‘China Chic’: Chinese Language Video Festival launched to celebrate UN Chinese Language Day
CGTN.COM
The theme this year is “China Chic” – a modern take on traditional Chinese heritage from young people around the world. As China has continued to progress and innovate, unique cultural elements have been adapted to fit the very latest trends, with the younger generation increasingly aware of regional differences.
All non-native Chinese speakers from around the world are invited to submit an original video showcasing the beauty of Chinese traditions and how they are incorporated into the modern world.
Venue: Brian Friel Theatre, 20 University Square, Queen’s University, Belfast BT7 1NN
Language: English/Chinese
Booking: Eventbrite (free, but advanced booking essential)
Join us for an audio journey that brings together 1960s Northern Ireland and 21st Century China. Alongside excerpts from the original English version, Chinese Students from the Centre for Translating and Interpreting (CTI) at Queen’s University will narrate a new translated adaptation of Brian Friel’s short story ‘The Widowhood System’.
The Widowhood System是一个由布莱恩.弗里尔写于二十世纪六十年代的爱尔兰故事。三个嗜酒如命的中年单身汉，为了追逐埋藏于心多年的赛鸽梦，开始了一场堂吉诃德式的养鸽之旅。殊不知，赛鸽的命运和他们的人生产生了奇妙的重合……
What effect does translation have in transporting a story across time and space? When the page is adapted for the stage, what role does a translator play? What happens when a translator, often considered as the one doing the paperwork, leaves their desk to work as a theatre practitioner?
In this script reading and discussion event, co-organized by CTI, Friel Reimagined, and the Brian Friel Theatre, the translator, Chuchu, the music producer, Kehan and the actors will present the original text, the translated work and the procedure of the adaptation— a Chinese audiobook based on the story ‘The Widowhood System’ by the great Irish playwright Brian Friel. With the original text in English, the Chinese voice actors reading the translated version, and the translator sharing the background of the translation and adaptation process, this event aims to provide a unique insight into how a translated play is produced and presented.
Shurui Yang, aka Chuchu, is a PhD in translation from Center of Translation and Interpreting. Supervised by Prof. David Johnston and Dr. Kathleen Kaess, she mainly focuses on translating Brian Friel’s work from English into Chinese.
Please note that The Language Centre is not involved in this competition provision. Any queries regarding this competition shall be sent to the organiser directly.
2022 Chinese Competition of Charitable Projects & Business Innovations for UK University Students
Following the successful running of the online Chinese Competition of Charitable Projects and Business Innovations for UK University Students in 2020 and 2021 despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 Competition will be held in April 2022, organised by Centre for Language Education and Cooperation, UK.
Competition Date: 10th April 2022 (Sunday)
Format: Zoom Online
Contestants’ Qualifications: Undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students studying at schools, faculties, departments, Confucius Institutes and language centers of the UK universities and people who take part-time courses, short courses and/or evening classes at the UK universities in 2021 to 2022. The mother tongue is not Chinese and the key family members’ mother tongue is not Chinese.
Theme: Topics related to charitable projects and business innovations, including but not limited to charitable projects, business plans, product introductions, introduction of companies and enterprises, business cases, project initiatives and market researches.
Content: Speech presentation*: 8 to 10 minutes Q&A: 5 minutes *Remarks: If there are videos produced by the contestant imbedded in the presentation, the videos can be no more than twice and longer than 1 minute.
Language: Mandarin Chinese
Prizes: Contestants who rank top 6 of the competition will be awarded certificates and partial contribution to the return airfare of undertaking work placement and/or attending business Chinese classes in China. The rest of the contestants will be awarded certificate of participation of the competition and souvenirs.
Enrollment: 1) Contestants please complete and submit the online application form together with the speech synopsis and other required supporting documents no later than 5pm on 11th March (Friday) 2) Participating universities please email the signed and dated confirmation form to the Organising Committee on later than 5pm on the 11th March (Friday).
Number of Contestants: In principle no more than 3 contestants from each participating university.
Support from the industry: Senior business personnel of the UK based key Chinese entreprises and companies and the local British counterparts will join the judging panel of the competition and provide awards for the competition as well as offer work placement for prominent contestants of the competition.
Contact: Name: Christina Zhang Email: bccompetition@clecuk.org
With thanks to our students Chen and Yuhang who shared the beautiful lantern photos taken in Belfast, we would like to wish you all a happy and healthy year!
Today is the Lantern Festival, which marks the first full moon of the new lunar year and the end of the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) celebration period. We hope you have enjoyed our Year of the Tiger celebration events so far, and welcome you to continue with our Chinese Culture Forum, with two cultural talks remaining in February (16th and 23rd).
The Chinese New Year is conventionally known as Spring Festival (春节 chūnjié) in China, which welcomes the arrival of spring despite of the cold weather that remains. People are full of hope for a new start in their life when the world comes back to life.
With thanks to our talented graduate Tang LI, we hope that you will be able to enjoy this melody and beautiful Chinese sign language dance.
Song: Early Spring (《春三月》)
Performer: Tang LI, graduate from Queen’s University Management School
For better effect, you may watch it from Youtube. For audience from mainland China, you may watch this performance by click this link.
The meaning and translation of the Chinese sign language dance:
niǎo’r rào zhǐyuān shēngshēng sù 鸟儿 绕 纸鸢 声声 诉 The birds dance with the paper kite, cooing and wooing. sānyuè lái bǎi cǎo kāi 三 月 来 百 草 开 The grass blooms in March yíng xiāng mǎn xiù wàn wù sū 盈 香 满 袖 万 物 苏 The air is full of fragrance as the earth comes back to life. chóng míng hé zhe huānxiào xīnshì shū 虫 鸣 和 着 欢笑 心事 舒 The insects sing cheerfully, with no worries in mind. sānyuè lái nuǎn yáng fù 三 月 来 暖 阳 复 The world has warmed since March xiāng xié qù tàqīng chù 相 携 去 踏青 处 as the people venture out, a new green world to find mò shàng huā kāi mǎn lù xiāng rù tǔ 陌 上 花 开 满 路 香 入 土 Flowers bloom everywhere alongside the paths and the soil was soaked with incense. sānyuè lái yǒu guī rén 三 月 来 有 归 人 As people return in March mǎ tà qiǎn cǎo shēng cuīcù 马 踏 浅 草 声 催促 with horses treading the shallow grass, chūn yǒu qī guī yǒu rì 春 有 期 归 有 日 Spring has its term and people know to expect it. jīn guī tú 今 归 途 As people return again sānyuè lái shēng qíngsù 三 月 来 生 情愫 They plant their sentiment in March chūn gāng fù 春 刚 复 As Spring arrives again qíng rù gǔ 情 入 骨 The sentiment is so profound that it has been rooted to the people’s bones jiè lǚ dōng fēng hù sù 借 缕 东 风 互 诉 whispering to one another through the spring breeze xiāng ài mù 相 爱 慕 their love and affection for each other.
There is no celebration without singing and dancing.
Yangge dance (秧歌 yāngge) has a long history dating back to Han Dynasty and has become an essential part of festival celebrations in China. Every year, in the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar, Yangge will be performed to mark a prosperous new year.
In this short video presentation, we invited the Yangge Dance Team of Chinese Welfare Association Northern Ireland to send their CNY greetings with some folk dance clips for appreciation. Hope you will enjoy it.
For better effect, you may watch it fromYoutube. For audience from mainland China, you can access the video via this link
We are also grateful to Sharon Fan, one of our Chinese tutors, to perform her singing for your appreciation.
For better effect, you may watch it fromYoutube. For audience from mainland China, you may access via this link.
The Year of the Tiger is not solely celebrated by the Chinese communities worldwide. Other nationalities also celebrate their lunar New Year concurrently.
At Queen’s as we are proud of being a multicultural campus, we would like to thank our QUB KPOP Society for joining us in the celebration with their dedicated performance for the Year of The Tiger.
For audience from mainland China, please click this link for access.
With thanks to Queen’s students DENG Wei (邓维), and QIAO Zexuan (乔泽轩) for coming together to produce this Celtic/Chinese inspired performance to welcome the arrival of the Spring Festival.
For audience from mainland China, you can access the video via this link.
We would also like to share our President and Vice-Chancellor’s New Year greeting with you all. In his message, Prof Ian Greer points out that Tiger loves adventure and challenge – the two characteristics will take you afar here at Queen’s. It’s not that you have to be always the strongest – life is that using all skills you have and those you’ve learned to take you further.
For audience from mainland China, you can access the video via this link.
We hope you enjoy a happy and healthy year ahead and look forward to welcoming you to our CNY celebrations launch event on Wednesday 02/02 and the culture talks that follow.
