As we welcome the Year of the Snake, Queenās University Belfast invites all students and staff (and their families) to celebrate this Spring Festival with creativity and cultural exploration through our āDrawing the Snakeā 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.
Whether youāre inspired by traditional Chinese art, modern interpretations, or your own personal flair, we canāt wait to see your vision of the Snake! Letās 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 č within your own cultural context or Chinese culture. We welcome authentic forms and techniques of presentation, excluding AI-related works.
Workshop
The competition willĀ close on Friday 17th January(extended to Sunday 19th January). AĀ 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.
PhD student Luyao Yan (é«ēē¶) from Centre for Translation and Interpreting, School of Arts, English and Languages warmly welcomes all to attend the Translation Seminar “Translating Wuxia Martial Arts Fiction”, delivered by Gigi Chang (å¼ č) on Thursday 14th November at Harty Room, Music Building. Registration is required by scanning the QR code below by Monday 11th November.
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 (ä¹¦ę³ shÅ«fĒ).
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 (ę±å hĆ nzƬ), their meanings and their stroke order (ē¬é”ŗ bĒshĆ¹n) before having a try themselves! Practising on water mats (ę°“ååø shuĒxiÄbĆ¹) with traditional Chinese brushes (ęÆē¬ mĆ”obĒ) 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.
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 – 16:30Ā 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.
In this dedicated column 'My China Story' we are pleased to invite Isabella to share her very first travel experience in China, which she could not make it during her undergraduate time due to pandemic and lockdown. In May 2024, Isabella grabbed an opportunity to join a QUB delegation to China and journey made her dream to China come true.
A Dream Trip To China Came True
Bags packed, passport in hand, playlist on shuffle; I arrived at Belfast City Airport and was on my way to China! A jam-packed trip, with cities to explore, new people to meet, and adventures to embark on. The trip started initially with butterflies in my stomach of nerves and excitement. A trip I had dreamed of for years, would it be everything I hoped? Spoiler alert: it certainly was!
Isabella Souza Mclaughlin, whose Chinese name is ččä¼ (SÅ« MĆ nyÄ«), is a bilingual English and Portuguese speaker with a keen interest in language-learning.
Graduated with BSc in International Business with Mandarin Chinese, Isabella is currently Global Marketing and Recruitment Co-ordinator in Global Student Recruitment at Queenās.
Belfast-London-Guangzhou
I flew from Belfast with a quick layover in London and then landed in Guangzhou. My first time flying with China Southern Airlines was a positive experience, and the selection of Chinese movies to watch and noodles for the in-flight meal made the excitement build even more.
After an 11-hour flight, arriving in Guangzhou, it was hot and humid, with droplets of rain. Coming from Northern Ireland, I feared I would have been disappointed by the rain, but the city lights reflecting off the puddles on the ground, made them look like art pieces painted on the pavement.
I visited a dim sum (ē¹åæ diĒnxÄ«n) restaurant, typical cuisine of Guangzhou consisting of small dishes, shared among the table, including dumplings (é„ŗå jiĒozi) and (å°ē¬¼å xiĒolĆ³ngbÄo), as well as cheung fun (č ē² chĆ”ng fÄn). With my first outing in the city, I quickly had to use my language skills, ordering dishes in Mandarin. I gazed at the menu in awe with the delicious dishes. I texted my friend, living in the North of China, time-zone differences now eliminated, to get some recommendations. Served with tea, every dish melted in my mouth, the flavours dancing on my taste-buds, mild in spice ā typical of the Guangdong region.
A Welcome to Guangzhou
After a restful sleep, the next morning I woke up to sunny weather in Guangzhou and later made my way to the lobby to meet with my colleague who is based in the city for Queen’s China market. With a shopping centre and food court nearby, every restaurant was full by lunch time. We grabbed a seat at a noodle restaurant within the bustling food court. I had already felt welcomed in the city, but meeting with my colleague who greeted me with a warm smile and showed me around the local area, I knew I would be settling into my time in China just fine.
Spicy peanut noodles and conversation during lunch, then a meeting to discuss preparations for the upcoming work event filled my afternoon.
Once our meeting ended, we grabbed a refreshment. With milk tea (å„¶č¶ nĒi chĆ”) and boba continuing to be popular in China, the popularity of fruit tea has also been on the rise in recent years. This time I tried Naixue Tea (å„éŖēč¶ NĆ ixuÄ de ChĆ”), enjoying a grape tea as I completed some work projects overlooking the city.
Pro-Tip: If travelling to China, download WeChat before arriving ā similar to WhatsApp and other social media apps, WeChat is convenient for communicating with friends, family and colleagues in China, ordering food and refreshments, purchasing tickets, and more. Ensure to set up WeChat Pay in advance, which can be used to pay for the above purchases, and can be used in stores and for travel in China as contactless payment.
Huacheng Square and Canton TowerHuacheng Square and Canton Tower
Getting to know Guangzhou
The next morning, I had a small mission to complete, my first experience of travelling internally in the city using Didi, the main taxi service in China, and asking transport queries in Mandarin. Using Didi was incredibly convenient, at the click of a button on the Didi app, a taxi would arrive in less than 5 minutes.
Upon arrival at the train station, I made my way to the ticket desk. The staff only spoke Mandarin, so it was challenging at first asking the questions I needed help with, but excellent language practice. Once I successfully acquired train tickets and the information I needed, I then made my way back to Huacheng Square, this time hopping into a taxi at the taxi stand. The taxi drivers in Guangzhou were incredibly friendly, complimenting my language skills, though I found my Mandarin rather rusty!
Pro-Tip: if travelling to China, learn the numbers 1-10, this will be helpful when using Didi. Taxi drivers will ask for you to confirm the last four digits of the phone number used in your booking (note: the driver wonāt be able to see your full phone number ā only the last four digits – for data protection), to ensure you are the correct passenger and will often ask in Mandarin.
Getting to know more about Chinese culture, particularly Cantonese art and history, through intricate wood carvings and ancient pottery was amazing. For nature and archaeology fans, there was an exhibition on archaeological and paleontological finds and fascinating exhibitions on jade and other local minerals in China.
Pro-Tip: When travelling in China with an international passport, many tourist attractions will allow free entry, including the Guangdong Museum. Note: some temporary exhibitions may require a separate ticket to be purchased.
That evening, I went to dinner with my colleagues, and tried Canton food, which I thoroughly enjoyed! Other than dim sum, I was not overly familiar with Canton food, so this was an incredible experience. For anyone who is curious about dietary requirements, vegetarian food options in China are quite accessible, as although there are many meat and seafood dishes, I encountered a great selection of vegetarian, and further vegan-friendly dishes. Staff are also incredibly friendly, so feel free to ask about dietary requirements and ingredients.
When walking back to the hotel after dinner, I spotted a poster of one of my favourite singers, Lay Zhang (å¼ čŗå “ ZhÄng YƬxƬng) – so for any fans of C-Pop and C-Dramas, keep your eyes peeled because you can spot posters of some of your favourite actors and singers all around the city.
After the event and a flight cancellation due to monsoon warnings, I was on my way to the train station to catch a last minute, 11-hour overnight train to Shanghai. Upon arrival to the station, the grand station had a wide selection of restaurants and cafes, from internationally known brands, to Chinese favourites. I grabbed a seat at a Chinese restaurant and ate a selection of small Chinese dishes, a mixture of local vegetables, beef and steamed egg.
I later boarded the train, finding my room which consisted of bunk beds, a table, sufficient storage and a sofa. Unfortunately, due to the dark night sky, I couldnāt see much of the view on the train journey, but with helpful staff, a lovely roommate and a bit of rest, the journey flew by. Arriving first thing in the morning the next day in Shanghai, I was ready to start the next section of the trip.
Thank you so much for reading this blog of my time in Guangzhou, stay tuned to read more about my more trips in China!
Isabella
More to read…
Please click the button below to read more stories from the ‘My China Story’ column.
To honor this traditional celebration, our Chinese@Queen’s Blog editor, Lauren McShane (ę¢ č°¢å °), has crafted a sachet of herbs (é¦å xiÄngnĆ”ng). According to Duanwu customs, these sachets are believed to ward off diseases and insects that become prevalent during the 5th month of the lunar calendar.
Lauren extends her best wishes for good health to everyone and invites you to join in the festivities. To help you immerse yourself in the spirit of the festival, she has prepared special worksheets adapted from the internet. These worksheets are available for download and printing from the links below. Alternatively, you can pick up a copy at the McClay Library (Student Lounge).
On Friday 14th June there will be two Chinese Culture talks delivered by Wenyuan Pu, visiting scholar to Queen’s, and Yanglu Wang, PhD researcher from School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work, on the respective topics below. All welcome!
Click here to visit the event page.Click here to visit the event page.
Let’s celebrate the Duanwu Festival together and embrace the rich traditions that come with it.
Good news āā The Chairman’s Bao has offered its free trial period until Wed 12/06
The Chairman’s Bao (TCB), orćäø»åøę„ę„ć(ZhĒxĆ RƬbĆ o) in Chinese, is the platform for the worldās most comprehensive news-based graded reader for learners of Chinese.
This summer, TCB has kindly offered a number of free trial places for its institutional users. At Queen’s, we have limited places to give out to those who have been learning Chinese with us currently or those who intend to learn the language.
If you would like to get a chance for a free trial, please contact Dr Liang Wang (Liang.Wang[@]qub.ac.uk) for more information and log-in details.
Happy UN Chinese Language Day! čåå½äøęę„åæ«ä¹ļ¼
The date for the Chinese day was selected from Guyu (āRain of Milletā), which is the 6th of 24 solar terms in the traditional East Asian calendars, to pay tribute to Cangjie. Cangjie is a very important figure in ancient China, claimed to be an official historian of the Yellow Emperor and the inventor of Chinese characters. Legend has it that he had four eyes and four pupils, and that when he invented the characters, the deities and ghosts cried and the sky rained millet. From then on, Chinese people celebrate the day Guyu in honour of Cangjie. In the Gregorian calendar, it usually begins around April 20.
To celebrate this yearās UN Chinese Language Day, we are delighted to welcome two speakers, Isabella Souza Mclaughlin (ččä¼) at Queen’s and Qinyuan Li (ęę²å) from Trinity College Dublin, to our Chinese Culture Forum. They will offer insights into their journeys of learning, teaching, and researching the Chinese language in the island of Ireland.
Speakers:
Isabella Souza Mclaughlin is a bilingual English and Portuguese speaker with a keen interest in language-learning. Graduated with BSc in International Business with Mandarin Chinese, Isabella is currently Global Marketing and Recruitment Co-ordinator in Global Student Recruitment at Queen’s.
Qinyuan Li is a PhD candidate in language education at the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin. She has developed her research interests in multilingualism, language acquisition, and the application of technology in educational contexts. Currently, she is engaged in a research project titled ‘Third or Additional Language Learning Strategies: How Learners in Ireland Learn the Chinese Language’, which is funded by the TCD-China Scholarship Council Award.
Date: Friday 19 April 2024
Time: 14:00-15:30 (GMT)
Channel: QUB MS Teams (link will be shared after registration)
Congratulations to all the winners of the CNY celebrations in February 2024!
On March 20th, the highly anticipated CNY Prize Collection event took place at One Elmwood, where the Launch event was also hosted.
CNY Launch event group photo after Dragon Dance at One ElmwoodCNY Prize Collection group photo with part of the winners.
Thanks to the collaborative efforts of various departments, including The Language Centre, iRISE Staff Network, Student Experience Team, SU Shop, and Diversity, Inclusion, and Staff Wellbeing Unit at Queen’s, the prizes were generously contributed.
These prizes were awarded to participants of the Drawing the Dragon Competition and Fun Time with Table Tennis, as listed below:
CNY Prize Collection photos with some individual winners.
CNY Prize Collection photos with some individual winners.
CNY Prize Collection photos with some individual winners.
The primary organizers, Dr. Liang Wang from The Language Centre and Victoria Gilroy from the Student Experience Team, personally extended their gratitude to the winners for their enthusiasm and engagement. They hoped that everyone had a delightful experience during this entertaining and educational celebration, which has become a hallmark socio-cultural programme for nearly a decade.
Dr Liang Wang and Victoria Gilroy at the CNY Prize Collection.
As part of the broader initiative of Celebrating Cultural Diversity at Queen’s, Dr Liang Wang invited more individuals and groups, including Queen’s students and staff members, as well as members of the public from diverse cultural backgrounds, to contribute to fostering a multicultural campus environment at Queen’s and beyond.
