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Tuesday, December 16, 1997 - 19:30

The Artistic Charm of the Chinese Traditional Muscial Instruments

Zhao Ben, Traditional Chinese Instrumentalist

Mr. Zhao Ben, a Chinese traditional instrument player, will give us a musical evening by explaining the history and sound of his ancient instruments and by playing a music sample on each of them. Zhao Ben was born in 1955 in Beijing. He began to study traditional music theory and practice under the tutelage of his parents at a very young age and then under other famous Chinese musicians: Lan Yusong, Zhao Yaokun, Liu Dehai and Li Xiangting.
Tuesday, November 25, 1997 - 19:30

The Center, the Periphery or the Melting Bowl? A Study on the Ancient Liangzhu Culture

Ms. Cao Yin,

Assistant Director,

Arthur M. Sackler Museum

Chinese ancient civilization is well known for both its continuity and diversity. The old saying of the Yellow River being the "cradle of Chinese civilization" is now being challenged by archaeologists who have found remains produced by highly developed "periphery regions" beyond the Central Plain area. The Liangzhu culture is one such example. The lecture will cover such questions as who were the Liangzhu people; what do we know of them and how; and what role did they play in the formation of Chinese civilization. BIS is very fortunate to have Cao Yin, the Assistant Director of the...
Thursday, November 20, 1997 - 19:30

Beijing's Urban Development

Joe Carter, Architect and Planner

Joe Carter, Canadian architect and planner, has been living in China since 1986. Twice last year, he conducted tours of old Beijing courtyard areas for BIS. He was the designer of Beijing's first social housing project, Nan Xin Yuan and of Wen Cai Ge, the headquarters of the China Writers Foundation. The latter is the historic perservation area, Shi Sha Hai. He will be co-presenting with his wife, He Hong Yu, Ph.D., Urban Planning, Qinghua University. She has particiapted in the creation of Beijing's social housing (An Ju) program, is the head of a real estate development consulting...
Saturday, November 8, 1997 - 10:00

Outing: Beijing Liao Jin City Wall Museum & Museum of Ancient Pottery Civilization

Hidden away in the southwestern part of Beijing are two museums, which not only have eluded the hurried traveler but also the long term Beijing residents. The Beijing Liao and Jin City Wall Museum is built on the excavated Watergate site which was built 840 years ago. It was a water route constructed under the city wall that allowed water to flow in and out of the city. This site was considered one of the ten great archaeological discoveries of China in 1990.
Thursday, October 23, 1997 - 19:30

A Decade of Change

Mr. John D. Liu

John D. Liu has been covering China as a television cameraman since 1981 for CBS News, RAI, SRG, ZDF, NOS and others. In that time he has witnessed virtually the entire period of reform and opening to the outside world. John will show highlights from the 80s and 90s from many areas of China that will give the viewer a sense of economic, social and geographical diversity of this enormous country. Highlights will include an interview of Deng Xiao Ping, scenes from Tibet, North Korea, Mongolia and many others. He will also discuss his current work as Director of the Environmental...
Saturday, October 18, 1997 - 10:00

Outing: Temples Visit, Cheng En Si, Cishan Ci

Cheng En Si was built in the Ming Dynasty and was completed in 1510. The temple and pavilions were built on a grand scale, the layout is typical and the building a classic of the time. There are four Ming Dynasty wall paintings remaining, the arrangement and strokes are still very vivid and have a relatively high art value. The temple is different from others in that it is surrounded by four lookout towers. The main structure is still in good shape, but some parts need repair. It has been designated a cultural relic by the government. Cishan Si or Temple of Mercy. It is not known...
Saturday, October 11, 1997 - 10:00

Outing: China Movie City Zhu Zhou

Mr. Ren Da Huai, TV Producer,

"Dream of the Red Chamber", "Romance of the Three Kingdoms"

Mr. Ren Da Huai, the renowned Producer of TV series including “Dream of the Red Chamber”, “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” and “All Men Are Brothers” will take us on a tour of the highlights of this city. The city is located 50km southwest of Beijing and covers an area of 5,000 acres. This is the place where over 250 Chinese classical movies and TV series were filmed. During the 1½hour tour, we will see some of the famous setting in Han and Tang dynasty styles. Come to join us in discovering how this famous movie producer transformed the Chinese classic novel into TV series.
Thursday, October 9, 1997 - 19:30

Chinese Folk Songs

Prof. Yang Hongnian,

Central Conservatory of Music

Professor Yang Hongnian, from the Central Conservatory of Music, is a famous Chinese conductor and educator. In 1983, Professor Yang founded “The Children and Young Women's Chorus”. Under his leadership the chorus has won many awards including the one won in August 1996. The chorus was awarded a record breaking 4 prizes at the XLIV International Polyphonic Contest, Guido d'Arezzo. Professor Yang will come to BIS and give us a lecture on Chinese Folk Songs. This evening lecture will enable us to understand and appreciate the origins, styles and singing techniques of folk songs from various...
Saturday, September 27, 1997 - 10:00

Outing: Arthur M. Sackler Museum of Art and Archeology at Peking University and Campus

Ms. Cao Yin,

Assistant Director, Arthur M. Sackler Museum;

Prof. Donald Gibbs, Director,

University of California Center in China

BIS will be escorted around the beautiful archaeology museum founded by Arthur M. Sackler on the campus of Peking University by Assistant Director, Mrs. Cao Yin, herself a former Smithsonian and Harvard scholar. The exhibit contains Chinese archeological material from the Paleolithic to the Ming Dynasty. Professor Donald Gibbs, Director of the University of California Center in China and a distinguished sinologist, will then take us on a short walking tour of the campus including John Leighton Stuart's house and Edgar Snow's grave site.
Thursday, September 25, 1997 - 19:30

The Silk Road

Prof. Shuang Situ

The Silk Road—a most magical term—where many goods were transported from China and to China. Not only trading items have been carried across, but also ideas and spiritual values. Professor Shuang Situ, a professor of both history and art, who studied art at the Sorbonne in Paris and who is a favorite speaker with BIS, will give us some insight into the places, cultures and history of the Silk Road.
Thursday, September 18, 1997 - 19:30

Rewi Alley and the "Gung Ho" Movement

Panel:

Michael Crook;

Israel Epstein;

L. Wanru;

Isabel Crook

The New Zealander, Rewi Alley (1897-1987), came to China in the 1920s and helped found a movement of industrial cooperatives known by the Chinese acronym “Gung Ho”, the International Committee for the Promotion of Industrial Cooperative (ICCIC). Their dynamism resulted in the word being absorbed into the English language, its meaning being given as “intemperately and naively enthusiastic”. On the centenary of Rewi Alley's birth, BIS is pleased to host a panel discussion in his former residence, now part of the Friendship Association in what was the old Italian Legation of Peking....
Thursday, June 19, 1997 - 19:30

Special Performance of Peking Opera

This is the last event of the BIS season before the summer break. Please join us for a fabulous finale. This will be a choice selection of Peking Opera with explanations and commentaries by Professor Yu Qilong. The venue will be the beautifully-restored Huguang Huiguan, the old Hunan and Hubei guildhall. Built in 1807, the theatre was added in 1830. This place is historically important as the site where Dr. Sun Yat-sen founded the Nationalist Part in 1912.
Thursday, June 12, 1997 - 19:30

Chinoiserie - Symbolism in Chinese Patterns

Prof. Shuang Situ

Professor Shuang Situ, a great friend of BIS, is back in Beijing after a long trip to USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Hong Kong, where she lectured on Chinese art and culture. Professor Shuang studied art at the Sorbonne University in Paris where she graduated with a Ph.D. thesis on “The Influence of China on the Decorative Art in France in the 17th and 18th Centuries”. So we asked her to give a lecture with slides on her favorite subject, which she will divide into three parts: 1.The fascination of China in Europe in general and in particular at the court of Louis...
Tuesday, June 3, 1997 - 19:30

"All Men Are Brothers"

Mr. Ren Da Huai,

TV Producer,

"Dream of the Red Chamber", "Romance of the Three Kingdoms"

The historical narrative “All Men Are Brothers” is one of the four major Chinese classical novels. After extremely successful TV series productions based on the other three masterpieces “Journey to the West”, “Dream of the Red Chamber” and “Romance of the Three Kingdoms”, China Central Television has brought “All Men Are Brothers” to the television in 41 episodes. Its public release is scheduled for around October 1997. In the presentation, BIS members will have the rare opportunity to preview the TV series through an 19-minute VCR tape composed of its snapshots. Mr. Ren Da Huai,...
Thursday, May 22, 1997 - 19:30

Tianjin Western Architecture of the 1930s

Mr. Jin Bao Ji

Mr. Jin Bao Ji will lecture on the Western architecture of Tianjin in the 1930s. He is an excellent photographer and will show slides to illustrate his talk. On 26 June 1858 the Chinese signed treaties with Britain and France in Tianjin. The two powers were given the right to have concessions in the town. They were all on the southwest side of the Chinese town. Later there were Japanese and German (until 1914) on the left bank. From north to south were Austro-Hungarian, Italian, Russian and Belgian concessions. The architecture was a mixture of all European styles and still exists today....
Thursday, May 15, 1997 - 19:30

Far from Home - Western Architecture in China's Old Treaty Ports

Tess Johnston;

Deke Erh

We are pleased to welcome back to Beijing and BIS Tess Johnston, a long-time resident of Shanghai. Ms. Johnston and photographer Deke Erh have created a record of Western architecture through richly illustrated books entitled “A Last Look at Western Architecture in Old Shanghai” (1993), “Near to Heaven: Western Architecture in Old Summer Resorts (1995) and “God and Country: Western Architecture in Churches in China”. Tonight Ms. Johnston will present the newest selection of slides from her fourth and fifth volumes on China's old treaty ports. The fourth volume, which is currently in print...
Saturday, May 10, 1997 - 10:00

Outing: The Russian Embassy in Beijing

Minister Counsellor M. Denissov;

Cultural Counsellor M. Zakharov

Towards the end of the 17th century, the Chinese Emperor established a small colony of Orthodox prisoners in the north-eastern corner of the Beijing walls (between Dong Zhi Men and the Lama Temple), mainly Russians taken at the siege of Albazin. This little community grew in numbers until the Treaty of Kiachta (1728) allowed the Russians to send a permanent Orthodox mission to Beijing. This retained some of the characteristics of a diplomatic mission until 1858 when an official embassy was created in Beijing. After 1956 the mission's land was handed over to the Soviet Embassy, which...
Saturday, May 3, 1997 - 10:00

Outing: The Museum of Traditional Architecture

Liu Lili,

Capital Normal University

The site of this museum, the Xian Nong Tan, is in itself a wonderful example of early Ming architecture with a main building and its attached structure and sacrificial platform. The whole complex is in natural surroundings and waiting for restoration. In the neighborhood of the Temple of Heaven, it was the place where the Emperor offered sacrifices to the farming gods to obtain rain and performed the rite of ploughing the first furrow. The museum contains tables, pictures, materials and exquisite models of well-known buildings and ancient relics. Liu Lili, a graduate in History of Capital...
Tuesday, April 29, 1997 - 19:30

Contemporary Chinese Painting

Karen Smith,

Arts Writer, Curator, Consultant

Karen Smith moved to Beijing from Hong Kong in March 1993 and has been working in the field of contemporary art as a freelance arts writer, curator and consultant. Since coming to China she has collected a large amount of material on individual artists and on contemporary art history. She has contributed regular reviews of exhibitions to Asian Art News in Hong Kong and articles to magazines within China and abroad. She has also acted as tour co-ordinator, translator and guide for visiting curators from museums and galleries in America and Europe and lectured on contemporary...
Thursday, April 17, 1997 - 19:30

My China, The Metamorphosis of a Country and a Man

Sidney Shapiro,

Member,

Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee

When Sidney Shapiro arrived in Shanghai in 1947 for a “look around”, he never dreamed he would spend more than half a century of his life in China. Captivated by the Chinese culture and society, he fell in love with and married a Chinese woman and became deeply involved with the historical changes that shaped today's China. Internationally acclaimed as one of China's leading translators into English of Chinese literature, he is also a Chinese citizen and member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee. Last year he translated compiled and edited “A Sampler of Chinese...
Saturday, April 12, 1997 - 10:00

Outing: Come Explore with us…

Mr. Qi, Mentougou Museum;

Michael Crook

Those BIS adventures who seek the relatively unknown spots of Beijing and are ready for some hiking and climbing, this is for you!!! Hidden in a gully of Mentougou District is an old stone road from the Ming Dynasty. We will follow the road to examine an intricately carved stone gate. Further on is a small hill with more than twenty-two carved stone Buddhas in small niches. These all date from the 15th and 16th centuries. The next exploration will be to climb partially up a mountain to discover a Ming Dynasty stone pagoda and about five caves. There we will have our picnic lunch. Mr. Qi of...
Thursday, April 10, 1997 - 19:30

The History of Naxi Dongba Culture

Mr. Zhang Chunhe, Founder,

Contemporary Dongba School of Religious Painting;

Ms. Zhang Xu

Mr. Zhang Chunhe, one of the founders of the Contemporary Dongba School of Religion Painting, will speak to our BIS audience about the history of the Naxi Dongba culture – its origins and main components: painting, pictograms, religious ceremonies, singing and folk customs. Dongba painting is an ancient religious expression of the Naxi people of Yunnan province. This minority group with its unique lifestyle and mysterious ancient Dongba religion, will be presented in a short documentary video “The Mysterious Dongba Culture” produced by Mr. Zhong Xu, who spent more than five months...
Saturday, March 22, 1997 - 10:00

Taoism at Bai Yun Guan

Prof. Ding Wangdao, Beijing Foreign Studies University;

Dr. Lagana, Director, Banca di Roma

On the site of the very beautiful White Cloud Temple (Bai Yun Guan) Professor Ding Wangdao will give us a lecture on the philosophy of Taoism, introduce us to the meaning of the different buildings and explain the Taoist symbols to us. Dr. Lagana will complete the visit by illustrating the fascinating history and architecture of this site, so important for traditional Taoism. Professor Ding of the Beijing Foreign Studies University has studied Chinese culture and lectured at the University in English to Chinese students about culture in general. He has also taught Chinese culture...
Tuesday, March 18, 1997 - 19:30

China Through My Eyes

Sirin Phathanothai

In 1956, eight-year-old Sirin Phathanothai and her twelve-year-old brother, children of the closest advisor to the Prime Minister of Thailand, were secretly sent to China as an offering of goodwill from Thailand's political elite to China's “living bridge” between the two countries. Raised as a ward of Zhou Enlai, within the confines of China's powerful and reclusive leadership, Sirin Phathanothai provides a unique eyewitness account of daily life amongst the founders of the new China. Her autobiography has recently been made into a series by Beijing Television, to be broadcast later this...
Saturday, March 15, 1997 - 10:00

Outing: Famous Catholic Sites of Beijing

Prof. Yu Qilong

Professor Yu Qilong, well-known calligrapher and honorary member of BIS, will lead a tour, and lecture in the bus, on the important Catholic churches of Beijing. Professor Yu has a rich knowledge of the history and stories of the Catholic communities here during the Qing Dynasty. Built in the early twentieth century, after the Boxer Rebellion, the Church of St Michael will be visited first. It is located in the former Legation Quarter. Next will be the Nan Tang, or Southern Cathedral, originally built by Matteo Ricci. Finally, we will go to the beautiful Bei Tang, North...
Thursday, March 6, 1997 - 19:30

Yang Ge

Prof. Dong Xi Jiu, Retired Director,

Dance Department of the Chinese Art Research Institute

Living in Beijing, one might notice that there are groups of old people who often get together to dance at dusk in parks, empty parking lots or sidewalks. They dance in particular steps following a rhythm created by drums and gongs. These senior citizens always dance with fans and sometimes wear colorful silk outfits. They are engaged in dance called “Yang Ge”. Although recently “Yang Ge” has been developed as an aerobic exercise for older people, historical writings suggest that Yang Ge can be traced back to the Song Dynasty (960 – 1280 AD). Professor Dong Xi Jiu, noted scholar...
Thursday, February 20, 1997 - 19:30

A General Look at China's Tea Culture

Zhang Lin, Chinese Tea Zen Association

Tea has been part of Chinese culture for thousands of years. The planting record of tea can be traced back to the Qin and Han Dynasties. It was used as medicine in the beginning and later on as a drink in the Tang Dynasty. Teaware was created to serve different kinds of tea at different occasions in ancient times and played an important role in the tea culture. Mr. Zhang Lin from the Chinese Tea Zen Association will introduce Chinese tea culture to BIS members. His talk will cover an introduction to different tea leaves, tea wares, tea literature and the art of tea. It will be an...
Saturday, February 15, 1997 - 10:00

Celebrating Chinese New Year in Tianjin

Prof. Wu Menglin; Mr. Wei Kejin

Chinese New Year (also known as the Spring Festival) is the most important festival at the start of a new year. This year the festival starts on 7 February and ends on 22 February with the Lantern Festival. Join BIS to spend the beginning of the Year of the Ox in Tianjin, where people still enjoy traditional ways of celebrating the festival. It was a successful outing, with a long waiting list, two years ago. Professor Wu Menglin from the Stone Carving Museum and Mr. Wei Kejin from the Tianjin Relics Bureau will take us to Tian Hou Gong, where people worship the goddess of the Sea (...
Thursday, February 13, 1997 - 19:30

China's Great Traditional Festivals

Wu Xiaoru,

Professor of History, Literature and Folklore, Beijing University;

President, China Folklore Society

For those foreigners residing in Beijing who often wonder about the meaning behind the various festivals and rituals observed throughout the lunar calendar, her is your chance to find out more about this subject. Traditional festivals including the Lantern Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, Moon Festival, Qingming and this month's most important festival Chunjie (Chinese New Year), will be discussed by the renowned Professor of History, Literature and Folklore, Wu Xiaoru. A member of the teaching staff at Beijing University since 1949, Professor Wu is President of the China...
Tuesday, January 28, 1997 - 19:30

Han Dynasty Embroideries of Xinjiang

Prof. Wang Yarong, Institute of History, Academy of Social Sciences

Professor Wang Yarong of the Institute of History of the Chinese Academy of Social Science has kindly consented to share with BIS members the results of a recent discovery in Xinjiang Province. A specialist in the history of textile, embroidery, dyes, weaving and fashion, Professor Wang was the textile expert who accompanied a team last summer to examine and date the clothing found in several Han tombs. She will bring with her slides of the garments believed to have been made approximately 1,800 years ago for the noblemen in this region. There will be some small items for sale as well....
Saturday, January 25, 1997 - 10:00

Outing: Traditional Beijing Snacks at Chinese New Year

Mr. Rui Weidong; Michael Crook

Mr. Rui Weidong and Michael Crook will take us to the Wei Ming Restaurant, meeting place of the Beijing Historical Society, to give us a look at traditional Beijing snacks linked to the up-coming New Year festival. At the same time we will enjoy a lecture on traditions of Chinese festivals and rituals, as well as a practical lesson on how to make jiaozi and sample the wares for ourselves. It was great fun last year!
Thursday, January 23, 1997 - 19:30

History and Evolution of Chinese Written Language

Susan Yeh

For the past 5000 years, great ancient civilizations rose and fell, such as Maya, Egypt, Greece…, which all have been interrupted or have vanished. The Chinese civilization has remained alive over this period of time. Over the past six years, Susan Yeh, a member of BIS, has lectured on various subjects of Chinese history and culture to expatriate communities in Japan, Taiwan and China. She will lecture on this important aspect of Chinese culture and enable us to gain some insights into and understanding of this unique language.