The 16th Annual ChinaFest is held during February 4-7, 2021
Welcome to the 16th Annual ChinaFest, our first virtual festival celebrating Chinese culture and traditions. In collaboration with our programming partners, VMFA and University of Richmond (UR), we offer a wide array of innovative as well as exciting digital contents for your enjoyment. Some of them are initiated by us and created by students at UR, VCU, and Collegiate! These contents are posted separately at respective websites, but also cross-linked for your easy reference. Wishing you all a peaceful and prosperous Chinese New Year!
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The Rose Group for Cross-Cultural Understanding (both links will be activated starting Feb 1, 2021)
www.theROSEgroup.org poster, official program brochure https://www.therosegroup.org/chinafest/programs_2021_00.
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Scrolling Down the Creative Paths: A video collection of Chinese heritage arts & crafts, music, and cooking demo, such as paper making, teapot making, clay-figure making, music by Lang Lang, James Beard award-winning cooking
demo by Grace Young, Pipa & Jazz by Min Xiao Fen.
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University of Richmond (UR link will be activated at 10 a.m. on Feb 4, and stay on until Feb 14) https://www.richmond.edu/chinafest
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Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (link will be activated at 10
a.m. on Feb 6 and stay on until the end of Feb) https://www.vmfa.museum/youth-studio/family/family-days/ |
Festival Events
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University of Richmond
A recording of the Opening Lecture will be posted at 10 a.m. on Feb 4. The Lecture is
cosponsored with Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
https://www.richmond.edu/chinafest
The Irby B. Brown Opening Lecture features Ms. Yue-Sai Kan,
current co-chair of the China Institute in New York City.
Journey Through A Changing China, The China I Know
 Ms. Kan (靳羽西) is an Emmy-winning television producer and host, best-selling author, entrepreneur, fashion icon, and humanitarian. She was a pioneer in many fields:
"Looking East", (1972), the first weekly
TV series introducing Asian cultures to
American audience; the television series
“One World”, (1986), aired on China’s
national television network CCTV, giving
millions of Chinese the first glimpse of
the outside world.
Ms. Kan’s lecture will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Martha Merritt (UR Dean of International Education), featuring Rose Nan-Ping Chen, President of The Rose Group, Alex Nyerges (Director, Virginia Museum of Fine Art) and Dr. Betty Neal Crutcher (Presidential Spouse and Cross-cultural Mentor), and will include a Q&A session.
Please view Ms.Kan’s bio video and award-winning documentary film here.
https://www.therosegroup.org/chinafest/programs_2021_07.htm
The Hometown Project
 We have asked five UR students from China to make a short video introducing their respective hometown. Through the Lens and the narratives of the students, we get a taste of local flavors via their favorite hangouts and childhood memories.
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Jennifer Hantang Qin, President, Chinese Students & Scholars Association at UR (CSSA) and Phoebe
Yueyi Fan, Internal Affairs VP at CSSA as the coordinators of the Hometown Project. |
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Jining, Shandong
Simeng Li (Hannah)
I’m currently a sophomore at University of Richmond (UR) and
major in Mathematical economics. I hope this video could bring
you some new perspectives of Chinese culture, and everyone
please stay safe in this global pandemic :)
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Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Xinyang Zhang (Fanny)
I am a sophomore and currently double major in math and rhetoric & communication. I love photographing, volunteering, singing, and dancing.
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Wenzhou, Zhejiang
Shuying Huang (Amy)
I am a sophomore at UR. My major is Economics. I like dancing,
traveling, tea art, and playing the Guqin.
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Shenzhen, Guangdong
Mandy Zhou
I am a junior at UR, majoring in Business and Music, with
concentrations in Accounting, Business Analytics, Arts
Management, and a focus in Performance. I enjoy music,
movies, playing the violin, and exercising.
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Chengdu, Sichuan
Yaxin Xiao (Elva)
I am a junior at UR. My major is Music, minor is Economics,
with a concentration on Arts Management. I love photographing,
traveling, exercising, and playing the piano and guitar. |
American Millennials’ Engagement with China,
student panel
Current and recent UR students discuss their studies, experience, and
engagement with China in this first-ever ChinaFest student panel, featuring:
Gengsong Gao (panel chair)
Assistant Professor of Chinese Studies, University of Richmond
Ifetayo Maloney
UR Global Studies major, Chinese minor
Matthew McCooey
Operations Manager, Ping An Cloud Accelerator
Alice Vo
Graduate Student, Columbia
University
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Chinese Films
Co-sponsored with International Film Series (IFS)
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Beijing Bicycle
Dir. Wang Xiaoshuai, China, 2001, 113 min.
Guei, a boy from rural China, seeks
to change his fortune by moving to
the big city. In Beijing he becomes a
courier using a bike he hopes to one day
own. However, the bike is stolen and eventually becomes the possession of
Jian, a poor teenager from the other side
of the city who uses the bike to impress
a girl. With both young men claiming
ownership, numerous disputes arise
over this symbol of mobility.
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Finding Kukan
Dir. Robin Lung, USA, 2016, 75 min.
A 1940s feature documentary about World War II China -- "Kukan" -- is screened for President Roosevelt and receives great acclaim. Li Ling-Ai's film even receives an Academy Award in 1942. But why haven't we heard of the talented Li Ling-Ai and why are no copies of "Kukan" available? A seven-year quest by filmmaker Robin Lung seeks to uncover the answers.
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Thursday, February 4 at 3:30 p.m.
Director's Talk with Robin Lung
Join director Robin Lung for a discussion
about her journey in creating the film; she
will take questions from audience members
via Zoom.
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Girls Always Happy
Dir. Yang Mingming, USA, 2018, 117 min.
Wu and her mother live on top of each
other in a cramped section of Beijing. An
aspiring screenwriter, Wu has a love-hate
relationship with her mother that only
becomes more tense as her mother also
turns to writing. Poignant and at times
humorous, both women struggle with this
relationship as they try to move forward.
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ChinaFest: Year of the Metal Ox
Learn about the Chinese Lunar New Year and celebrate with us at our virtual ChinaFest: Year of the Metal Ox Family Day event! The program includes vibrant performances, artist and cooking demonstrations, and so much more. VMFA educators will guide you through art activities to do at home, such as constructing a metal ox ornament, making a red New Year envelope, and creating a folding fan. Join us for a fun and fascinating day of activity and celebration.
A limited number of ChinaFest art activity bags are available for pick up at VMFA’s Visitor Services desk Jan 29–Feb 6. Bags are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Each bag contains the supplies needed for the three art activities highlighted during ChinaFest. |
Cooking with Alex Tan
Hi, I’m Alexander. I’m in eighth grade and I am almost fourteen years old. I enjoy cooking for my family and friends. I find that food brings people together, and I absolutely love that. I started cooking when I was eight years old and I’ve been doing it ever since. Unlike other hobbies I’ve had, this is one that’s stuck. Now that I’ve developed a couple recipes that I like, I am ready to share them with you all! Please, don’t be afraid to try cooking along at home with me. With a little bit of patience, anyone can cook delicious food! |
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1. Delicious Roasted Duck
2. Simple And Easy Tropical Dessert
3. Elevated Fried Rice |
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Behind The Scenes, produced by Yu Xiao
 This Behind the Scenes video will bring you into the dance classes of Yu Dance Arts, show you what we do inside the studio. You will also hear from some of Yu Dance Arts students and parents share their perspectives of the difference between Chinese dance and Western style dances, their experience with Yu Dance Arts.
Yu Xiao is the artistic director of Yu Dance Arts. Hailed from China, Xiao holds a B.A. in Choreography & Performance at Beijing Dance Academy, and an M.F.A. in choreography at the Ohio State University.
Xiao founded Yu Dance Arts in 2012. Over the years, her students have competed regionally and nationally and consistently won multiple trophies and specialty awards.
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VCU's RYSE Lions
 RYSE Lions is a collegiate Futsan style Chinese Lion Dance team founded by Will Chen in 2014. Over the years we have had members from a variety of backgrounds including students studying medicine, physical therapy, art, computer science, political science, and engineering. Although a few members have had martial arts training, none of our members have had gymnastics training and all acrobatics executed have been self-taught by our team. RYSE Lions performances have become a local staple in Richmond for the Chinese New Year and we have performed for festivals, weddings, fundraisers, and for the governor. RYSE Lions has also won two East Coast Intercollegiate Lion Dance competitions, and other awards.
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