In 2024, the Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning-Tzu Chi Academy Pittsburgh was established, thanks to generous funding from the Taiwan Overseas Community Affairs Council. Individuals aged 18 and above are warmly invited to join us on this language-learning adventure!Embark on an extraordinary linguistic journey by learning Chinese! Because of this incredible support, we’ve crafted an environment that goes beyond language acquisition—it’s an adventure into the heart of Mandarin-speaking culture. Seize the opportunity to not just learn a language, but to unlock a world of possibilities and enrich your personal and professional journey. Don’t miss out on the chance to thrive in a community where language and culture converge seamlessly. Join us and let the language of opportunity be your guide!
The cost is $120 for a ten-week session, and tuition includes a textbook and workbook. Registration may be completed online.
Taiwanese horror is a rising genre that has claimed an important space in Taiwanese popular culture, particularly in the video game industry since the debut of Detention in 2017. Video games associated with such aesthetics often incorporate elements of Taiwan's local religions, cultures, and mythologies. Furthermore, such horror is evoked not only by fear of the unknown, but also by the unsettling feeling of being forced to live under duress. Although mostly implicit, many Taiwanese horror games contain hints of historical references to the 228 Incident and the White Terror under Martial Law. Malevolent monsters and ghosts become physical incarnations of state-sanctioned violence perpetrated by perpetrators, dehumanized accomplices, and those who were arrested, executed, or silenced.
《A Foggy Tale》Pittsburgh Film Screening
A 2025 Award‑Winning Taiwanese Film. A powerful journey through 1950s Taiwan.
Join us for a special screening of 《大濛 A Foggy Tale》, a 2025 film set in 1950s Taiwan during the White Terror era — a decades‑long period beginning in 1949, when the government imposed martial law and carried out widespread persecution of people it suspected of political dissent.
The film follows a young girl traveling across Taiwan to retrieve the remains of her brother, who was executed by the regime. Through her journey, 《A Foggy Tale》 reveals the everyday lives, moral struggles, and social atmosphere ordinary people faced under authoritarian rule.
In light of recent events directly impacting the safety and well-being of our
migrant and immigrant community members and allies, we have made the
difficult decision to cancel our Squirrel Hill Lunar New Year Celebration
to ensure the safety of all who would attend. However, this does not mean
we will stop celebrating the beautiful traditions that enrich our community.
A Different Tradition: Bring Lunar New Year Wishes to
Squirrel Hill's Trees
For years, students at a local school have observed the beautiful Lunar New
Year tradition of each child writing two wishes on red tags. One wish is for
themselves and one is for the community. The tags are hung from trees around
their school. As one wise 4th grader put it, it's a way to say to our Asian
community, "We see you, we appreciate you, and we think you're awesome!"
This Lunar New Year, let's spread this tradition across all of Squirrel Hill! In
honor and celebration with our Asian neighbors, let’s fill the trees throughout
Squirrel Hill with bright red tags carrying wishes of prosperity, health, and joy
for the year ahead! Thanks to Mardi Isler’s tireless work expanding our tree
canopy, we have plenty of trees ready to bloom with good wishes and
community solidarity.
How to participate:
● SHUC will have red Lunar New Year tags available for pickup at the Silk
Elephant or the SHUC Office. Email mcohen@shuc.org if you'd like to
volunteer to help distribute them throughout our neighborhood
● You can also start this tradition on your own! Hang red tags with wishes
on trees in your neighborhood and share the tradition with neighbors!
● Need tags? Click here to find red Lunar New Year tags on Amazon
《A Foggy Tale》Pittsburgh Film Screening
A 2025 Award‑Winning Taiwanese Film. A powerful journey through 1950s Taiwan.
Join us for a special screening of 《大濛 A Foggy Tale》, a 2025 film set in 1950s Taiwan during the White Terror era — a decades‑long period beginning in 1949, when the government imposed martial law and carried out widespread persecution of people it suspected of political dissent.
The film follows a young girl traveling across Taiwan to retrieve the remains of her brother, who was executed by the regime. Through her journey, 《A Foggy Tale》 reveals the everyday lives, moral struggles, and social atmosphere ordinary people faced under authoritarian rule.
Let's talk about Taiwan! We'll be diving into the history of Taiwan, focusing on the indigenous communities. most importantly, we'll discuss how we can continue building community + solidarity with fellow Taiwanese and other marginalized communities.. . .
If you are Taiwanese please feel free to bring your presence, your art, food, or any other objects that connect you with your culture. :-)The event runs from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. The Irma Freeman Center for Imagination is located at 5006 Penn Ave. in Bloomfield (map).
Taiwanese horror is a rising genre that has claimed an important space in Taiwanese popular culture, particularly in the video game industry since the debut of Detention in 2017. Video games associated with such aesthetics often incorporate elements of Taiwan's local religions, cultures, and mythologies. Furthermore, such horror is evoked not only by fear of the unknown, but also by the unsettling feeling of being forced to live under duress. Although mostly implicit, many Taiwanese horror games contain hints of historical references to the 228 Incident and the White Terror under Martial Law. Malevolent monsters and ghosts become physical incarnations of state-sanctioned violence perpetrated by perpetrators, dehumanized accomplices, and those who were arrested, executed, or silenced.
Our Chinese (Mandarin) Language Course for Daily Conversation & Kung Fu / Tai Chi Training is starting soon — and we invite you to a FREE trial class on Sunday, February 8, 2026!
This course focuses on practical Chinese (Mandarin) for daily communication as well as Kung Fu and Tai Chi training, helping students build real-world language skills while deepening their understanding of martial arts practice and culture.
What Makes This Course Special
Students learn useful, everyday Chinese (Mandarin) alongside Kung Fu / Tai Chi terminology, commands, and concepts—allowing language to be naturally applied both inside and outside the training studio.
Who Is This Course For?
Adults
• Learn Chinese (Mandarin) for daily conversation and martial arts training
• Practice common phrases alongside Kung Fu / Tai Chi terminology
• Explore the cultural background and philosophy behind Chinese martial artsTeens & Kids
• Learn Chinese through movement, Kung Fu, and Tai Chi practice
• Enjoy games, stories, and hands-on cultural activities
• Strengthen understanding of movements, concepts, and techniques
• Build confidence, focus, and coordination
• Designed to be fun, age-appropriate, and pressure-free
Course Highlights
• Daily conversation Chinese (Mandarin) + Kung Fu / Tai Chi training language
• Martial arts culture, stories, and traditions
• Interactive, fun, and hands-on learning
• No prior Chinese experience required
• Class duration: 45 minutes
In the summer of 2024, Ting Tong Chang spent the better part of a week exploring Pittsburgh, during which time he learned of the pivotal role the region played in the history of organized labor. He was particularly struck by the 1892 Homestead Strike — a violent confrontation between workers and Henry Clay Frick’s Pinkerton agents – and the extreme power imbalances it highlighted. Drawing inspiration from these events, as well as from the Mattress Factory’s own layered history of industrial and cultural production, the Taiwanese-born artist worked alongside local filmmakers Alex Abrahams and Benny Shaffer to create a story that would weave these threads together. The resulting work is a murder mystery film set in a fictional macaroni factory, where the factory owner is found dead and each character carries their own potential motives and suspicions.The museum is located at at 500 Sampsonia Way, in the Mexican War Streets neighborhood of the North Side (map).
This film noir–inspired work began as a three-act play. Here it becomes juxtaposed with a documentary style “making of” film. It is both a film and a film about the making of that film.
This cinematic device is further complicated by the casting of museum staff as the film’s actors. What emerges is not just a behind-the-scenes look into the creative process but an intimate portrait of daily museum life. Alongside cast rehearsals and set building, we see staff using the copy machine, greeting visitors, and cracking jokes at a morning meeting. The result is a twisting metanarrative that dissolves the boundaries between art and labor, performance and production. Through its structure and story, The Hidden Shift invites viewers to grapple with complex questions surrounding capitalism, the meaning of work, and the precarity of the so-called ‘creative class.’
This blending of reality and fiction extends beyond the screen, unfolding further within the exhibition space. Here, visitors encounter remnants of the film set – hand painted backdrops, leftover props, and dramatic lighting. By positioning the audience within the physical traces of the film’s production, Chang creates a bodily experience that unsettles our sense of what is real and what is constructed. We find ourselves unwittingly stepping onto a stage that slowly reveals itself.
At the climax of the film, the two juxtaposed narratives begin collapsing into each other. Staff are shown in costume walking through the museum. Fictional characters break the fourth wall. A boom mic operator slips into frame. This self-awareness and subtle humor is common in Chang’s work, where drama and satire merge, offering a lens to help us understand our complex past as we confront an uncertain future.
《售票開始》【造山者－世紀的賭注】北美電影展 - 匹茲堡場：今天正式啟售
《A Chip Odyssey》Movie tickets are now available!EventBrite購票：
受到熱切迴響與期待的【造山者－世紀的賭注】北美電影巡迴 - 11/22匹茲堡場的售票系統已啟動！趕緊來把你的票訂下來！**********11/22/2025 (六) 1:30 PM
McConomy Auditorium - Jared L. Cohon University Center, Carnegie Mellon University
2025 | 紀錄片 | 106 分鐘 | 導演 蕭菊貞 | 中英字幕 English subtitled
電影預告 Trailer：
**********About《A Chip Odyssey》2025 | Documentary | Taiwan | 106 mins | English SubtitlesA Chip Odyssey features interviews with over 80 key figures who witnessed and shaped the development of the semiconductor industry This feature-length documentary chronicles how Taiwan built this industry from scratch and transformed it into a global technological force, capturing a vital and transformative chapter in the island’s modern history.In 2019, director Hsiao Chu-Chen was deeply moved by stories shared at the memorial of semiconductor pioneer Hu Ding-Hwa—accounts of engineers who, driven by a sense of national mission, journeyed overseas to acquire the crucial knowledge that ignited Taiwan’s chip industry. Their spirit of sacrifice and collective resolve not only laid the foundation for Taiwan’s semiconductor revolution, but also marked a pivotal chapter in the island’s struggle for survival and global relevance.Directed by award-winning Hsiao Chu-Chen and produced by semiconductor veteran Ben Chen and acclaimed Oscar member Ben Tsiang, this five-year project draws on insights from voices across generations—from early contributors to today’s professionals in the semiconductor industry. A Chip Odyssey traces Taiwan’s journey from humble beginnings to its emergence as a critical pillar of the digital world. Through the eyes of pioneering engineers, female line technicians, frontline policymakers, visionary scientists, and a new generation now facing critical choices, the film reveals how, half a century ago, an entire island came together in a high-stakes gamble to shape its own destiny—and the future of global technology.Though Taiwan accounts for less than 0.02% of the world’s landmass, it has become an indispensable force in the era of AI and advanced chipmaking. As the invisible engines of modern life, chips produced in Taiwan now power everything from smart devices to strategic defense, placing the island at the center of the global technology race.A Chip Odyssey is not only a chronicle of technological ascent; it is a powerful testament to the spirit of a small island that poured its heart and soul into survival, innovation, and global relevance. As tensions rise and the semiconductor race intensifies, the film reminds us that behind every chip lies a human story—and behind every breakthrough, a cross-generational gamble.Event Presented by Pittsburgh Taiwanese AssociationCo-presented by Taiwanese Scholar Society in Pittsburgh and National Taiwan University Alumni Association of Pittsburgh------------.《造山者－世紀的賭注》導演：蕭菊貞 | 發行：CNEX視納華仁文化傳播2025 | 台灣 | 106 分鐘首部刻劃台灣半導體發展史的紀錄片電影，影片訪問超過80位見證半導體發展的關鍵人物，從當年的第一批工程師、女作業員、相關政策與科技界前輩，再到今日面臨抉擇的年輕工程師，深度呈現了台灣半導體產業如何從無到有，再蛻變成為全球科技發展的重要推手，這段跨越半世紀的紀錄片電影，見證了台灣重要的一頁近代史。導演蕭菊貞在2019年參加科技界前輩胡定華的追思會，深受與會者分享的台灣半導體故事觸動。他們肩負國家使命，遠赴海外取回半導體製造的技術火種，那份革命情感與奮鬥精神，不僅開創了台灣半導體產業的契機，也見證了台灣的島嶼命運與生存挑戰。「這段歷史不能忘記！」成為導演拍攝這部紀錄片的初衷。台灣雖僅占全球陸地面積不到萬分之二，卻掌握著AI與先進製程晶片的關鍵技術，成為地緣政治的兵家必爭之地。台積電生產的晶片不僅牽動全球戰略與商業競爭，也讓台灣在國際局勢中扮演前所未有的重要角色。矽科技時代，微小的晶片隱身在我們的生活之中，每分每秒控制著世界的運轉，半世紀過去，當年的半導體的種子已然成為一棵大樹守護著台灣，在這部紀錄片中，也讓我們看見晶片背後的台灣，如何傾全島之力在全球科技競賽中，站上關鍵地位，如何在強國利益間，為島嶼的安身立命奮鬥。.匹茲堡台灣同鄉會 | 匹茲堡台灣學人學生會 | 匹茲堡台大校友會 敬邀
Discover our artist-in-residence, Ting Tong Chang's latest solo exhibition at Mattress Factory! A new immersive installation will be displayed on the lower floor of our 500 Sampsonia building.Chang’s satirical gaze leaves no aspect of society untouched. Revelling in the absurd and illogical, he makes a mockery of socio-political subjects ranging from the social and ecological effects of consumerism to the functioning of the art world itself. Working across the distinct practices of immersive installation, video and theatre, his transgressive practice co-opts science, technology and history to dissect the world around him.Chang was selected for exhibition by a panel of Mattress Factory alumni artists through the 2024 International Open Call. Artists who have worked in residency with Mattress Factory offer perspective unlike any other, one that is deeply familiar with the museum, engaged in many aspects of the contemporary art field, and invested in pushing our exhibitions in new directions.Please note, parking is limited at our main lot at 505 Jacksonia Street, with additional street parking available in the surrounding neighborhood.
The event runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and is free and open to the public, though registration is required. This exhibition will be presented at 500 Sampsonia Way. in the Mexican War Streets neighborhood of the North Side (map).
《A Chip Odyssey》Movie tickets are now available!受到熱切迴響與期待的【造山者－世紀的賭注】北美電影巡迴 - 11/22匹茲堡場的售票系統已啟動！趕緊來把你的票訂下來！********************About《A Chip Odyssey》2025 | Documentary | Taiwan | 106 mins | English SubtitlesA Chip Odyssey features interviews with over 80 key figures who witnessed and shaped the development of the semiconductor industry This feature-length documentary chronicles how Taiwan built this industry from scratch and transformed it into a global technological force, capturing a vital and transformative chapter in the island’s modern history.In 2019, director Hsiao Chu-Chen was deeply moved by stories shared at the memorial of semiconductor pioneer Hu Ding-Hwa—accounts of engineers who, driven by a sense of national mission, journeyed overseas to acquire the crucial knowledge that ignited Taiwan’s chip industry. Their spirit of sacrifice and collective resolve not only laid the foundation for Taiwan’s semiconductor revolution, but also marked a pivotal chapter in the island’s struggle for survival and global relevance.Directed by award-winning Hsiao Chu-Chen and produced by semiconductor veteran Ben Chen and acclaimed Oscar member Ben Tsiang, this five-year project draws on insights from voices across generations—from early contributors to today’s professionals in the semiconductor industry. A Chip Odyssey traces Taiwan’s journey from humble beginnings to its emergence as a critical pillar of the digital world. Through the eyes of pioneering engineers, female line technicians, frontline policymakers, visionary scientists, and a new generation now facing critical choices, the film reveals how, half a century ago, an entire island came together in a high-stakes gamble to shape its own destiny—and the future of global technology.Though Taiwan accounts for less than 0.02% of the world’s landmass, it has become an indispensable force in the era of AI and advanced chipmaking. As the invisible engines of modern life, chips produced in Taiwan now power everything from smart devices to strategic defense, placing the island at the center of the global technology race.A Chip Odyssey is not only a chronicle of technological ascent; it is a powerful testament to the spirit of a small island that poured its heart and soul into survival, innovation, and global relevance. As tensions rise and the semiconductor race intensifies, the film reminds us that behind every chip lies a human story—and behind every breakthrough, a cross-generational gamble.Event Presented by Pittsburgh Taiwanese AssociationCo-presented by Taiwanese Scholar Society in Pittsburgh and National Taiwan University Alumni Association of Pittsburgh------------.《造山者－世紀的賭注》導演：蕭菊貞 | 發行：CNEX視納華仁文化傳播2025 | 台灣 | 106 分鐘首部刻劃台灣半導體發展史的紀錄片電影，影片訪問超過80位見證半導體發展的關鍵人物，從當年的第一批工程師、女作業員、相關政策與科技界前輩，再到今日面臨抉擇的年輕工程師，深度呈現了台灣半導體產業如何從無到有，再蛻變成為全球科技發展的重要推手，這段跨越半世紀的紀錄片電影，見證了台灣重要的一頁近代史。導演蕭菊貞在2019年參加科技界前輩胡定華的追思會，深受與會者分享的台灣半導體故事觸動。他們肩負國家使命，遠赴海外取回半導體製造的技術火種，那份革命情感與奮鬥精神，不僅開創了台灣半導體產業的契機，也見證了台灣的島嶼命運與生存挑戰。「這段歷史不能忘記！」成為導演拍攝這部紀錄片的初衷。台灣雖僅占全球陸地面積不到萬分之二，卻掌握著AI與先進製程晶片的關鍵技術，成為地緣政治的兵家必爭之地。台積電生產的晶片不僅牽動全球戰略與商業競爭，也讓台灣在國際局勢中扮演前所未有的重要角色。矽科技時代，微小的晶片隱身在我們的生活之中，每分每秒控制著世界的運轉，半世紀過去，當年的半導體的種子已然成為一棵大樹守護著台灣，在這部紀錄片中，也讓我們看見晶片背後的台灣，如何傾全島之力在全球科技競賽中，站上關鍵地位，如何在強國利益間，為島嶼的安身立命奮鬥。.匹茲堡台灣同鄉會 | 匹茲堡台灣學人學生會 | 匹茲堡台大校友會 敬邀
