Launch of the Chinese New Year celebrations (Wednesday 22 January) – open to all students and staff
With the arrival of the Year of the Snake on Wednesday 29 January, we would like to send our best wishes to all those who celebrate it and its variations (Lunar New Year in some Asian countries) and invite staff and students to join together on Wednesday 22 January for the main launch event, as below.
This is a collaborative event, organised by The Language Centre, One Elmwood Student Experience Team, Queen’s Students’ Union, CSSA, MSSNI, Ppi Belfast, and Queen’s iRISE Staff Network, supported by People and Culture Diversity and Inclusion team.
12:00 – 13:00 Welcome Reception (Auditorium, McClay Library) –please register for this here.
13:00 – 13:30 Dragon Dance and Parade – departing from McClay Library through Lanyon, finishing at One Elmwood Student Centre and Students’ Union)
13:30 – 16:00 Cultural Fair and Performances (One Elmwood Foyer – Ground Floor) –no registration required
Chinese Culture Forum
The celebration of the Year of the Snake also announces the start of our Chinese Culture Forum in 2025, with the following talks contributed by Queen’s staff and students, including visiting academics and students from a range of disciplines. Check the programme button and book the events that you are interested in.
We are open to proposals for a variety of events that you would wish to help with or contribute to developing our CCP2025 programme. Please do not hesitate to submit your proposals via the form below and we will get in touch with you in due course after your submission.
The Pre-CNY Workshops commenced with great enthusiasm, setting the tone for the celebrations ahead.
On the afternoon of Monday, 13th January, the Blue Sky Room at One Elmwood welcomed a diverse audience from various cultural and academic backgrounds. Attendees gathered to participate in three engaging workshops — Drawing the Snake, Chinese Calligraphy, and Paper Crafts — in preparation for the arrival of the Year of the Snake.
The Language Centre, in collaboration with One Elmwood Student Experience Team and Queen’s Students’ Union, is keen to invite students and staff members, as well as members of the public, to attend a wide range of events in the coming weeks, featuring
The launch of the Chinese New Year celebrations (Wednesday 22 January)
Year of the Snake Fair (Wednesday 22 January)
Culture talks
Film seminar and screening
Art exhibitions
For more information and to register click the button below
Happy Laba Festival (腊八节 Làbā jié)! Falling on the 8th day of the 12th month (called 腊月 làyuè) in the lunar calendar, this Laba Festival is often seen as the signal of the arrival of the Chinese New Year (aka. Spring Festival 春节 Chūn jié in China).
Laba congee cooked | Image@LiangWANG
On the day, in many places across China, mainly the north, northwest and southeast, people cook and eat Laba congee (腊八粥 làbāzhōu), typically made of rice, mixed beans, various nuts and dried fruits, etc., all of which are believed to be good for health. Having Laba congee can keep one feel warm and spirited in the cold and wet weather.
With the Laba Festival arriving today on 7th January this year, one can be certain that the Chinese New Year – Year of the Snake (蛇年 Shénián) starting from 29th January, is just around the corner.
Call for CNY participation
While we are busy preparing for the CNY2025 Programme, we would like to invite you to join us in a few activities that can bring the celebrative elements together. The following calls for participation are totally voluntary and you are welcome to attend one or all, as long as you feel like relevant and meaningful.
This event is for staff and students at Queen’s to volunteer at our series of events such as the CNY Gala, CNY Interactive Fair, Culture Workshops, etc.
The Year of Snake arrives earlier than usual in 2025, falling on Wed 29th January. To kick off another festive celebration following the Christmas and New Year holidays, we warmly invite students, staff, and their families to participate in a series of workshops leading up to this special occasion. These workshops reflect the cherished traditions upheld by Chinese-speaking communities as they prepare to welcome the Spring Festival with cultural practices and festivities.
Participants can attend all of the workshops, or choose any one to attend. Children under 18 should be accompanied by their guardian.
Drawing the Snake – A fun competition to show your creativity and imagination across cultures of drawing snakes (蛇 shé), beyond the artistic and professional boundary.
Chinese calligraphy – A great chance to taste the writing of Chinese characters such as 福 (fú, fortune) and many other blessing words, as well as your names in Chinese characters.
Paper crafts – A hands-on experience of developing craftsmanship and making traditional decorations for the Chinese New Year celebration.
As we welcome the Year of the Snake, Queen’s University Belfast invites all students and staff (and their families) to celebrate this Spring Festival with creativity and cultural exploration through our “Drawing the Snake” Competition!
This fun and engaging event encourages participants to showcase their artistic talents and unique interpretations of the Snake, an important symbol in Chinese culture that represents wisdom, transformation, and elegance.
Image credit: Jean Jing
The competition also highlights the famous Chinese idiom 画蛇添足 (huà shé tiān zú), meaning “drawing legs on a snake”. This idiom serves as a reminder to approach creativity with balance, avoiding unnecessary embellishments that might detract from the essence of an idea – just as adding legs to a snake would be superfluous.
Whether you’re inspired by traditional Chinese art, modern interpretations, or your own personal flair, we can’t wait to see your vision of the Snake! Let’s celebrate the artistry, wisdom, and elegance that the Year of the Snake represents.
Requirement
Participants are encouraged to employ diverse drawing styles and mediums (e.g., sketching, oils, watercolor, sculpture, etc.) as long as they effectively convey your perceptions of the snake 蛇 within your own cultural context or Chinese culture. We welcome authentic forms and techniques of presentation, excluding AI-related works.
Workshop
The competition will close on Friday 17th January(extended to Sunday 19th January). A Drawing the Snake workshop for QUB students, staff and their families will take place on Monday 13th January.
Submission
Submissions should consist of one drawing per participant, saved as an electronic copy (JEPG/JPG/PNG format, no exceeding 4MB). Please submit your artwork via the provided submission form, accompanied by a brief bio, including your name, status (e.g., educational/professional background), and a concise description of your illustration.
On Sunday 8th September, students and staff from Queen’s University hosted a Chinese calligraphy session for the general public at the Ulster Museum, offering visitors the opportunity to explore the charm and tradition of Chinese calligraphy (书法 shūfǎ).
Xiaoxiang MA, QUB PhD student and Dr Liang WANG, QUB Language Centre staff
This event, led by Dr. Liang Wang of the Language Centre and the calligrapher, Xiaoxiang MA, PhD student from School of Arts, English and Languages, was part of the ‘Bout Ye?‘ programme developed by Ulster Museum.
Structured as an informal, drop-in session, museum visitors were welcome to join at any time. The session provided a dynamic, personalized introduction to the aesthetics and cultural practice of Chinese calligraphy, including briefing about the fascinating history of Chinese characters (汉字 hànzì), their meanings and their stroke order (笔顺 bǐshùn) before having a try themselves! Practising on water mats (水写布 shuǐxiěbù) with traditional Chinese brushes (毛笔 máobǐ) means that there were endless opportunities to practice without the fear of making a mistake.
Participants learned that there are certain principles to follow in order to write characters correctly and beautifully, beginning generally from top to bottom, from left to right and from outside to inside to close frames last – a task that proved easier said than done!
Our wonderful team of student assistants from Chinese Language Interest Group (C-LIG) at Queen’s were there to support the event. We also engaged with museum visitors, learning about their personal experiences with Chinese culture, both locally and globally.
Before their leaving with great fun, visitors, as well as museum staff who kindly helped with the session, were offered a chance to receive a Chinese name (中文名字 Zhōngwén míngzi) by student volunteer and calligraphy expert, Xiaoxiang, who also explained the meaning and pronunciation of each character and how that would match nicely with their original names – what a meaningful and memorable end to their visit!
The session received very positive feedback from the visitors, who enjoyed their participation and expressed their joy in the following words:
We would also like to extend our thanks to the Museum staff who kindly provided this opportunity for us to organise this calligraphy event. We wish to provide more sessions in the future, on campus or at Museum, or elsewhere to generate more interest from a wider community.
Welcome to the Mid-Autumn Festival and Welcome event, which is jointly organised by the Language Centre and BAME & International Staff Network, and supported by the Student Experience Team. This event aims to provide a space for staff members and students to meet and network, share knowledge and enrich intercultural experiences.
This event celebrates the Mid-Autumn Festival with a taste of mooncakes and an appreciation of cultural performances. This year, the Mid-Autumn Festival falls on Tuesday 17th September. We would like to invite students and staff members to join us in the celebration at Queen’s.
Date: Thursday 12th September 2024 Time: 14:00 – 16:30 Venue: Cube, One Elmwood
Please note that the mooncakes we provide contain traces of eggs and nuts, though we will organise some vegetarian snacks. Due to limited capacity of the Cube, we are only able to accommodate 80 people, on a first-come-first-serve basis. A waiting list will be managed if vacancies appear. We also hope to take photos and may record some clips on the day. If you are not happy to be included, please let us know in advance.
Following the successful Beijing Institute of Technology's (BIT) winter Chinese online programme, QUB student and staff learners are invited again to attend their summer programme. The following message is an update sent from BIT (20/03) - any recruitment enquiries please contact BIT team. We are only responsible for collecting and submitting the nomination form.
BIT is set to offer an array of on-campus summer programs tailored to your interests in the fields of STEM, management, athletics and Chinese language and culture.
Seven programs are available this summer: 1. Future Decarbonizing Technology and Green Energy（On-campus） 2. Hands-on Learning for Emerging Technologies in Electronics Engineering (On-campus) 3. Emerging Technologies in Materials for Renewable Energy （On-campus） 4. Aesthetics of Traditional Chinese Culture and Classical Chinese Humanities（On-campus） 5. Management and Innovation （On-campus） 6. Chinese Kung fu （On-campus） 7. Chinese Language and Multicultural Practice（On-campus & Online）
We are offering 10 scholarships for each program (70 scholarships in total) for your students!
BIT Scholarship covers Tuition, on-campus accommodation, teaching materials, insurance, culture tours and lab work. Students only need to bear the expenses for international travel and meals during they study in China.
Online program is also totally FREE and NO NUMBER LIMIT.
Duration:
On-campus program: June 30 (check-in)–July 27 (check-out), 2024
Online program: August 5 – August 16, 2024
Nomination from partner university is necessary and sent before April 15th, 2024.
While the 3rd semester Language Centre course enrolment is still underway, we would like to share with you the study tips from Isabella Souza Mclaughlin, who is currently working as Global Marketing and Recruitment Coordinator after her graduation from Queen’s.
I graduated from International Business with Mandarin at Queen’s University Belfast. Studying Mandarin was one of the best experiences I’ve had, and in this blog post, I will share some study tips!
Isabella Souza mclaughlin 苏曼伊 QUB Global Recruitment
Studying languages is incredibly rewarding, but it can be challenging! Familiarising yourself with your learning style is key. It’s important to try different techniques until you find the one that is best for you. Below are the tips that I would like to share:
Flashcards
Flashcards are a great way to practice vocabulary and keep your notes on-the-go. When studying Mandarin, I wrote the Chinese characters, known as 汉字 (hànzì) alongside the English translation on one side, and the 拼音 (pīnyīn) on the other, to focus on recognising characters. However, you may decide to focus on translation and have 汉字 on one side, and English on the other. Digital flashcards are also a convenient option.
Handwriting
I personally find I can memorise information best by writing. Handwriting notes in Mandarin can be time-consuming. However, if you are regularly writing 汉字, not only will you be revising your notes, but also practicing your handwriting. Remembering the stroke order of 汉字 will be a big help in writing faster over time.
The type of equipment you use can also help. I like using notebooks, so erasable pens found their way into my stationery. I like colour and decoration, so I used highlighters, colourful pens, sticky notes and washi tape in creating diagrams and mind-maps to help categorise them into topics, lessons, vocabulary or grammar.
Apps for writing 汉字 are an interactive way to practice. When not in class, I sometimes found myself even using notes apps on my phone to practice handwriting.
Language Class
If you are self-studying Mandarin, I highly recommend joining a class, as the classroom environment can help with speaking practice, meeting new people and help answering tricky questions. These can be in-person or online classes. The Language Centre at Queen’s offers a good range of language courses, including Mandarin Chinese.
I recently had the opportunity to study with the Beijing Institute of Technology on their 2024 Chinese Language and Multicultural Practice Winter Programme. This was an excellent opportunity to study Mandarin Chinese in interactive classes, as well as learn more about Chinese culture through lectures and seminars in Paper Cutting, Chinese Cuisine, Chinese Traditional Music and more. Not only did it give me the opportunity to improve my language skills in listening, speaking and reading, but I also met new people and built my confidence. This was an excellent opportunity to study with a University in China, particularly a partner University of Queen’s and I was also asked to present at the Closing Ceremony which was such an incredible honour.
Take as many notes as possible in class. I liked using my laptop, to which I downloaded a Chinese keyboard, to take notes in class and had a notebook on the side for handwriting. Alternatives such as Google Input Tools are useful as well.
Tandem Language Exchange
The Tandem Language Exchange at Queen’s was one of the best ways I improved my language skills. I met many language exchange partners who helped me significantly in improving my Mandarin, and I was able to share my experience and help them with English or Portuguese. Everyone was really encouraging in helping me develop my language skills and I had the opportunity to make life-long friends.
I scheduled meetings with my language partners regularly, often weekly, to work on new tasks each week. We picked a new topic to cover each week in each other’s target language, where we asked questions regarding culture and learned new vocabulary.
Cultural Experiences
Immersing yourself in the culture of your target language as much as possible is a great way to remain motivated in language learning and develop knowledge.
Cuisine
Belfast has many great Chinese restaurants, so be sure to try Chinese dishes to familiarise yourself with the cuisine. I also enjoy visiting the many great Chinese restaurants when travelling, such as in London.
Local Chinese dishes in BelfastChinese cuisine in London
Try making some Chinese dishes yourself too! A friend of mine from China and fellow graduate of Queen’s, invited me to celebrate Chinese New Year (春节, chūnjié) with her and her friends, where I learned to make jiaozi dumplings (bāo jiǎozi 包饺子) from scratch.
包饺子
Work Experience
During my placement year, despite the challenges of COVID, I was fortunate to get a placement in an international company, working with a team based in China. Not only was I getting experience in the work environment, but I was learning more about Chinese business culture and working with supportive colleagues from China. During that summer, I also took online evening classes in Mandarin Chinese through the Language Centre at Queen’s, to help maintain my language skills and get back into a classroom environment to prepare for my final year of University.
History and Modern Culture
If you enjoy history, try visiting some museums or exhibitions surrounding Chinese culture, reading books, articles, and watching documentaries. I enjoy music and entertainment, so I regularly listen to Chinese artists and watch dramas and films.
Many Chinese dramas are now on streaming services, such as, Netflix and Amazon Prime. If you can, try adding both English and Simplified Chinese subtitles. Watch dramas back a second time with only Simplified Chinese subtitles, you’d be surprised with how much you can pick up! Try watching your current favourite shows in your first language dubbed in Mandarin, as you will already be familiar with the plot, this will be an entertaining way to practice your listening skills.
Cultural Events
Ensure you attend cultural events. Queen’s hosts numerous Chinese cultural events throughout the year, including Spring Festival/CNY (春节, Chūnjié) and Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节, Zhōngqiū jié). This is a great way to learn more about these festivals, enjoy the celebrations and get involved! During my studies, I assisted in maintaining a stand at the Chinese New Year Festival, sharing information about the Chinese Zodiac (十二生肖, shí’èr shēngxiāo).
Social Media
Try using social media apps from the countries of your target language. I use WeChat (微信, Wēixìn) to chat with my friends regularly and find information on Red (小红书, Xiǎohóngshū). If you are a fan of TikTok and YouTube, why not try DouYin (抖音, Dǒuyīn) or Bilibili? Download a Chinese keyboard to your phone to make it easier when using social media apps.
Read Bilingual Literature
Reading is a great way to keep up practice. You’re already reading a lot in your classes and on social media, so why not try some bilingual literature? If, like me, you enjoy cuisine, I recommend ‘Tiny Moons: A Year of Eating in Shanghai’ by Nina Mingya Powles, a collection of essays about food and belonging, that incorporates vocabulary in Mandarin.
Motivation and Advice
A key aspect of learning any language, is focusing on your progress and avoid comparing yourself to others. Everyone learns languages at their own pace. It can be easy to compare yourself to others without considering the things that make your language learning experience unique. You may feel like you are falling behind, when in fact, you are right where you need to be and making incredible progress!
Though this is primarily aimed at studying Mandarin, I hope these study tips will be useful for any other languages.
The 龙 Lóng (or Loong / Chinese Dragon) has just arrived at Queen’s!
What an exciting day to welcome the auspicious 龙 Lóng (or Loong / Chinese Dragon) to Queen’s One Elmwood on Thursday 8th February, regardless of the blustery weather (which was said to be accompanying the Loong)!
Dragon Dance performed by QUB Success Lion Dance Club at One Elmwood social space.
Over 60 staff and student representatives from a range of diverse cultural backgrounds celebrated the launch of Year of The Chinese Dragon programme, jointly organised by the Language Centre, iRISE Staff Network, Student Experience Team, The Graduate School, Chinese Students and Scholars Association, supported by Diversity, Inclusion and Staff Wellbeing Unit, and partially sponsored by the QUB Annual Fund.
Professor Margaret Topping, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Global Engagement, welcomed the value of contact between different languages and cultures for the benefit of enhanced mutual respect through intercultural exchange.
Professor Margaret Topping, PVC (Global Engagement), delivered a welcome speech to the audience.
We wish that this celebration programme on the Year of The Chinese Dragon, as part of our Celebrating Cultural Diversity at Queen’s scheme, will make a contribution to the multicultural campus development, which sees differences as strength to foster an environment of open-mindedness and acceptance.
The Launch event featured student/alumni performances including guzheng music and classical dance, QUB Staff Wellbeing Choir’s singing of both Chinese and local songs, and the bustling and exciting Dragon Dance inside One Elmwood, followed by an interactive CNY Fair with cultural displays.
Guzheng performance by DENG Wei, QUB graduate in Arts Management
Classical dance performed by XU Xiaowen, MSc candidate in Construction and Project Management
Celebrating with the performers
Chinese songs sung by Staff Wellbeing Choir
Group photo after Dragon Dance at One Elmwood
CNY Fair with God of Fortune and Student Experience Team
The CNY celebration programme includes a three-week-long events and it welcomes all students and staff members to choose their favourate ones to attend in the coming two weeks. For full programme and registration links, please visit CCP2024 Homepage.
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