Participants wanted

Calling international students and Chinese students at Queen’s

Below are two pieces of ‘Wanted’ messages looking for participants. If you think you are the right person to get involved and make a contribution, feel free to contact them to express your interest.

1 Participants for AI and Second Language Acquisition Research

My name is Zhuofei, and you can call me Sophie.

I’m a PhD student in psychology at Queen’s. My first study focuses on the impact of AI on Second Language Acquisition. I’m currently looking for international students who are Non-English Speaker from any countries.

As an international student, have you ever used AI in your language use?

My answer is: I have — and quite a lot, to be honest!

As non-native English speakers, it’s perfectly normal for us to experience a bit of language anxiety when using English in UK classrooms. Imagine that moment when you want to speak up, but your brain decides to play hide-and-seek with vocabulary. Yep, been there.

Now here are the big questions:

  • Does using AI to help with language actually reduce that anxiety?
  • Does it make you more motivated to learn? Or more confident to speak up in class? Or… does it sometimes make things worse?

That’s what I’d love to find out — with your help! Let’s explore together how AI is really shaping our language learning journeys as international students. Who knows — you might discover you’re not the only one secretly best friends with ChatGPT!

If you are interested in taking part, please scan the QR code in the poster😊

There will also be a Focus Group on the same topic later. if you wish to participate, please send me an email. Thank you very much and looking forward to having a chat with you in what promises to be a very interesting discussion 👍

2 《中国之桥》项目

贝尔法斯特女王大学、 北爱国家博物馆(NMNI)和我们华人福利会合作共同运营的「中国之桥」 项目已经开启。

项目背景:北爱尔兰国家博物馆(NMNI)现藏有70件中国文物,但相关历史资料匮乏,且公众接触机会有限。本合作项目由女王大学研究人员(历史学、博物馆人类学)、NMNI及华人福利协会共同发起,旨在重塑公众对这些文物的认知。在项目团队支持下,当地华人社群将参与研究、分享专业见解,并通过创意形式回应这些文物,最终生成新的文献记录和社区反馈,汇集成一份公开发表的数字成果。项目还将促进社区合作,进一步探索北爱尔兰与中国之间的历史联系。

这个项目非常有意义,请有意参加这个项目的朋友填写以下意向书。

谢谢大家的支持。

Two Chinese culture talks in April

With the arrival of spring, Chinese scholars are showcasing their vibrant academic contributions. This April, Queen’s University is excited to present two engaging talks on Chinese culture.

Talk 1

For this Friday’s History Seminar, PhD student Ziheng Wang from School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics presents his research work titled ‘The Apple of My Eye: The Chinese Depiction towards Russia since the 1990s’.

  • Date: 04/04/2025
  • Time: 4 -5:30 pm
  • Venue: 27 UQ/01/003
  • Registration: via Eventbrite

All welcome, refreshments provided!

Talk 2

In the following Friday, Chinese tutor Heng Wang from QUB Language Centre will present an introduction on how Islam has developed in China since 7th century, and how it has intertwined with local culture and religions.

For more information and registration, read the post below:

Wish you all a happy and productive April!

Chinese Graduate’s Talk at HAPP Seminar Series

Happy HAPP Spring Dialogues 2025!

The School of History, Anthropology, Philosophy and Politics has announced its Spring Dialogues to welcome a cohort of their students and alumni to share their research work at the Seminar Series, with Liang HE, a Chinese graduate in Philosophy, being the first one on its programme.

Liang has kindly shared her presentation information and abstract with our Chinese Culture Forum as below. She also would like to extend her invitation to all those who are interested in the topic.

Speaker: Liang HE, MSc International Public Policy

  • Date: Monday 10th March 2025
  • Time: 3:00-4:30 pm
  • Channel: Online via Teams
  • Registration: MS Forms (needs QUB login)

Abstract

Confucian Gender Norms, Patriarchy, and Capitalism: The ‘Privileged’ Middle-Class Chinese Daughter Under the One-Child Policy?

The one-child policy, enacted in China from the 1970s to 2015, has profoundly shaped the
experiences of urban women, particularly the daughters of the emerging middle class. Rooted in Confucian gender norms and reinforced by a patriarchal system, this policy has contributed to societal expectations that prioritize male offspring while simultaneously offering urban women increased access to resources and opportunities. As a result, these “privileged daughters” are often viewed as beneficiaries of urbanization and economic growth.

This paper employs Marxist feminist theory to explore the lives of Chinese middle-class daughters studying in the West. It examines the conflicting pressures they face between traditional gender roles – emphasizing marriage, motherhood, and filial piety – and the aspirations encouraged by a neoliberal environment. These women navigate a complex landscape where they must reconcile their pursuit of autonomy with societal expectations to provide for their families and uphold cultural traditions. By highlighting the experiences of these urban daughters, this research sheds light on how Confucian gender norms and capitalism intersect, revealing the challenges they encounter in balancing personal desires with familial obligations. Ultimately, this paper enhances our understanding of how the intersection of gender norms and capitalist structures shapes the experiences of urban middle-class daughters in contemporary China, revealing the complexities of their identities and the societal expectations they must navigate.

Lantern Festival Celebration

As the Lantern Festival falls on Wednesday, 12th February, we would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to all colleagues and students who have supported our celebration programme in various ways.

To mark the conclusion of the Year of the Snake Celebration Programme, recognise the winners of the Drawing the Snake Competition, and express our gratitude to our volunteers and contributors, we warmly invite you to our “Lantern Festival” stands in the foyer area of One Elmwood on Wednesday, 12th February, from 12:30 to 13:30. Join us for a special gathering and award ceremony, where we will celebrate your contributions, share joyful moments, and reflect on the unforgettable highlights of this year’s festivities.

Fun Time with Table Tennis

As part of our celebration tradition, we host a Table Tennis Event around the Lantern Festival to promote networking and community building as a key highlight of the Lantern Festival celebration. Sponsored by the QUB iRISE Staff Network, this event warmly invites students, staff members, and their families to take part in a fun and friendly gathering. It offers a chance to engage with one of the most popular sports in Chinese communities while also fostering well-being through physical activity and social interaction.

Additionally, we invite you to explore the ArtEast Online Exhibition, showcasing a diverse collection of artworks by local Chinese artists. The artists would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions to further enhance their presentations.

Thank you for your enthusiastic participation! While our Chinese Culture Forum 2025 will continue to present events and activities in the future, we look forward to celebrating with you again next year as we welcome the Year of the Horse!

Happy Year of the Snake

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.

More events to be uploaded

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.

Laba Festival and CNY2025

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 làbā zhōu), 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.

Pre-CNY Workshops
蛇年新春工作坊

This event is for all QUB students, staff and their families who currently reside in Belfast and NI.

Volunteering for CNY Events
春节活动志愿者招募

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.

Chinese Forum Talks

We always welcome public talks covering a variety of topics from students and scholars at Queen’s and from elsewhere.

We would like to thank you for your support and look forward to welcoming you to join our celebrations that are to come soon. Stay tuned!

Study Tips for Learning Chinese

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 Belfast
Chinese 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.

Spring Festival Season Starts

The Start of Spring (立春) falls on Sunday 4th Feb according to the Chinese lunisolar calendar, which well announces the arrival of Spring Festival (Chinese New Year) celebration in China and elsewhere.

Spring Festival Gala

On Saturday 3rd Feb, the Chinese Students’ Society presented a fabulous Gala of performances to entertain not only QUB students and staff members, but also their families and local communities, with an intoxicating atmosphere that brought people together, no matter what cultural backgrounds they belong to, for a bustling night at the Mandela Hall, One Elmwood.

Culture Talk

The success of the Spring Festival Gala has extended its inviting arms to welcome more audience to join in a great variety of cultural events that are to come, with a culture talk presented by Dr Ibrar Bhatt and Heng WANG on their research reflections on Chinese Muslim Heritage Literacy, which is scheduled between 3 pm and 4:30 pm on Monday, 05/02, at the Auditorium, McClay Library. The talk will also include a display of notable pieces of traditional art collected during fieldwork. QUB colleagues and students are welcome to attend this joint event organised by the Centre for Language Education Research and The Language Centre.

To attend this event, please register via the link or scanning the QR code.

Online Exhibitions

We are also pleased to announce the start of our online exhibitions – Drawing The Dragon Competition and ArtEast Exhibition from Sunday 04/02. The audience are more than welcome to leave your comments to the artworks and share their thoughts in line with the themes.

More Celebrations

Last but not least, we are would like to remind that there are two more big celebrations lined up for this week – The Festival of Chinese New Year hosted by the Graduate School on Wednesday and CNY Launch Day with Interactive Fair on Thursday in One Elmwood. Places are limited so advance bookings are required.

Call for Volunteering for CNY Celebrations

Happy International Volunteer Day (05/12)!

The Language Centre is organising a Chinese New Year Celebration Information Session to mark the International Volunteer Day (05/12) on Monday 04/12 (13:00-15:00) at the Auditorium, McClay Library. If you are interested in what’s going to happen and how you can get involved, feel free to pop in and join us in the session.

Call for volunteers

As the Year of the Dragon (龙年春节) is arriving in Feb 2024, we are looking for talented students and staff members to volunteer for our Chinese New Year celebration at Queen’s. It could be in the form of a variety of cultural performances, or language/culture-related topics and skills, and is open to both Chinese-speaking and non-Chinese speaking volunteers.

If you would like to express your interest in volunteering for the preparation and delivery of the proposed events, feel free to scan the QR code, or click the Form URL below to submit your interest.

We also look forward to working with you in our future language and cultural events.

Language Centre Course Enrolment

The second enrolment for courses, including Chinese, to start in January 2024 has now been available online. Anyone wishing to learning Chinese can find relevant course timetable and registration information from The Language Centre Homepage.

My first visit to Suzhou

As the Chinese proverb goes, ‘What Paradise is to the Heaven, Suzhou and Hangzhou are to the earthly urban (上有天堂,下有苏杭 shànɡ yǒu tiāntánɡ, xià yǒu Sū-Hánɡ)’. This blog post will give you a glance over Suzhou city (苏州) in Jiangsu province, following Jiangyue CHEN (陈江月), a QUB graduate in TESOL, who recently relocated to Shanghai (上海) for her new job and paid her first visit to its neighbouring city.

I set off from Shanghai at 9:00 in the morning and arrived in Suzhou in just half an hour by high-speed train (高铁 gāotiě).

The screenshot of the e-ticket from Jiangyue’s mobile app.

Suzhou is a charming city in the southeast of China, famous for its long history, rich culture and exquisite ancient gardens. Suzhou has many attractions worth visiting, among which Hanshan Temple (寒山寺 Hánshān Sì), Pingjiang Road (平江路 Píngjiāng Lù) and Couple’s Garden (耦园 Ǒu Yuán) are three must-sees.

Hanshan Temple 寒山寺

Hanshan Temple is one of the oldest Buddhist temples in China, dating back to the 6th century. It is named after a legendary monk and poet named Hanshan, who lived here with his friend Shide. Their poems are full of Zen wisdom and life humor, and are collected in the book “Cold Mountain Poems”. Hanshan Temple has a tranquil and elegant atmosphere, with various buildings such as the Mahavira Hall (大雄宝殿 Dà Xióng Bǎo Diàn), the Bell Tower and the Puming Pagoda. It also houses many precious relics and artworks, such as the Tang dynasty bronze Buddha, the Song dynasty stone carving of the Diamond Sutra, and the Ming dynasty wood carving of the Eighteen Arhats (十八罗汉 Shíbā Luóhàn). Hanshan Temple is famous for its bell ringing ceremony on New Year’s Eve, which attracts thousands of visitors every year to listen to the 108 strokes of the giant bell and pray for blessings.

Pingjiang Road 平江路

Pingjiang Road is the most well-preserved historical street in Suzhou’s old city area, reflecting the style of the Tang and Song dynasties. It was an important grain storage and transport center in southern China during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Pingjiang Road is 1606 meters long, and was selected as one of the “Top Ten Historical Streets in China” in 2009. Along Pingjiang Road, there are many quaint shops and bars, selling various Suzhou specialties such as food, handicrafts, tea, etc. There are also many cultural celebrities’ former residences and historical sites, such as Sai Jinhua’s former residence, Zhang Xueliang’s former residence, Couple’s Garden, etc. Pingjiang Road has a beautiful night view when the lights are on. You can take a hand-pulled boat on the river and enjoy the scenery.

Couple’s Garden 耦园

Couple’s Garden was originally named Shiyuan Garden, built in the late Qing dynasty by Shen Bingcheng, who changed its name to Couple’s Garden after he met his talented wife Yan Yonghua. They lived here for eight years in seclusion. Couple’s Garden is a good place for couples to visit, as well as for those who want to appreciate Suzhou gardens in a quiet environment. Couple’s Garden is a twin garden, with an east garden and a west garden. The east garden is the essence of Couple’s Garden, with magnificent yellow stone rockeries and “Three Friends of Winter” made of boxwood and privet trees. The west garden is small and exquisite, a good place for reading books. Couple’s Garden also has many details and cultural elements that show the love story of Shen and Yan, such as Chengqu Caotang Hall, Wusuyun Pavilion, Tingqin Pavilion, etc. Couple’s Garden is surrounded by water on three sides and connected to the street on one side. It also has a private pier where you can take a boat to explore the surrounding water town.

There are many more interesting places in Suzhou worth exploring. The Suzhou Museum is another must-see place on my list. However, it requires bookings at least one week in advance and I missed it. Never mind, I will save it for next time – not too long!

Local delicacies

Besides these three attractions, Suzhou also has a lot of delicious food to offer. Suzhou cuisine is one of the eight major cuisines in China, featuring fresh ingredients, light taste and delicate appearance. Below are three dishes made of fresh water produces – I ordered and tasted the first two:

San-xia noodles (三虾面 Sān-xiā miàn), or Trinity of Shrimps style noodles, is a seasonal specialty in Suzhou. The name comes from the three parts of fresh water shrimps used in the serving: shrimp meat and shrimp roe and eggs. The noodles are topped with a generous amount of shrimps, as well as eggs, lard and scallions. The dish is served dry, with a clear broth on the side. The noodles are chewy and the shrimps are tender and fragrant.

San-xia noodles (三虾面) served in a large plate, with side dishes to accompany | Photo: Jiangyue CHEN

Crab roe rice (蟹黄饭 Xièhuáng fàn) is also a seasonal delicacy that can only be enjoyed in autumn, when the hairy crabs are at their best. The rice is cooked with the roe and meat of the crabs, as well as some seasonings such as ginger, soy sauce and sugar. The rice is rich and creamy, with a strong crab flavor and aroma. The dish is usually served with vinegar and ginger shreds to balance the greasiness.

Serving the crab roe on rice in a bowl | Photo: Jiangyue CHEN

Drunken crab (醉蟹 zuì xiè) is a cold dish that is made by marinating raw hairy crabs in yellow rice alcohol, salt, sugar and spices for several days. The crabs are then refrigerated until they are ready to eat. The crabs are soft and juicy, with a hint of alcohol and spice. The dish is said to have health benefits such as nourishing the blood, clearing the heat and moistening the lungs. I hope to try this dish on a later visit.

In addition, I have enjoyed tasting various local snacks and drinks, as below. Hope you all get a chance to visit Suzhou and taste the difference one day.

Author: Jiangyue CHEN
Editors: Isabella Souza McLaughlin, Liang WANG

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