Past Events | Beijing International Society

You are here

  1. Home
  2. Past Events
Tuesday, December 4, 1990 - 19:30

Embroideries of the Ming and Qing Dynasties

Prof. Wang Yarong, Institute of History, CASS

Professor Wang Yarong of the Institute of History at CASS is an expert on ancient Chinese textiles as well as Chinese folk embroidery, on which subject she has written a book. She has already given BIS a fascinating lecture on the excavation of the Famensi treasures, and this time will give a talk to illustrate the exhibition of embroideries that will be on view.
Wednesday, November 21, 1990 - 19:30

Chinese and Western Culture Compared as to their Respective Encyclopedic Traditions

Prof. Liang Congjie, Academy of Chinese Culture

Professor Liang Congjie of the Academy for Chinese Culture, a private institute in Beijing, worked as a senior editor for the Encyclopedia of China Publishing House for many years. His research on the subject of his lecture is unique in China as well as in the West. The making of encyclopedias has a long history which can be traced far back to the early centuries both in China and in the West. Its idea was to include all major human knowledge in all fields in one book for instructive purposes. Since their contents were so comprehensive, one may take them as cross-sections of different...
Thursday, November 15, 1990 - 07:45

Outing: China-Sweden Dairy Training Center

We all enjoy buying fresh dairy products in the Western style super markets and Friendship stores of Beijing. But have you ever reflected upon where and how they are being produced? Join us for a visit to the CSDTC situated in the north-western suburbs of Beijing, where you will see the products coming off the TetraPak conveyor belt and where the Swedish plant manager will be ready to answer all your questions. We will also visit the farm and the training premises and taste the different products.
Monday, November 5, 1990 - 19:30

Case Study of a Curriculum Development Project in China: Facts and Fantasies

Mr. Neville Grant, ELT Writer; Consultant

Under this title Mr. Neville Grant will talk on the project currently in hand at the People's Education Press to produce new English-language textbooks for use in Chinese schools. Mr. Grant is an ELT writer and consultant with the British publishing firm of Longman and has been working on this project for two years.
Tuesday, October 30, 1990 - 19:30

Moving from One Culture to Another: Do Our Perceptions and Values Change?

Amy Tan, Author

BIS is privileged to have noted author Amy Tan talk to us on this interesting subject dealt with in her acclaimed novel The Joy Luck Club. She will base her talk on her own bicultural experience, addressing topics such as language, perceptions and values as one is transposed from one culture to another. She will focus on how different generations of a family can be affected as they lose connections with the old ways and beliefs. She will address the basic human paradox of enthusiasm for the new and fear of loss of the old. A many of the BIS members are products of two cultures...
Tuesday, October 23, 1990 - 19:30

The Development of the Art of Chinese Seals

Mr. Ruan Zong, Director of Research, Department of Theory and History

Academy of Chinese Painting

Mr. Ruan Zong, also known as Mr. Jean-Jacques Juin, is Director of Research of the Department of Theory and History at the Academy of Chinese Painting. He is also a teacher at the Central Academy of Art and Design, and a teacher of Modern Literature at the University of Paris-trois. Mr. Ruan will speak to us in French (which will be translated into English) about the development of the seal carving art. He is himself a well-known seal carver.
Saturday, October 6, 1990 - 15:00

Outing: Contemporary Artists' Exhibition

A group of today's most outstanding Chinese painters have just opened an exhibition arranged by the Huang Zhou Foundation showing works by the artist Huang Zhou himself (as a painter of donkeys) and that of some of his contemporaries. BIS has been offered a special short introductory lecture by Mme. Huang Zhou. As the gallery is small, the event is limited to 30 people.
Friday, October 5, 1990 - 19:15

Performance: Special Program of Peking Opera in honor of the Asian Games

It is hoped that due to advance notice in last month's Newsletter, everyone has made plans to enjoy this unusual opportunity. In honor of the Asian Games, a Peking Opera group from Jin Zhou (Northeast China) will perform for foreigners and has invited the BIS members to attend as their guests. The evening will consist of short sections from three popular operas including acrobatics and comedy with an introduction in English, providing us with a unique opportunity to appreciate these Chinese cultural forms. The entire orchestra section of the theatre has been reserved for BIS...
Thursday, October 4, 1990 - 19:15

Performance: Nuo Culture Masked Dance

Coordinator: Lore Heijnen

Madame Longly of the Belgian Embassy discovered an unpublicized, colorful dance drama taking place in Beijing during this Asian Games period, and has kindly arranged for fellow BIS members to enjoy it. Several minority groups from Guizhou Province in S.W. China belong to the Nuo culture whose ancient superstitions and religious rituals are expressed in these dances, performed by candlelight and with masked dancers.
Wednesday, September 19, 1990 - 19:30

The Yangtze Gorges: Some Historical and Personal Perspectives, Part II

Ambassador van den Berg

Having spoken last April about the historical and cultural aspects of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River, Ambassador van den Berg will pick up the thread of his presentation and offer to BIS members the more recent developments of this fascinating and beautiful part of the Yangtze River. The talk will feature observations by foreigners from 1900 on, including experiences of Mr. Roland van den Berg as a child in Chungking and will be illustrated by slides and a (home-made) movie taken in 1964 of a trip through the normally then “closed” Gorges.
Saturday, September 15, 1990 - 08:30

Walk: A Lakeside Tour around Jishui and Houhai

Following the success of the Legation Walk, BIS proposes a walking tour around Jishui and Houhai, the two most northerly in the chain of lakes running from the center of Beijing. The walk will take us through an area of quiet charm with views of trees and water and glimpses of old houses and mansions. The district was once rich in temples and palaces, and a few remain. We will point out places open to the public and with luck make a quick visit to some which are not. Susan Hoare and Sara Thomas will lead.
Thursday, September 13, 1990 - 19:30

Film: "A Day in the Ritan Park" and "The Old Peace Hotel Jazz Band in Shanghai"

Juergen and Helga Bertram

Juergen and Helga Bertram of the ARD German Television Studio Beijing kindly agreed to show us two of their television features recently made in China. Therefore, we shall have the privilege and pleasure of viewing: “A Day in the Ritan Park” (Mein Park in Beijing), by Juergen Bertram, a documentary showing the enjoyments and customs of the Chinese people in this public garden in Jian Guo Men Wai. As there will be no English subtitles, Mr. Bertram will introduce briefly the content of the film before the viewing session. “The Old Peace Hotel Jazz Band in Shanghai” (Die Rentner...
Saturday, June 30, 1990 - 08:15

Outing: Housing Renovation Project

Prof. Huang Hui, Architect

In the Xiaohouchang residential area in Xicheng district a housing renovation project is under construction. We will be able to visit the building site and ask questions, while being guided round by the architect, Professor Huang Hui, who gave a talk to BIS on 11 April. There are nine residential buildings accommodating 346 units. The project is an experiment in residential area reconstruction and upgrading of old and unsafe housing.
Saturday, June 23, 1990 - 08:15

Outing: Museum of Ancient Architecture (Xiannongtan)

Coordinator: Mieke van den Berg

We will visit China's first museum of ancient architecture, which is at the former altar of agriculture – Xiannongtan. In addition to the old buildings on show, the museum also displays ancient architectural relics that have been unearthed. Wooden models of famous ancient buildings in existence are also on view. These handmade models duplicate exactly the real buildings without using a single nail. We will learn how to carry out the wooden roof construction supporting the eaves by building it ourselves, and will also learn how to make rubbings.
Thursday, June 7, 1990 - 19:30

China's Education and Two Kinds of Westernization

Dr. Ruth Hayhoe, Prof. of Comparative Education

Why has China experienced so many convulsive changes in her educational policies over the last century? What patterns of the past lie behind both the progress attained and the obstacles that continue to hold back educational development? How have Western ideas contributed to educational and societal change? Dr. Ruth Hayhoe, a renowned Canadian expert on Chinese education and a professor of comparative education, currently on secondment to the Canadian Embassy in Beijing, has agreed to talk about the basic parameters of China's contemporary educational system, while at the same time sharing...
Wednesday, May 30, 1990 - 20:30

Gala Evening: To Celebrate the 9th Anniversary of BIS

Ritan Restaurant

You are all invited to join with your Working Committee in celebrating the 9th birthday of BIS in a traditional Chinese setting. Take this opportunity to relax on a spring evening in the company of your fellow BIS members while being entertained by a group of the Peking Players who through their readings of eyewitness accounts will recreate for us the events and atmosphere of the Boxer siege of Peking of 1900.The festivities will be held on Wednesday, 30 May, from 8:30pm to around 10:30 pm, in the courtyard of the Ritan Park restaurant, where you will be offered...
Saturday, May 19, 1990 - 08:30

Outing: China Conservatory of Music

A visit to the China Conservatory of Music in the north Beihai area of Beijing will include an introduction to the Conservatory which focuses on Chinese traditional music (but which also offers instruction in some aspects of Western music and requires the study of piano); a concert by middle school students of the Conservatory; and a tour of the older Chinese buildings and the adjacent Prince Gong Compound.
Wednesday, May 2, 1990 - 08:15

Outing: Celebration of Buddha's Birthday at Guangjisi

The Abbot and administrative staff of Guangji temple in Fuchengmennei have agreed to receive a group of BIS members on 2 May to watch celebrations of Buddha's birthday and to tour some of the buildings. Guangji temple is the headquarters of the All-China Buddhist Association. It is not open for public visiting. The site is an ancient one, though the present temple dates from the mid-1930s. A maximum of 40 people can be received.
Wednesday, April 25, 1990 - 19:30

The Yangtze Gorges: Some Historical & Personal Perspectives

Ambassador van den Berg

The stretch of the Yangtze River between Chongqing and Yichang is one of the most fascinating geographical features of China. Running through massive mountain formations, creating rapids and dangerous shoals, the Yangtze Gorges are in fact a portal between China's most populous province, Sichuan, and the rest of Eastern China. As such, it has played and continues to play an important role in China's economic and political history. Ambassador Van den Berg, who as a boy made his maiden voyage through the Gorges in 1940, will illustrate some of their historical, geographical, and scenic...
Monday, April 23, 1990 - 09:30

Tour: Rong Bao Zhai Workshops

Did you ever wonder how Chinese paintings are mounted on their silk scrolls? Ever marvel at how reproductions of ancient paintings look so real? Here is a chance to see just how these processes are done. Located at No. 19 Liulichang, the “Rong Bao Zhai”—perhaps Beijing's most famous painting shop—will open its workshops to a limited group for a tour on Monday, April 23rd from 9:30 to 11:30am. The actual tour will last approximately one hour. We will then be given an opportunity to peruse the extensive showrooms for purchases.
Thursday, April 19, 1990 - 08:15

Outing: The Cloud Terrace at Juyongguan Pass

Isabelle Deron

Mrs. Isabelle Deron, whom some members had the pleasure of meeting at Wu Ta Si last year, has kindly consented to talk to us about the Cloud Terrace situated in a walled fortress on Juyongguan Pass, about 10 km before the Badaling section of the Great Wall. The terrace is covered with magnificent reliefs which can be placed within the Lamaist tradition. It is a unique survivor of this type from the Yuan period. This terrace, built during the Mongol Dynasty (Yuan), was originally the base of a pagoda astride the pathway to Mongolia which the Mongol emperors used on their annual summer...
Wednesday, April 11, 1990 - 19:30

Town Planning in Beijing: Present and Future

Prof. Huang Hui, Beijing Municipal Architecture Institute;
Prof. Liu Xizeng, Beijing Municipal Engineering Design Institute

It is obvious to all that the city of Beijing is changing very rapidly and, in many cases, in a confusing way. The professors Huang Hui and Liu Xizeng have graciously agreed to talk to us on this subject and to answer our questions. Mrs. Huang graduated from the Architectural Department of Qinghua University in 1961 and is now working in Beijing Municipal Architecture Design Institute; Mrs. Liu graduated from the Civil Engineering Department at the same university in 1960 and is now employed at the Beijing Municipal Engineering Design Institute.
Saturday, April 7, 1990 - 14:00

Outing: Tour of Beijing Film Academy: Screening of "Black Snow"

Xie Fei, Film Director

Thanks to an invitation from the Beijing Film Academy, BIS members will have the unique opportunity of spending an afternoon seeing the working of China's film world. The program which has been arranged for us by the Academy will include: an extended tour of the Academy's workshops and studios; a screening of the film “Black Snow” (English title: “The Year of Bad Luck”), with English subtitles, winner of the Silver Bear award and Outstanding Single Achievement award at the 1990 Berlin Film Festival; and an introductory lecture by the film's eminent director, Mr. Xie Fei.
Monday, March 26, 1990 - 19:30

China's Legal System and the Changing Nature of Crime in China

Mr. Mark Sidel, Program Officer of the Ford Foundation in Beijing

Mark Sidel, who is a program officer for the Ford Foundation in Beijing, responsible for the Foundation's work in law and legal reform, has graciously consented to speak to BIS members on this vital and little known subject. He has been involved in China for several years, and is the author of articles on various aspects of Chinese law.
Tuesday, March 6, 1990 - 19:30

Film: "A Great Wall"

Coordinator: Sally Lilley

Set in Beijing during a summer in the 80’s, this is the story of a Chinese-born U.S. resident who returns to China after 30 years, accompanied by his Chinese-American wife and teenager, to visit his sister and her Chinese family. Various cultural clashes ensue, many of which are amusing. There are some excellent scenes of Beijing and its environs during beautiful summer days. It is a Chinese-made movie for the Chinese audience, containing a good bit of earthy humor. One is afforded a glimpse into modern Chinese family life and society as perceived by Chinese; and, in sharp contrast, there...
Tuesday, February 27, 1990 - 19:00

Heart of the Himalayas

Dr. Leo Teller

In November 1988, an international group of scientists and laymen travelled from Lhasa, through Gyangze and Xigaze, to the Rombuk Monastery at the foot of Mt. Everest, camped on Lake Paiku at 5000 meters and crossed the main Himalayan range to Nepal. Dr. Leo Teller will describe this journey (with the help of slides), touching on both the conservation initiative, which was the main reason for the trip, and on some historical background of the places visited.
Sunday, February 18, 1990 - 10:00

Outing: Ice Sculpture Festival at Longqingxia

For the second year, BIS will make it possible for its members to visit the spectacular ice carving elaborately sculpted in the narrow Longqing Gorge, north of the Ming Tombs at a distance of about 85 km from downtown Beijing. According to a leaflet from the Beijing Tourism Administration, this year's show of 53 groups of ice sculptures "is broad in scale, exquisite in artistic form, and ingenious in plot."
Thursday, February 8, 1990 - 19:30

Training "Barefoot Architects" in China

Prof. Alfred Pei-Keng Peng, Associate Professor of Architecture, Qinghua University

Professor Alfred Pei-Keng Peng, a Chinese-Canadian who is not only an Associate Professor of Architecture at Qinghua University but also the Managing Director of the only private architectural firm in China, will discuss several aspects of architecture in modern China. He will speak mainly about a training program for rural youth to become “barefoot architects” that has been developed by the Rural Architecture Development Foundation established by his company, Great Earth Architects and Engineers (Int’l). If time permits, he will also touch briefly on the current trend to attempt to...
Wednesday, January 24, 1990 - 11:00

Demonstration: Preparing and Sampling Chinese "Jiaozi" and other New Year's Treats

Chinese Chefs of the Sheraton Great Wall Hotel

One way in which Chinese families celebrate the Spring Festival is by getting together to make and then eat the tasty meat-or-vegetable-filled dumplings known as “jiaozi” and other pastry-based treats. In connection with the 1990 Spring Festival, the American Club Women's Association (ACWA) is extending an invitation to BIS members to join ACWA members in a jiaozi-making demonstration/luncheon that the ACWA has organized with the Chinese chefs of the Sheraton Great Wall Hotel. Participants will have the opportunity to practice shaping and filling the dough before sitting down to sample...
Tuesday, January 16, 1990 - 19:30

From Beijing to Washington: Comparative City Planning in Two Capitals

Professor Hou Renzhi, Historian

Professor Hou Renzhi, the eminent geographic historian from Beijing University, will speak about the historical development of city planning in two capital cities, Beijing and Washington D.C., with special emphasis on the principles of designing the central city cores. The presentation will be illustrated with slides. Professor Hou, who has been a guest speaker of BIS on several previous occasions, has recently written an article on this subject in preparation for the August 1990 meeting in Beijing of the International Geographic Unions’ Asia-Pacific Area Committee.