights, information and inspiration in equal measure.

Shaz Lawrence is a regular presenter at the San Francisco Chinese Education Conference and, closer to home, at the SSAT Conference in London.

Her workshops for teachers of Chinese are packed with practical ideas and resources that are easily applied to the Chinese language classroom. Earlier this year she ran a workshop with the Edinburgh City Confucius Hub Classroom which was very popular and she returns due to popular demand to Edinburgh. She will present two new workshops suitable for primary and secondary teachers.

Teach Chinese? Yes you can!

How to develop Chinese language/cultural programmes for beginner students; exploring strategies for a general classroom teacher with little or no previous knowledge of Chinese.

Assessment is for Learning in the Chinese Classroom: The Key to Success

Research suggests that learners learn best and attainment improves when students understand clearly what they are trying to learn and what is expected of them.

Shaz Lawrence – profile

Shaz Lawrence has over 20 years of experience teaching Chinese in Primary, and High School grade levels. She has been instrumental in the start up of many new language programs in Australia, and the US.

She holds a Bachelor of Education, an Advanced Degree in Language Acquisition, and has studied Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan and China.
Currently teaching Chinese to K-8 students in San Francisco, Shaz is also a teacher-trainer for schools in San Jose, Oakland, and San Francisco, California, USA.

She has two popular websites for teachers of Chinese – Creative Chinese and Chinese Monster Magic, plus Gigglepotz.com that offers over 5,000 general classroom resources from technology to lesson plans.

Her innovative and creative approach to teaching Chinese has resulted in the development of a DVD, 8 Modules of `Chinese Monster Magic` materials for young learners, and Units of work for Middle school students titled – `Paper Bag Chinese`. Her online weekly Newsletter – `Creative Chinese` gives innovative ideas and resources to over 300 teachers of Chinese in the UK, US, Australia, Taiwan and China.

Shaz has been a regular presenter at the San Francisco Chinese Education Conference, and the SSAT Conference in London. Her workshops for teachers of Chinese are packed with practical ideas and resources that are easily applied to the Chinese language classroom. Her first workshop with the Edinburgh City Confucius Hub Classroom on May 25 2011 was very popular and she returns due to popular demand to Edinburgh.

Booking Details

VENUE: Confucius Institute for Scotland, Abden House, 1 Marchhall Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 5HP
TIME : 09.30-14.00
COST : £30 inclusive of coffee, lunch and materials

For further information and to book please contact Meryl James of St George`s School for Girls on 0131 311 8000 or email her on mij@st-georges.edin.sch.uk

Art in Translation: Keynote and Conference – October 2011

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A full day conference on 28 Oct with a keynote address the evening before will examine the topic of Chinese Art:Translation, Adaptation and Modalities. The conference is part sponsored by the Confucius Institute for Scotland and is organised by Art in Translation.

DAY 1: The keynote address at 5.15pm on Thursday 27 October will be given by Roderick Whitfield, University of London,SOAS on the topic `When Buddhism Came to China`. The venue will be Lecture Room 1 at 20 Chambers Street

DAY 2: The full day conference programme on Friday 28 October runs from 9.30am-6pm and will take place in Teviot Dining Room, Teviot Row Student Union, 13 Bristo Square, Edinburgh EH8 9AJ.

Session 1: Why Translate?

Puay-Peng Ho, The Chinese University of Hong Kong: Mind the Gap: Will More Translated Works in the Field of Chinese Architectural History Help?
Michael Nylan, University of California-Berkeley: Heritage Issues in Translation: Convergent Preoccupations in Chinese and Western Scholarship
Chia-Ling Yang, University of Edinburgh: Archaic Art and Translated Modernity in China

Session 2: Exotic China, Exotic West

Youngsook Pak, University of London SOAS: Chaekkori – a Chosŏn Conundrum –
Alain George, University of Edinburgh: Chinese Art and Culture in the Islamic World (7th–10th c)
Yuka Kadoi, Art Institute of Chicago: China in Islamic Art after the Mongol Invasions of Eurasia: Centuries of Translations
Hsueh-Man Shen, New York University: ‘Dragon’ or ‘Long’ in Chinese Art

For more information and to book please visit http://www.artintranslation.org/
Attendance is charged at £30 (£15 concession) inclusive of full conference attendance plus an evening reception on Day 1 and tea/coffee plus lunch on Day 2.

Art in Translation aims to broaden the scope of understanding of art, architecture and visual design through events such as this conference and through its online journal which publishes English translations of the best writing on these topics from across the globe.

Scotland-China collection

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The range of publiciations available in the Confucius Institute library continues to expand in scope and variety with some new additions to the Scotland-China section which focuses on Scots who have lived and worked in China as government officials, soldiers, business people, missionaries and travellers.

The variety of topics include:

* early diplomatic contacts with China, by George Bogle in Tibet around 1780 and John Napier at Hong Kong in 1834
* government officials like James Stewart-Lockhart and Reginald Johnston, who served in Hong Kong and Wei-hai-wei in the late 19th and early 20th century – Johnston was also, of course, tutor to Pu Yi, the last Emperor of China
* merchants and business people, like Jardine Matheson and Co., and the Melrose tea family
* scientists and travellers such as botanists Robert Fortune and George Forrest, photographer John Thomson, doctor Patrick Manson, and journalist Archibald Colquhoun
* missionaries such as John Gilmour in Mongolia, Dugald Christie in Manchuria and Eric Liddell in Shandong
in the opposite direction, Chiang Yee`s classic The Silent Traveller in Edinburgh, recently reprinted by Mercat Press
* some less well known people like John Bell, who reached Beijing overland from Russia in 1721

To borrowing any of the books or DVDs from the Institute library a membership is required. Full details of membership and an application form are available here.
This collection focuses on books that show the links between the two nations. It is held in the Confucius Institute library and will be catalogued in the University of Edinburgh system.

The China Project – Concerts – 3,4,5 November 2011

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Event Date: 05/11/2011

Book now for one of the three unique musical fusion evenings with Emma Smith and the Silk String Quartert in early November.

Emma Smith, Scottish double bass player, a regular with Eliza Carthy`s band and Gorillaz, to name but two, will join with Silk String Quartet on of Europe’s best professional Chinese music ensembles for classical and contemporary music. Performing on traditional Chinese instruments – the pipa, yangqin, erhu and guzheng – they have performed with collaborators including Lang Lang and Damon Albarn.

Kimho Ip, musical curator at the Confucius Institute for Scotland will join the ensemble playing the Yang Qin.

The China Project explores the blend of Scottish and Chinese musical cultures. Including music by Mo Fan and Lau, the concert also features a new commission by renowned Scottish composer Jim Sutherland. This is a rare opportunity to hear these captivating instruments both in their own musical world and delving into a radical new one, where western and eastern instruments form a wholly new ensemble.

Thu 3 Nov 2011, 7.30pm Eden Court Theatre, Inverness
£12/£10 concession/£5 under 18 – Friends £2 discount.
www.eden-court.co.uk Tel 01463 234234

Fri 4 Nov 2011, 7.30pm The Bongo Club, Edinburgh
£10/£8 concession/£5 students.
Tickets on the door or from www.bongoclub.co.uk Over 18`s only

Sat 5 Nov 2011, 7.30pm Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh
£13.75/£11.75 concession
www.bruntontheatre.co.uk TelL 0131 665 2240

China Modern: Literary perspectives on the 1911 Revolution – September 2011

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Join us to hear two eminent speakers from Tsinghua University and Harvard University present insights into the 1911 Revolution via literary analysis. Taking place in the Playfair Library from 5.30pm-7.15pm followed by a drinks reception on Tsinghau`s Professor WANG Hui and Harvard`s Professor David Der-wei Wang will speak on the topics below:

Professor WANG Hui: Six Moments in the Life of Ah Q:

Professor David Der-wei Wang: `The Future of New China`: Liang Qichao`s Vision of Literature and Revolution

This double bill with such renowned speakers will ensure a vibrant opening session for the 2011 BACS Conference taking place in the University of Edinburgh from 7-9 September.

To book your place at this public event which on Wed 7th Sept in the Playfair Library, Old College, North Bridge, Edinburgh, please email info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk .

Registered BACS delegates do not need to reserve places.

Edinburgh Student Second in World

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Following the UK heat of the `Chinese Bridge` Proficiency Competition held in London in May, winner Peter Dolby journeyed to Changsha (Hunan Province) to compete against 120 country finalists.

`Chinese Bridge` is the international Chinese language contest sponsored by Hanban, a division of the Ministry of Education.
The heats in Beijing narrowed the field from 120 to only 6 finalists and on 8th August Peter gave a superb performance in the final which saw him awarded second place in this global competition.

Peter, a graduate of Chinese Studies in the University of Edinburgh, was a great representative who had to use his language skills in a variety of ways in this competition and many congratulations go to him on this achievement. The competition is broadcast on Chinese TV and both the semi final and final can be seen online.

About Chinese Bridge

Chinese Bridge official website – in Chinese

Hunan TV

Chinese Politics and Economics – August 2011

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Join us on the afternoon of 11 August for insights into contemporary Chinese politics and economics delivered by leading Chinese intellectuals from Tsinghua University.

The Confucius Institute, working with LSE, is proud to be host this special event which will see four renowned academics from one of Chinese`s leading universities share their insights and answer audience questions.

The programme for this event is shown below.

Registration 1.30-2.00pm
Welcome 2.00-2.10pm

Political Insight Session 2.10-3.30pm
Speaker: Prof. YAN Xuetong:
“The Trend of International Configuration”
Speaker Prof. WANG Tianfu:
“Social Stratification Structure in China: Past and Present”

Tea & Coffee Break 3.30-4pm

Economic Insight Session 4pm-5.20pm
Speaker: Prof LONG Denggao
“Development and Trend: FDI in China”
Speaker: Prof LIU Taoxiong
“China’s Economic Growth: 2011-2020”
Q&A session 5.20-6pm

Drinks Reception 6pm-7pm

Places for this event are limited and seats must be reserved. To book a space please email info@confuciusinstitute.ac.uk with the subject title Tsinghua at the Confucius Institute. If you have any questions please call on 0131 662 2180.

Sponsored Teaching Materials Courses in China

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A series of seven day sponsored training programmes introducing Chinese language teaching materials are on offer from Hanban from July till Dec 2011.

Open to full time Chinese language teachers, age under 60, from mainstream teaching institutions, such as universities, colleges, secondary and primary schools the full cost of the training programme including tuition, food, accommodation and teaching materials will be met by Hanban. Participants are asked to cover the cost of their airfare to China though if there is financial difficulty an application may be made to Hanban/Confucius Institute Headquarters.

There are six sessions on offer each of which lasts for seven days breaking down into two days for international travel, one day cultural experience and four days in class training.

Summer Class A1 17‐23 July 2011
Summer Class A2 24‐30 July 2011
Summer Class B 01‐07 Aug 2011
Term Time Class C 18‐24 September 2011
Term Time Class D 10‐16 October 2011
Winter Class E 11‐17 December 2011

Primary and Secondary School Teacher sessions will take place in Sun Yat-sen University,Guangzhou; Xiamen University, Xiamen; Jilin University, Changchun; Beijing Foreign StudiesUniversity; Beijing Normal University; Hainan Normal University, Haikou and East China Normal University, Shanghai.

University and other Adult Learning Organisation Teacher sessions will take place in Peking University, Beijing; Nankai University, Tianjin; Wuhan University, Wuhan and Dalian University of Foreign Languages, Dalian.

To find out more about this initiative please click here.

If you are interested in applying for a space you can make an online application here.

If you have a problem in opening the .rar file which gives details of specific arrangements at each university please email jie.chen@ed.ac.uk and we will send you a zip file of the contents.

BACS -priority registration open till 31 July – September 2011

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Priority delegate registration for the British Association of Chinese Studies conference being organised with the Confucius Institute for Scotland is available until Sunday 31st July.

Opening on September 7th with keynote addresses from renowed Professors Wang Hui and David Derwei Wang the conference will run through till mid-afternoon on Friday September 9th. A special exhibition on `Cao Yu: Pioneer of Modern Chinese Drama` created by the Shanghai Theatre Academy Theatre Museum working with the University of Leeds will also be on show during the Conference.

For more information and to register please visit the Conference website.