Thursday, September 30, 2021

"Makers on the Margins? Artisans and Status in Premodern Japan," October 4 at Pitt.

via pcurtis.com

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Paula R. Curtis and her talk "Makers on the Margins? Artisans and Status in Premodern Japan" on October 4 as part of the Asia Now Fall Lecture Series.
Artisanal production is touted today as part of Japan’s immutable traditional culture, characterized as a rapidly disappearing form of manual labor and long-held customs that are in sharp contrast to the white collar work in office buildings or government organizations so prevalent today. Similarly, the lives of commoners in premodern Japan are often imagined as being removed from the aesthetics, poetics, and cultural heights of the aristocracy. But were these divisions of social group and status so rigidly defined? In this talk, I will explore the multivalent identities of artisans in medieval Japan (c. 12th to 16th cen). With a special focus on the representations and evidence of metal caster organizations, I address how different types of sources (poetic, visual, and material) help us to problematize historical perceptions of these skilled commoners while providing insights into the lived experiences of some of premodern Japan’s least visible figures.

Paula R. Curtis is a historian of medieval Japan. She is presently a Postdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer in History with the Terasaki Center for Japanese Studies at University of California, Los Angeles. Her current book project focuses on metal caster organizations from the twelfth to sixteenth centuries and their relationships with elite institutions. She also works on the history of documentary forgery in premodern Japan.
The event runs from 4:30 to 5:45 pm at 207 David Lawrence Hall (map), and is free and open to members of the Pitt community. Registration is required, and guests must abide by the university's safety protocol.

Global Horror Studies: Linking J-Horror to Asia, September 30 and October 1.


The University of Pittsburgh and the Horror Studies Workigng Group presents an online conference on "Global Horror Studies: Linking J-Horror to Asia," September 30 and October 1.
The University of Pittsburgh and the Horror Studies Working Group invite you to join us for a two day conference exploring ways to connect J-Horror to Asia. This gathering continues the conversations started at SCMS 2021 and Kyoto July 2021 about Global Horror Studies.
It runs online from 9 to 11 pm EST, September 30 and October 1; the late time in Pittsburgh is to accommodate people around the world in other timezones. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

2020 Japanese film Wife of a Spy (スパイの妻), October 9 at Pitt, part of SCREENSHOT:ASIA film festival.


The 2020 Japanese film Wife of a Spy (スパイの妻) will play at the University of Pittsburgh on October 9 as part of the inaugural SCREENSHOT:ASIA film festival running October 6 through 10. From an NPR review:
Wife of a Spy is a Hitchcockian thriller by Kiyoshi Kurosawa, a top Japanese filmmaker whose work has never gotten the attention that it deserves in the U.S. His heroine is Satoko — superbly played by Yu Aoi — the innocent, big-hearted wife of Yusaku Fukuhara, a prosperous import-export merchant and amateur filmmaker in the city of Kobe.

In a 1940 Japan bursting with nationalistic fervor, the Fukuharas tempt fate by pointedly living in a Western-style house, wearing Western clothes, and sipping Western whiskey. Things get even stickier when Satoko's husband returns from Japanese-occupied Manchuria with a beautiful young woman and evidence of military atrocities.

Faced with this, Satoko doesn't know how to react. She and her husband launch into a marital dance of trust, suspicion and betrayal. Is Yusaku abandoning Satoko for a new woman? Will he sell out his country, and their shared life, by revealing the army's abuses? Will Satoko help him do so, or will she save herself by turning her husband in to the righteous military policeman who has fancied her since childhood? The answer will involve deceit, torture, murder, hidden manuscripts and midnight escapes.
It plays at the Schenley Plaza Tent at 8:30 pm. Tickets are required and can be purchased online.

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Nakama, Ichiban Hibachi Steakhouse named among city's best Japanese restaurants, beating out Umami, Teppanyaki Kyoto, GetGo.


The Pittsburgh City-Paper announced the winners of this year's Best of Pittsburgh readers' poll, with Nakama again being named Best Japanese food in the city. The restaurant, with locations in the South Side and Wexford, is the perennial winner of this and other local readers' polls, at the expense of more authentic Japanese restaurants. Umami placed second and Ichiban Hibachi Steakhouse third. Other relevant categories for PennsylvAsia are Sesame Inn for Best Chinese / Taiwanese, Bae Bae's Kitchen for Best Korean, The Slippery Mermaid for Best Sushi, Nicky's Thai Kitchen for Best Thai, and Tram's Kitchen for Best Vietnamese.

Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Pitt still hiring Managing Editor of The Journal of Asian Studies.


The University of Pittsburgh has reposted the position for Managing Editor of The Journal of Asian Studies.
The Managing Editor is primarily responsible for coordinating the Journal’s workflow using Editorial Manager, CUP’s online platform, to communicate with authors, associate editors, book review editors, the production team at CUP and staff in the AAS secretariat, especially the digital media manager. Specific responsibilities will extend to supporting the editorial work of the Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh. Seventy-five percent effort will be committed to The Journal of Asian Studies and twenty-five percent to the Asian Studies Center. Applicants must have relevant work experience, well-developed organizational skills, and expertise in communication. Serving as the predominant point of contact for an editor, the employee will need to tactfully utilize his/her technical skills, as well as diplomatic and interpersonal skills, to meet the operational and deadline-driven requirements of the journal with uncompromised high quality. As an administrator of the online review and notification system, the incumbent will assist in assuring that there is accurate and time-critical flow of assignments and correspondence regarding the operation of the journal. Attention to detail is an absolute necessity, as well as evident meticulous organizational skills. Must be able to use judgement to trouble-shoot and problem-solve. Excellent verbal and written communication skills with thorough knowledge of English grammar. Knowledge of Asia and Asian studies is highly recommended but not required. The Managing Editor will have an office with appropriate technology interface at the University of Pittsburgh. Under supervision of the Editor, the editorial team will include the managing editor, a graduate student assistant and undergraduate interns. The team will meet regularly, at least once every week, to review progress, assign work responsibilities and ensure efficient and effective workflow.
More information and application instructions available on the Pitt website.

2021 movie My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission (僕のヒーローアカデミア THE MOVIE ワールドヒーローズミッション) in Pittsburgh, from October 29.


The 2021 movie My Hero Academia: World Heroes' Mission (僕のヒーローアカデミア THE MOVIE ワールドヒーローズミッション) will play in Pittsburgh from October 29 through November 4. A synopsis, from the distributor.
When a sinister organization threatens to wipe out all superhuman powers, the fate of the world is on the line. With two hours until the collapse of civilization, Deku, Bakugo, and Todoroki manage to work as a team, but there’s still one problem. Deku’s on the run for murder.
It is scheduled so far to play at the Cinemark Theaters in Monroeville and Monaca, though more locations may be announced later. Tickets are available online; please note, some shows are dubbed in English while others are in Japanese with English subtitles.

Monday, September 27, 2021

Chinese film Back to the Wharf (风平浪静) at Pitt, October 7 and 9.


The Chinese film Back to the Wharf (风平浪静) will play at the University of Pittsburgh on October 7 and 9 as part of the SCREENSHOT:ASIA film festival. From a January Variety review:
The son of a midlevel official in a coastal fishing town, Song Hao (Zhou Zhengjie) is a bright student who’s robbed of the automatic college place he has rightfully earned. His position has been given to close friend Li Tang (Gao Yuhang), the son of powerful local mayor Li Weiguo (Jin Hui). In a feeble attempt to dress up his unethical decision as some kind of long-term benefit for the school, Song Hao’s headmaster (Zhou Jianya) tells the boy, “I prioritize the collective over the individual.”

Things go from bad to catastrophic in the first of many scenes taking place in pelting rain and howling wind that serve as visual metaphors for the protagonist’s sorrows and struggles. Intending to visit Li Tang’s upmarket home, Song Hao accidentally enters the wrong house and is mistaken for a burglar. In the confusion, Song Hao stabs owner Wan Yuliang (Zhao Longhao), who later dies. With his father Song Jianhui (Wang Yanhui) also implicated in this crime, which could ruin his career and destroy the family’s reputation, Song Hao flees to faraway Guangzhou, where he takes a lowly job in a masonry factory. Unbeknownst to father and son, Li Tang is aware of their transgressions and has chosen to remain silent.
It plays at 6:30 pm on the 7th and 12:00 pm on the 9th, at the Frick Fine Arts Buliding (map) both days. Tickets may be purchased online.

Sunday, September 26, 2021

Korean film An Old Lady (69세) at Pitt, October 9.


The 2019 Korean film An Old Lady (69세) will play at the University of Pittsburgh on October 9 as part of the SCREENSHOT:ASIA film festival.
A 69-year-old woman has to find justice for herself when she faces doubt and disdain from authorities who can't imagine her as the victim of sexual assault.
The movie starts at 5:00 pm in 125 Frick Fine Arts (map). Registration is required.

Friday, September 24, 2021

Taiwanese film As We Like It (揭大歡喜), October 7 at Pitt.


The 2021 Taiwanese film As We Like It (揭大歡喜) will play at the University of Pittsburgh on October 7 as part of the SCREENSHOT:ASIA film festival. A synopsis, from Taiwan Cinema:
When Rosalind hears that her father had vanished into thin air after being kicked out of the family business, she came back to Taiwan with her cousin Celia to look for him. During the search, she met Orlando, a racing driver, and they fell in love with each other at first sight. Nevertheless, since Rosalind didn’t believe in true love, she disguised as a man and pretended to be her own cousin. After she transformed herself into a man, she started a role-playing game with Orlando, claiming it to be a test…. As We Like It is the sequel to CHEN Hung-i’s debut feature Candy Rain. Inspired by As You Like It by William Shakespeare, it’s set in Ximending in Taipei in 2021. The most unique feature of this production is its all-female cast. It tries to discuss gender politics, role-playing and human desire in the future.
The movie starts at 8:30 pm on the patio behind Posvar Hall (map). Registration is required and can be completed online.

The Parlor Dim Sum & Cantonese BBQ working on physical location in Pittsburgh.


Dim sum and Cantonese food gain a bigger presence in Pittsburgh, as The Parlor Dim Sum works on a brick-and-mortar location. The Parlor has been a pop-up project of chef Roger Li---Umami, Nanban, and formerly Ki Pollo and Ki Ramen---for the last few years. His websites and social media say to stay tuned for big updates and more information about a physical space.

"Asian American shorts," part of SCREENSHOT:ASIA film festival, October 10 in Aspinwall.


The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and SCREENSHOT:ASIA will present a collection of Asian American short films on the 10th as part of October's inaugural SCREENSHOT:ASIA film festival.
The first annual SCREENSHOT: ASIA Film Festival will take place October 6-10, 2021. In its inaugural year, the Festival will screen features from all over Asia as well as highlight some lesser-known Asian filmmakers through a shorts program.

This screening is a variety of shorts from the Asian diaspora. In Koreatown Ghost Story, a young woman gets more than she bargained for at the acupuncturist. Hawaiian Soul tells a fictionalized account of 1970s native activist George Helm. In Tammy, a skater learns what it's like to be upstaged by another Asian American girl. These and more in our shorts program!

For more information about the film festival, click here.
The event starts at 2:00 pm at the Outdoor Pavillion at Aspinwall's RiverTrail Park (map), accessible by city buses 1, 75, and 91. Registration is required and can be completed online.

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

"Not Safe For Life" 1999 Takashi Miike film Audition (オーディション) at Row House Cinema, October 29.



The 1999 Takashi Miike film Audition (オーディション) will play at Row House Cinema on October 29.
In this Japanese thriller, a widower schemes to find love but finds his dream woman to be a hellish nightmare. Director Takashi Miike’s film starts off feeling like a heartwarming romantic comedy before descending into grisly and terrifying chaos.

Screening of Vincent Who? and Q & A with producer, September 27 at Pitt.


The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and OCA Pittsburgh will present a screening of the documentary Vincent Who? on September 27. From the film's official site:
In 1982, at the height of anti-Japanese sentiments arising from massive layoffs in the auto industry, a Chinese-American named Vincent Chin was murdered in Detroit by two white autoworkers. Chin's killers, however, got off with a $3,000 fine and 3 years probation, but no jail time. Outraged by this injustice, Asian Americans around the country united for the first time across ethnic and socioeconomic lines to form a pan-Asian identity and civil rights movement.

Among its significant outcomes, the movement led to the historic broadening of federal civil rights protection to include all people in America regardless of immigrant status or ethnicity.

VINCENT WHO? explores this important legacy through interviews with the key players at the time as well as a whole new generation of activists whose lives were impacted by Vincent Chin. It also looks at the case in relation to the larger narrative of Asian American history, in such events as Chinese Exclusion, Japanese American Internment in WWII, the 1992 L.A. Riots, anti-Asian hate crimes, and post-9/11 racial profiling.

Ultimately, VINCENT WHO? asks how far Asian Americans have come since the case and how far they have yet to go.
It will be followed by a Q-and-A session with the film's producer. The event will be held from 7:00 pm in the William Pitt Union (map) Dining Room A, safety permitting, or online via Zoom; it's free and open to the public, though registration is required.

Tuesday, September 21, 2021

Asian grocery chain still in the mix for former Hill District Shop n' Save location.


Fresh International Market is still among the tenants being considered for occupants of the former Shop n' Save Hill District location reports Public Source. It was first reported in June that the chain, which was started in Michigan in 2012 by Bowen Kou, was considering a location here. The store, writes Public Source,
would be the seventh in the small Midwestern chain, and would feature an affordable mix of produce, fresh and live seafood and dry goods. It would also include a juice bar and a bakery — but would not have expensive offerings like $6 organic avocados, said Bowen Kou, president of the company.
Hill District residents have until the end of the month to vote on their preference of tenant. The others in contention are Pierre Development, Family Tree Food Market, and Salem's Market and Grill.

While the city could certainly use a large, destination Asian grocery, the Fresh International Market proposal is admittedly the weakest of the four, is competing with merchants with longer histories in the area, and was reportedly submitted after the deadline.

"Protest as a Human Right in Hong Kong: A view from history," September 30 at Pitt.

via Jonathan van Smit

The University of Pittsburgh's Global Studies Center will host Dr. Gina Anne Tam and "Protest as a Human Right in Hong Kong: A view from history" on September 30.
In the summer of 2019, Hong Kong-- former British colony, current special administrative region of the People's Republic of China-- was swept up by a large, sustained protest movement. The spark that lit this "revolution of our time" as protestors have deemed it was an extradition treaty with China, but quickly evolved into a broader movement for a more democratically representative government and autonomy from the People's Republic of China. In a stunning backlash against the movement, the PRC government announced they would unilaterally enact a sweeping national security law, quickly marking much of the previous year's protest movement illegal. In the past year, activists, lawyers, elected officials have been arrested and NGOs and media outlets shuttered at a dizzying pace, fundamentally altering the civic, legal, and cultural landscape of the city. Drawing upon Hong Kong's long history of grassroots activism-- and backlash against it-- from the early twentieth century through the present, this talk will offer a historical view of how protest became a cherished human right and a locus of popular power in Hong Kong, using this history to discuss the implications of the national security law on human rights in the city today.
The event runs from 4:30 to 5:45 pm, and will be held online.

2021 movie Gintama: The Very Final (銀魂 THE FINAL) in Pittsburgh, November 21 and 22.


The 2021 movie Gintama: The Very Final (銀魂 THE FINAL) will play in Pittsburgh on November 21 and 22. From the distributor:
This is the actual ending.

The countdown to destruction has begun! All will join to reclaim an Edo in grave peril! Earth is facing its darkest days, and the members of the Odd Jobs must come together to save it from an otherworldly menace.

Old allies Gintoki, Takasugi, and Katsura strive their hardest for their own ideals, but standing in their way is someone with whom they share a sad history: Utsuro, an alternate personality of their former teacher and mentor, Shoyu. Having been spawned by Altana, the energy that fuels all planets, this immortal fiend has regenerated multiple times until finally becoming Utsuro, the ultimate enemy... And he intends to take down the entire world in order to end his own life.

Gintoki and the others set out to fulfill the wishes of their teacher Shoyo and thwart Utsuro's plans. Shinpachi, Kagura, the Shinsengumi, members of the Kabuki District, and even former enemies will join their fight.

As Utsuro's power grows, Takasugi fights for his very life. Will Gintoki be able to put
an end to all this?!
Tickets are available for shows at the AMC Loews Waterfront---note that some shows are dubbed in English while others are in Japanese with English subtitles---though more theaters may be announced one tickets officially go on sale next month.

Asia Now Fall Lecture Series: The Fragmented Spectacle of Chinese Soft Power in Africa, September 27 at Pitt.

via Georgetown University.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Maria Repnikova and her talk "The Fragmented Spectacle of Chinese Soft Power in Africa" on September 27 as part of the Asia Now Fall Lecture Series.
This lecture by Dr. Maria Repnikova, Georgia State University, presents the multifaceted story of China’s soft power campaigns in Africa, with a special focus on Ethiopia—one of China’s closest economic and political partners on the continent. Countering the claims of China’s authoritarian export, the analysis of China’s engagement with Ethiopian elites, youth and media audiences, showcases what I describe as a “fragmented spectacle” — a grand, but disjointed display of China’s prowess. In particular, China’s soft power appeal is rooted in generosity of scale or the large-scale access to its initiatives. And yet, when it comes to building relationships, it produces fragmented or contested Sino-African solidarities. The lecture will specifically highlight how performative, material and discursive solidarity works and the tensions that override these different Sino-African encounters. This talk, which draws on a larger book project, demonstrates that the idea of a moral competition is largely a product of the US insecurity about losing out to China, in what many US officials see as the last frontier, rather than an accurate depiction of Chinese activities in Africa.
The event runs from 4:30 to 5:45 at 211 Lawrence Hall (map) on the 27th. It is open to members of the university community who are following Pitt's COVID-19 safety guidelines. Registration is required.

Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) in Pittsburgh, October 3, 4, and 6.


The 2001 Japanese film Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) will play in Pittsburgh on October 3, 4, and 6 as part of this year's Studio Ghibli Fest 2021. From the distributor:
Winner of the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature, Hayao Miyazaki's wondrous fantasy adventure is a dazzling masterpiece from one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animation.

Chihiro's family is moving to a new house, but when they stop on the way to explore an abandoned village, her parents undergo a mysterious transformation and Chihiro is whisked into a world of fantastic spirits ruled over by the sorceress Yubaba. Put to work in a magical bathhouse for spirits and demons, Chihiro must use all her wits to survive in this strange new place, find a way to free her parents and return to the normal world. Overflowing with imaginative creatures and thrilling storytelling, Spirited Away became a worldwide smash hit, and is one of the most critically-acclaimed films of all time.
It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville, North Hills, and Robinson, and tickets are available online. The October 3 and 6 shows are dubbed in English while the October 4 show is in Japanese with English subtitles.

Monday, September 20, 2021

2021 Korean film Made On The Rooftop (메이드 인 루프탑) at ReelQ Film Festival, October 14.


The 2021 Korean film Made On The Rooftop (메이드 인 루프탑) will play at Pittsburgh's 36th annual ReelQ Film Festival on October 14.
This quirky romantic comedy starts with a heartbreak, as Ha-neul must leave his uptight and closeted boyfriend and seek comfort and shelter from his BFF, where he gets sympathy and fashion advice along with a place to crash. Directed by Kim Jho Gwang-soo. In Korean with English subtitles.
It will be available to watch online on the 14th from 7:00 pm, and pre-order is available now.

Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration at Pitt, September 21.


The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Cener and Global Hub will host a Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration on September 21 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Join the Asian Studies Center and Global Hub in celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival! Take some refreshments to-go, make a paper lantern, and enter for a chance to win tickets to the Asian Lantern Festival at the Pittsburgh Zoo or some Screenshot:Asia swag.
It will be held at the Global Hub, located on the 1st floor of Posvar Hall (map). It is open to members of the Pitt community who are following COVID safety protocols; university buildings are currently not open to the public.

Lineup for October's SCREENSHOT:ASIA film festival announced; selections from China, Korea, Japan, and Asian-America included.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present its first annual SCREENSHOT:ASIA film festival from October 6 through 10th, and it recently announced the full line-up.


Selections from East Asia include Back to the Wharf (风平浪静) from China, An Old Lady (69세) from Korea, and Wife of a Spy (スパイの妻) and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (偶然と想像). Tickets are now available online.

Screening of 2009 documentary Vincent Who?, on 1982 Vincent Chen murder, September 27 at Pitt.


The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will present a screening of the documentary Vincent Who? on September 27. From the film's official site:
In 1982, at the height of anti-Japanese sentiments arising from massive layoffs in the auto industry, a Chinese-American named Vincent Chin was murdered in Detroit by two white autoworkers. Chin's killers, however, got off with a $3,000 fine and 3 years probation, but no jail time. Outraged by this injustice, Asian Americans around the country united for the first time across ethnic and socioeconomic lines to form a pan-Asian identity and civil rights movement.

Among its significant outcomes, the movement led to the historic broadening of federal civil rights protection to include all people in America regardless of immigrant status or ethnicity.

VINCENT WHO? explores this important legacy through interviews with the key players at the time as well as a whole new generation of activists whose lives were impacted by Vincent Chin. It also looks at the case in relation to the larger narrative of Asian American history, in such events as Chinese Exclusion, Japanese American Internment in WWII, the 1992 L.A. Riots, anti-Asian hate crimes, and post-9/11 racial profiling.

Ultimately, VINCENT WHO? asks how far Asian Americans have come since the case and how far they have yet to go.
It will be followed by a Q-and-A session with the film's producer. The event will be held from 7:00 pm in the William Pitt Union (map) Dining Room A, safety permitting, or online via Zoom; it's free and open to the public, though registration is required.

Saturday, September 18, 2021

Pittsburgh Public Schools hiring ESL teacher with proficiency in Chinese.


The Pittsburgh Public Schools is hiring an English as a Second Language teacher, with a proficiency in Chinese, for the Squirrel Hill area.
Salary
Paraprofessional Salary Schedule (starting at $3, 061/month)

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt
Qualifications
- A High School diploma or equivalent is required.
- At least sixty (60) college credits in a related area are also required.
- Written and oral proficiency in English and Chinese is a prerequisite for this position
- Experience working with students where English is their second language, specifically Chinese, is preferred.
- Vocational experience in an urban setting is preferred.
- Familiarity with various student assistive devices is also preferred.
Residency RequirementsCity of Pittsburgh Residency Required
Essential Job Functions
1. Assisting the classroom teacher with the use of instructional materials and technology
2. Making phone calls, arranging meetings, and facilitating other related parent outreach
3. Maintaining confidentiality when discussing individual students and/or families
4. Implementing culturally responsive instructional techniques with ESL students
5. Utilizing culturally responsive behavioral strategies with ESL students
6. Assisting the teacher with class preparation and/or lesson implementation
7. Supporting ESL instruction in small student groups as needed
8. Adhering to all building level duties and responsibilities
9. Preparing and organizing teacher materials and classroom supplies as necessary
10. Supervising and assisting students in the completion of their assignments
11. Monitoring students in the classroom, at lunch, and at recess, as well as in transit from one area to another
12. Assisting with the implementation of the prescribed course of ESL study and behavior management plans for each student
13. Assisting in completion of all clerical duties
14. Assisting with student transportation, such as meeting a cab outside or assisting students with boarding the correct school bus
15. Assisting in the maintenance and care of equipment
16. Assisting on fields trips

Friday, September 17, 2021

Pitt hiring full-time Korean instructor for Fall 2022.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures is hiring a full-time instructor instructor of Korean to start in the Fall 2022 term.

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at the University of Pittsburgh (hhtp://www.deall.pitt.edu) invites applications for the position of Instructor for its Korean language program, pending budgetary approval. The appointment will begin on September 1, 2022. The candidate must hold an MA degree in teaching Korean as a second language, foreign language teaching, applied linguistics, or a related field by the time of appointment and possess broad competence in teaching Korean language courses. The new hire will teach six Korean courses on all levels of both lectures and recitations per year. The successful candidate should have at least one year’s experience teaching Korean language courses at a North American higher education institution, preferably in person. Other duties may include mentoring students, normal service duties in the Department, and working with other Asia specialists in the Department and on campus.

Applicants should send a letter of application, CV, teaching demonstration of a Korean language class, evidence of teaching ability (e. g., student teaching evaluations), sample syllabus for one course, statements of teaching philosophy, and diversity and inclusion, and the names and contact information for three persons able to provide confidential professional letters of recommendation (we do not need the letters themselves at this time, but we do need the names of the recommenders). to the University of Pittsburgh’s Talent Center.

For more information, contact Victoria Donahoe (vjd8@pitt.edu). In order to ensure full consideration, applications must be received by November 16, 2021.

Thursday, September 16, 2021

"Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET) Info Session," October 12 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host a Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET) Info Session on October 12. It will be an online meeting by the Consulate General of New York and JET alumni.
Please join us at this information session to learn more about the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) program in the Global Hub, 1st floor Posvar Hall. To register for Zoom virtual attendance, click here
The session will be held at the Global Hub on the first floor of Posvar Hall (map). It is not open to the public, only to the Pitt community following university COVID safety protocols.

Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration at Pitt, September 21.


The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Cener and Global Hub will host a Mid-Autumn Festival Celebration on September 21 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Join the Asian Studies Center and Global Hub in celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival! Take some refreshments to-go, make a paper lantern, and enter for a chance to win tickets to the Asian Lantern Festival at the Pittsburgh Zoo or some Screenshot:Asia swag.
It will be held at the Global Hub, located on the 1st floor of Posvar Hall (map). It is open to members of the Pitt community who are following COVID safety protocols; university buildings are currently not open to the public.

Wednesday, September 15, 2021

More theaters announced for One Piece Film: Strong World (ワンピース フィルム ストロングワールド), playing in Pittsburgh on November 7 and 9.


The 2009 film One Piece Film: Strong World (ワンピース フィルム ストロングワールド) will play in Pittsburgh on November 7 and 9 as part of a Fathom Events re-release. The Anime News Network has a synopsis:
20 years after his escape from Impel Down, the legendary pirate Shiki "the Golden Lion" reappears causing massive upheaval to the Marines. During his long seclusion, he was able to come up with a scheme to bring the World Government to its knees. On his way to execute the plan, Shiki crosses paths with the Straw Hat Pirates and becomes so impressed with Nami's knowledge of meteorology that he abducts her to forcedly enlist her into his crew. Luffy and the gang end up on a strange land populated with monstrous beasts as they desperately search for Shiki and Nami.
It is scheduled so far to play at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemarks in Monaca, Monroeville, and North Hills, though more local theaters may be announced later.

VouchersPanda, aka Hungry Panda, hiring Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist for Pittsburgh area.


Food delivery service VouchersPanda, which also operates under Hungry Panda, is hiring a Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist for Pittsburgh area. As PennsylvAsia noted last summer, more Chinese delivery options, like Fantuan, Chowbus, and Hungry Panda are making their way to Pittsburgh.

Tuesday, September 14, 2021

October 17 Peelander-Z show cancelled.

The Peelander-Z concert, scheduled for October 17 at Club Cafe, has been cancelled.

Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh 1st Online Exchange Meeting, September 18.

The Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh (JAGP) is hosting its 1st Online Exchange Meeting, in lieu of the annual in-person fall picnic, on September 18.
イン交流会のお知らせ
ピッツバーグ日本協会 第1回オンライン交流会のお知らせ

事務の伊藤です。雨で蒸し暑い日が続きますが、皆様いかがお過ごしでしょうか。
さて、毎年9月に開催しておりましたピクニックですが、新型コロナウイルスの感染が再度拡大している状況を鑑み、開催を見送らせていただくこととなりました。楽しみにしていらっしゃった方々には心苦しい限りですが、ご理解いただけますと幸いです。

その代わりとして、オンラインでの交流会を開催したいと思います。新たな出会いや情報交換の場にしたいと考えておりますので、ぜひお気軽にご参加ください。

なお、参加人数の把握のため、参加をご希望の方は【9月11日(土)】までに以下のオンラインフォームからご連絡くださいませ。
https://forms.gle/U2YYAmkwNxLwi5q26
. . .
It is with regret that we’ve made the decision to cancel our JAGP Fall Picnic 2021 in light of the developing COVID-19 situation.
We are disappointed to make this announcement but we believe we have a duty to care for our members and the general public.

Instead of that, JAGP board members have planned our first ‘online exchange meeting’. We hope it will be a place for new encounters and information exchange. Please actively participate.

If you wish to participate, please fill out the form shown below.
https://forms.gle/U2YYAmkwNxLwi5q26
The meeting is open to members and runs from 7:00 to 9:00 pm; it will of course take place in Japanese. Those interested in becoming JAGP members may do so online.

Daehwa Korean Conversation Club and the Korean Student Association at the University of Pittsburgh are hosting a Chuseok celebration at Pitt on September 19. It is open to all interested Pitt studets who are compliant with the university's COVID-19 safety regulations. Those interested should reach out to Daehwa and the KSA to learn more.

Ross Park Mall's Tiffany & Co. hiring Mandarin-speaking seasonal help.



The Tiffany's store in Ross Park Mall is hiring Seasonal Ambassadors, with a preference for Mandarin, Japanese, or Spanish proficiency.

Our Seasonal Ambassadors will:

  • Be an effective brand ambassador, ensuring clients are warmly welcomed, assisted accordingly and have a memorable experience commensurate with the Tiffany brand.
  • Spending most of the day on your feet, enhance the clients experience with hospitality and store amenities to create personalized experiences with the goal of positively impacting both sales and service. 
  • Assist with engraving station where applicable.
  • Accurately manage client waiting list if applicable.
  • Ensure hospitality area is fully stocked, orderly and clean. 
  • Communicate with management any potential service issues with waiting clients.
  • Assist team members with boxing and wrapping items, replenishing POS and gifting supplies, keeping all POS stations and sales floor areas neat and organized and performing all POS functions after a client’s purchase decision is finalized.
  •  Assist operations team with operational policies and procedures and after sales servicing to ensure store operations run effectively.
  • Assist with inventory and special projects as needed.

Fantuan / Just Order Enterprises Corp. (饭团) hiring Mandarin-speaking Operations Manager (送餐部经理).


Just Order Enterprises (also known as Fantuan), is a delivery service catering to Asian restaurants and groceries that expanded to Pittsburgh last summer, is still hiring a Mandarin-speaking Operations Manager.

Fantuan was founded in Vancouver, Canada in 2014. With a mission of “life made easier,” the company is a one-stop platform providing food delivery (Fantuan Delivery), reviews (Fantuan Reviews), an errand service (Fantuan Rush), e-commerce and marketing services. Fantuan is one of the top Asian life-services platforms in North America, currently operating across Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, and other metropolitan areas in Canada and the US.

For more positions, please click https://fantuan.ca/en/jobs/

Responsibilities

· Assist recruitment, training, performance appraisal of the delivery team

· Analyze and statistic data to improve the efficiency of the delivery team and user experience

· Dealing with unexpected situations during daily operations

· Complete tasks assigned by other supervisors

Requirements:

· Good at innovation and manage team

· Strong communication, coordination and organizational skills

· Strong executive and promotion ability

· Responsible and purposeful, able to suffer from pressure and challenges

饭团是一家北美互联网生活服务公司,主要业务包括饭团外卖、饭团点评、饭团跑腿,结合中式优质服务与北美先进大数据技术,以互联网思维推动生活服务行业变革。 目前,饭团已覆盖温哥华、多伦多、卡尔加里、蒙特利尔,西雅图,洛杉矶,纽约等加拿大及美国主要城市,为海外华人乃至所有海外消费者提供更加便捷、高效、智能的生活服务

Monday, September 13, 2021

98 K Hamburger now open in Squirrel Hill.


98 K Hamburger opened in Squirrel Hill over the weekend. The Chinese-owned restaurant is a new location of a New York-based fast food chain. It's located at 5867 Forbes Ave. (map), and is running some soft opening specials through the 14th.

1995 film Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) in Pittsburgh as part of IMAX 2D re-release, from September 16.


The 1995 Japanese film Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) will play in Pittsburgh from September 16 as part of an IMAX 2D re-release. A 2014 Telegraph review provides a summary:
Oshii’s film, which was adapted from a manga series by Masamune Shirow, saw everything coming. In its near-future world, countries are like corporations under siege, whose protective walls are slowly being washed away by an ocean of communal data. Hackers are treated like terrorists, while programmers’ movements are restricted as part of a global arms embargo.

Helping to keep the uneasy peace is Section 9, a team of government agents who include Motoko Kusanagi: a cyborg who can plug herself into the data-sea via four jack ports in the nape of her neck.
. . .
We follow Kusanagi on her hunt for The Puppet Master, a hacker who can access the ‘ghosts’, or souls, of ordinary citizens and carry out cyber-crimes by proxy. Now entirely synthetic, her original human body replaced and improved on piece by piece, Kusanagi is unsure whether her ghost still lingers in her man-made form[.]
The film is in Japanese with English subtitles. It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront through (at least) September 23, and tickets are available online.

"Jazz Poetry Month: Bad Activist," September 20 at Alphabet City.


The City of Asylum will host Mai Khoi and Bad Activist on September 20 as part of its Jazz Poetry Month.
Bad Activist is an autobiographical performance piece, combining storytelling with state-of-the-art music performance. The narrative charts the extraordinary trajectory of Mai Khoi’s life—from renowned to Vietnamese pop star to dissident activist, fighting for artistic freedom in Vietnam and pitting herself against the strong arm of the communist government. Within this crucible of political titans, international powers, and constant surveillance and threat, Khoi develops a personal and unique art form. Her new sound is rooted in forgotten Vietnamese musical traditions fused with jazz and ripe with political song lyrics. Bad Activist explores both the actual historic events of the artist’s life, as well as the subconscious dream worlds that have fueled her work.

Unable to safely live and work in Vietnam, Mai Khoi is currently an Artist Protection Fund Fellow at City of Asylum and the University of Pittsburgh. This performance of Bad Activist features collaborators from the University of Pittsburgh’s PhD in jazz, and all new arrangements for larger bands.
The event runs from 7:00 to 9:00 pm and will be held both in person and online. Please visit the website for ticket information and for safety protocols. Alphabet City is located at 40 W. North Ave. on the North Side (map).

Sunday, September 12, 2021

One Piece Film: Strong World (ワンピース フィルム ストロングワールド) in Pittsburgh, November 7 and 9.


The 2009 film One Piece Film: Strong World (ワンピース フィルム ストロングワールド) will play in Pittsburgh on November 7 and 9 as part of a Fathom Events re-release. The Anime News Network has a synopsis:
20 years after his escape from Impel Down, the legendary pirate Shiki "the Golden Lion" reappears causing massive upheaval to the Marines. During his long seclusion, he was able to come up with a scheme to bring the World Government to its knees. On his way to execute the plan, Shiki crosses paths with the Straw Hat Pirates and becomes so impressed with Nami's knowledge of meteorology that he abducts her to forcedly enlist her into his crew. Luffy and the gang end up on a strange land populated with monstrous beasts as they desperately search for Shiki and Nami.
It is scheduled so far to play at the AMC Loews Waterfront, though more theaters will likely be announced later.

Saturday, September 11, 2021

Panda Supermarket hiring.

Squirrel Hill's Panda Supermarket is hiring all shifts for its new location:



Actually, most of your favorite stores and restaurants are probably hiring these days, so if you are interested in full- or part-time work, contact a manager at wherever you like to shop or dine.

Food delivery service Hungry Panda hiring Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist for Pittsburgh area.


Hungry Panda is hiring a Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist for the Pittsburgh area. As PennsylvAsia noted last summer, more Chinese delivery options, like Fantuan, Chowbus, and Hungry Panda are making their way to Pittsburgh.

Thursday, September 9, 2021

Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival, October 16 at Mellon Park.


The Pittsburgh Chinese Cultural Festival returns on Saturday, October 16 at Mellon Park in Shadyside (map). It runs from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, and those interested in participating as vendors or performers are invited to contact PITCHINESE at gmail.com.

New Japanese animated film Knights of Sidonia: Love Woven in the Stars (シドニアの騎士 あいつむぐほし) in Pittsburgh, September 13 and 14.


The 2021 Japanese animated film Knights of Sidonia: Love Woven in the Stars (シドニアの騎士 あいつむぐほし) will play in Pittsburgh on September 13 and 14. From the distributor:
It’s been nearly 10 years since ace pilot Nagate Tanikaze repelled the Gauna forces and saved Sidonia, humanity’s last home. And now, the Guardians are bringing the fight to them. In this final battle where annihilation looms and love blossoms unexpectedly, will humanity persevere or will the Gauna see domination?
It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and tickets are available online. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

2019 Japanese animated film Promare (プロメア) in Pittsburgh, September 16 and 19.


The 2019 Japanese animated film Promare (プロメア) will play in Pittsburgh on September 16 and 19. From the distributor:
The first feature-length film from the acclaimed studio TRIGGER, creators of the hit series KILL la KILL and Little Witch Academia, and director Hiroyuki Imaishi (GURREN LAGANN, KILL la KILL), Promare uses a bold cel-shaded visual style to tell a blistering action-adventure story, and is the spiritual successor to many of director Imaishi’s former works.

Thirty years has passed since the appearance of the Burnish, a race of flame-wielding mutant beings, who destroyed half of the world with fire. When a new group of aggressive mutants calling themselves Mad Burnish appears, the epic battle between Galo Thymos, a new member of the anti-Burnish rescue team Burning Rescue, and Lio Fotia, the leader of Mad Burnish begins.
It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront and the Cinemark theaters in McCandless, Monroeville, and Robinson. The September 16 shows are dubbed in English and the September 19 ones are in Japanese with English subtitles.

Wednesday, September 8, 2021

"Music on the Edge Presents Devon Osamu Tipp: New Music for Shakuhachi and Electroacoustic Sound," October 23 at Pitt.


The University of Pittsburgh's Department of Music presents "Music on the Edge Presents Devon Osamu Tipp: New Music for Shakuhachi and Electroacoustic Sound" on October 23.
Music on the Edge presents Pitt PhD candidate Devon Osamu Tipp performing new music by Pitt graduate composers for shakuhachi and electroacoustic elements. The program will include works by Brian Riordan, Ryan McMasters, Mark Micchelli, Jason Belcher, Emmanuel Berrido, Ramin Akhavijou, and Tipp.

Pittsburgh based composer/performer Devon Osamu Tipp creates unorthodox musical environments from ostensibly incompatible realms. A PhD candidate at the University of Pittsburgh, Tipp’s music draws influence from his Japanese and Eastern European roots, his experiences as a jeweler and painter, and his studies of gagaku and hogaku in Japan and the US. His compositions focus on rhythmic and timbral transmutation of cyclical materials, ranging from the orchestral, to string basses prepared with honey stirrers, to concerti for traditional Japanese instruments. He received his BMus from Montclair State University, where he studied composition and microtonal music with Dean Drummond, and shakuhachi with Elizabeth Brown. His music has been performed by microtonal specialists Kjell Tore Innervik, Veli Kujala and Tolgahan Çogulu. He has also worked with Rarescale, the Thin Edge New Music Collective, the TAK Ensemble, and members of Avanti! Chamber Orchestra. His compositions have been featured at the Soundscape Festival, Bowdoin Festival, Beyond 2020: Microtonal Music Festival, and the 2015 Tokyo International Double Reed Society Conference.
The event will be broadcast live online for the general public, though limited in-person seating is available in Bellefield Hall for COVID-safety-compliant university students, faculty, and staff. The event starts at 7:30 pm and registration is required.

13-week Chinese program for kids and adults at Win-Win Kung Fu in Squirrel Hill, from September 11.

Win-Win Kung Fu Culture Center in Squirrel Hill will offer its Chinese-language program for interested children and adults from September 11. It will run for 13 weeks until December 18, with breaks on October 16 and November 17. The kids' class is from 2:40 to 3:30 pm, and the adults' class is 3:40 to 4:30 pm. Instruction is by Yan Zhao of Pittsburgh-based American Almond International Education. The cost is $5 per student if currently enrolled in Win-Win classes, or $10 per class for those not currently enrolled.

Those interested should contact the enter to enroll or email masters at winwinkungfu.com. The school is located at 2705-2707 Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill (map).

"Jazz Poetry Month: Norihide Nakajima Quintet" at City of Asylum, (online) on September 14.


The City of Asylum will present "Jazz Poetry Month: Norihide Nakajima Quintet" in an online concert on September 14.
This concert marks the first time Jazz Poetry reaches Japan. A concert filmed for fans in Pittsburgh inside the top jazz club in Kyoto, Rag Jazz.

The program features original compositions, with Japanese poetry woven throughout as lyrics, as well as Japanese Jazz standards. Featuring musicians Utako Yamauchi (vocals), Tsutomu Takei (saxophone), Kiyoshi Takeshita (piano), Norihide Nakajima (bass), and Takehiro Shimizu (drums).
It runs from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, and those interested should register in advance.

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Films from Japan, Nepal announced (so far) for SCREENSHOT:ASIA film festival in October.


The inaugural SCREENSHOT:ASIA film festival will be held at the University of Pittsburgh from October 6 through 10, and a small selection of films have already been announced: Wife of a Spy (スパイの妻) and Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (偶然と想像) from Japan, and Looking for a Lady with Fangs and a Moustache from Nepal.

Pittsburgh Chinatown celebratory event scheduled for May 2022.


The Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) Pittsburgh has moved its celebratory event for the city's Chinatown neighborhood from September 2021 to, tenatively, May 2022, due to safety concerns. Pittsburgh's historical Chinatown neighborhood was granted a state historical marker in March, after numerous attempts over the decades, and there is an online fundraiser to raise money toward the plaque and celebration.
After 12 long years and 4 separate attempts, non-profit OCA Asian Pacific American Advocates of Pittsburgh has finally succeeded in getting official Pennsylvania historical landmark status for Downtown’s old Pittsburgh Chinatown! You can help us complete this project! We need $5000 to complete the bronze plaque made to the state’s specifications describing the designation. We hope to have a celebratory event this September in person!

Thank you so much for your generosity and contribution to help keep our rich history alive!

Post-Gazette: "Pandemic and aggression toward Asian Americans highlights Pittsburgh’s lack of centralized AAPI community."

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes on Pittsburgh's figurative and literal AAPI communities amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and increased hostility toward Asians and Asian-Americans.
Pittsburgh’s Asian American community, which lacks the numbers seen in cities such as New York City and San Francisco, has found the angry sentiments difficult to process.

Without a place to gather or a stable network, the Pittsburgh Asian American community cannot come together and heal the same as other communities, said Caroline Yoo, of Los Angeles, a a master’s degree candidate at Carnegie Mellon University.

“In L.A., even though there’s that type of racism, you have community. Whereas in Pittsburgh, even though there is a community, it feels just a little bit quieter,’’ Ms. Yoo said.

“It’s only my first year here. In my experiences, there isn’t this huge hub of just Asian celebration anywhere, and I think because of that lack of celebration and the lack of visibility, in ways all the little micro-aggressions build. And you end up just swallowing it up and repressing rather than releasing it, crying for help from your other members of the community.”

Fantuan / Just Order Enterprises Corp. (饭团) hiring Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist.


Just Order Enterprises (also known as Fantuan), is a delivery service catering to Asian restaurants and groceries that expanded to Pittsburgh last summer, is hiring a Mandarin-speaking Business Development Specialist.

Fantuan was founded in Vancouver, Canada in 2014. With a mission of “life made easier,” the company is a one-stop platform providing food delivery (Fantuan Delivery), reviews (Fantuan Reviews), an errand service (Fantuan Rush), e-commerce and marketing services. Fantuan is one of the top Asian life-services platforms in North America, currently operating across Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Montreal, Los Angeles, New York and other metropolitan areas in Canada and the US.

Job Title: Business Development Specialist (Sponsor H1B, OPT or CPT)

Job Responsibility:

1. Facing local merchants, understand the business status and needs of the merchants, combine the needs of consumers, select and design marketing and operation plans that fit for the merchants, negotiate and reach cooperation with the merchants, and promote the increase of merchant transaction volume.

2. Incorporate the company's marketing strategies, policies and marketing activities to independently accomplish performance goals.

3. According to the current market situation and customer response, the corresponding strategic direction is formulated through data analysis, and the value of cooperation with cooperative merchants is continuously improved to achieve a win-win situation between merchants and the platform.

4. Maintain new and old merchants, establish stable and high-value cooperative relations, and maintain long-term repurchases.

5. Cooperate with departments to process and feedback market information in a timely manner, improve operational efficiency, and improve user satisfaction.

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