Free beginner-level Chinese classes at Carnegie Library in East Liberty, Saturdays from June 21.

via Khun Hans Photography (Creative Commons)


The Carnegie Library branch in East Liberty will start a free "We Learn: Beginner-Level Chinese Language" class on Saturdays from June 21.

Welcome to the Chinese language learning circle! This is a beginner-level class, so you do not need to have any prior experience with the language. The focus will be on basic spoken Mandarin, but we might also learn some things about the writing system if there is enough interest.

Course materials we'll use

Course materials will be provided by Mango Languages, which is available for free through the library. We will also add other materials according to the learners' interests.

Registration is required. Classes are held from 3:00 to 4:00 pm in Meeting Room 2 over eight weeks, and the library is located at 130 S. Whitfield St. (map).

Free beginner-level Chinese classes at Carnegie Library in East Liberty, Saturdays from June 21.

via Khun Hans Photography (Creative Commons)


The Carnegie Library branch in East Liberty will start a free "We Learn: Beginner-Level Chinese Language" class on Saturdays from June 21.

Welcome to the Chinese language learning circle! This is a beginner-level class, so you do not need to have any prior experience with the language. The focus will be on basic spoken Mandarin, but we might also learn some things about the writing system if there is enough interest.

Course materials we'll use

Course materials will be provided by Mango Languages, which is available for free through the library. We will also add other materials according to the learners' interests.

Registration is required. Classes are held from 3:00 to 4:00 pm in Meeting Room 2 over eight weeks, and the library is located at 130 S. Whitfield St. (map).

New signage up for Taiwanese chain Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea (一芳台灣水果茶) in Squirrel Hill.

New signage is up in Squirrel Hill for Taiwanese chain Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea (一芳台灣水果茶), coming soon to Murray Ave. The US-based Taiwanese fruit tea chain put up window signage at 5825 Forbes Ave (map) in October, in what has been empty for a couple years but what was most recently Classic Lines bookstore. Paperwork and planning for the new tea spot---which will join Mango Mango, Tiger Sugar, Tsaaoca, and Meetcha on the same block---started back in April. Yi Fang currently has locations throughout California, the East Coast, and elsewhere in North America.

Taste of Asia Asian Food Festival, May 11 at Heinz History Center.

The third annual Taste of Asia Asian Food Festival will take place on May 11 at the Heinz History Center. The three-hour festival will feature food from numerous restaurants plus cultural performances and other attractions. 

Experience Asian culture and flavors at the Taste of Asia program.

Join the History Center on a cultural and culinary journey to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at Taste of Asia.

Presented in partnership with the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania and the Asian American Chamber of Commerce of Pittsburgh, the program will highlight Asian American contributions of the past and present in Pittsburgh.

Indulge in delicious bites from an assortment of local Asian restaurants, explore the history of Pittsburgh’s Asian American community with the Detre Library & Archives, and watch live performances to learn about cultural celebrations.

Engage with local chefs and expand your palette by sampling food from participating restaurants, including:

• Chengdu Gourmet 2
• Sushi Fuku
• Senyai Thai Kitchen
• 1:11 Juice Bar
• Bombay to Burgh
• Charm Thai Pittsburgh
• Grapow
• Hungry Panda
• Kung Fu Chicken
• Mango Mango
• Modern Filipino Cuisine
• Nan Xiang Dumpling
• Nepali Community of Greater Pittsburgh
• Sumi’s Cakery
• Sushi Too
• WeiLai Dim Sum
• Yotea Yoka Kitchen

Restaurant vendors will also have takeaway food available to purchase.

Don’t miss the chance to discover and celebrate the incredible diversity of Asian food culture in Pittsburgh!

The event runs from 12:00 to 3:00 pm, and the Heinz History Center is located at 1212 Smallman St. in the Strip District (map).

AAPI/Taiwan Community Day at PNC Park, September 3, as Pirates take on visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.

Taiwan Aloha will host a Taiwan Community Day at PNC Park on September 3, as the Pittsburgh Pirates take on the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers. This coinicides with other Asian and Asian-American events scheduled at the game, particularly because the Dodgers feature three Japanese baseball stars: Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki. This Taiwan Community Day will honor the Sophiyah Liu, Taiwan's first female baseball umpire, who will throw out the first pitch, while ticket sales of 500 or more through the event link will ensure future Taiwan Community Days at the ballpark.

Taiwan Aloha is proud to partner with the Pittsburgh Pirates to host AAPI/Taiwan Day at PNC Park!

We are honored to feature Sophiyah Liu, Taiwan’s first female baseball umpire, as our ceremonial first pitch guest. Sophiyah’s groundbreaking role in Taiwan reflects the Pittsburgh Pirates’ leadership as the first MLB team to build a dedicated umpire room for women, making this a meaningful connection between Taiwan and the U.S.

This year marks a special AAPI/Taiwan Day, but if we reach 500 ticket sales through the link below, the Pirates will host a dedicated Taiwan Day every year going forward!

The first 500 ticket buyers will receive a Taiwan No. 1 jersey (sponsored by Taiwan Aloha), a Pirates baseball cap, and a Taiwan-themed souvenir at the game.

A portion of ticket proceeds will support Taiwan Aloha, helping to offset the cost of jerseys and guest arrangements.

Your support helps celebrate Taiwan, uplift women in sports, and promote global friendship through baseball.

Ticket link: https://www.gofevo.com/event/Taiwanaloha0903

Tsung-Che Cheng (鄭宗哲) makes Major League debut, becoming third Taiwanese player in Pittsburgh Pirates history.

Shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng (鄭宗哲) became the third Taiwanese player in Pittsburgh Pirates history when he made his Major League debut this afternoon against the Cardinals. The Pirates called him up on Monday after infielder Jared Triolo went on the injured list. They signed him as a 17-year-old prospect in 2019, and he's the third Taiwanese player to make the regular season roster, after Wei-chung Wang in 2019 and Yu Chang in 2022. Chang is the longest-tenured Taiwanese player in Pittsburgh Pirates history, logging 18 games played and 42 at-bats. The Pirates have had numerous other Taiwanese players in the system, dating back to at least 2009 with Sheng-qin Hong, Pin-Hong Ji, and Ji-wei Xu.

The Pirates have had a number of other Asian-born players in their system, including: Chan-ho Park, Jung-ho Kang, Hoy Park, Ji-hwan Bae, and Ji-man Choi from Korea; and Masumi Kuwata, Akinori Iwamoto, Hisanori Takahashi, and Yoshitomo Tsutsugo from Japan.

Cheng is currently wearing #71 for the Pirates.

Pirates call up Tsung-Che Cheng (鄭宗哲), who will be the third Taiwanese player in Pirates history when he takes the field.

Before the game on Monday evening the Pittsburgh Pirates called up shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng (鄭宗哲) to their roster. Cheng is the Pirates #17 ranked prospect, and was added when infielder Jared Triolo was placed on the 10-day injured list. Cheng was signed as a 17-year-old in 2019, and he is among over a dozen Taiwanese players and prospects who have been in the Pirates organziation. When he gets into a regular season game he will be the third Taiwanese player to make the big league roster, after Wei-chung Wang in 2019 and Yu Chang in 2022.

Telling the Multiple Histories of Island Taiwan: The Case of the National Museum of Taiwan History, March 28 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library will host "Telling the Multiple Histories of Island Taiwan: The Case of the National Museum of Taiwan History" on March 28.

This presentation will focus on the exhibitions and publications of the National Taiwan Museum of History as key examples, exploring contemporary Taiwan's collective memory and public discourse featuring Dr. Lung-chih Chang 張隆志, Director of National Museum of Taiwan History. Dr. Lung-chih Chang 張隆志 specializes in Social & cultural history of Taiwan, ethnic relations, comparative colonialism, and Taiwanese historiography.

This event is sponsored by Taiwan Resource Center for Chinese Studies and the University of Pittsburgh Library System's East Asian Library.

It runs from 3:30 to 5:00 pm in the 3rd floor Archives & Special Collections Instruction Room (map), and is free and open to the public.

Taste of Asia Asian Food Festival, May 11 at Heinz History Center.

The third annual Taste of Asia Asian Food Festival will take place on May 11 at the Heinz History Center. The three-hour festival will feature food from 15 restaurants plus cultural performances and other attractions. The restaurant and vendor line-up includes, so far: Bombay & Burgh, Chengdu Gourmet, Hungry Panda, HK Dim Sum, Kung Fu Chicken 2, Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings, Pho Van, Szechuan Spice House, Sushi Fuku, Tous les Jours, Yujian Bao, and 1:11 Juice Bar, with a few others set to be announced soon.

The event runs from 12:00 to 3:00 pm, and the Heinz History Center is located at 1212 Smallman St. in the Strip District (map).

Sushi Atarashi's revolving sushi concept in Robinson closes, owner aims to regroup and reopen in a new location.

Sushi Atarashi transformed its Robinson location into revolving sushi restaurant on September 16, but closed a few months later on January 11. Atarashi was the second revovling sushi restaurant in Pittsburgh, after Kura Sushi opened on the Southside in September 2023.

The owner says he hopes to open a new revolving sushi restaurant in a more viable location in the city, though he's still scouting an ideal spot. The revolving concept was originally going to be part of the East End Meridian development under construction in East Liberty on the site of the former Shakespeare Giant Eagle, but ownership confirms space constraints will now limit it to an original Atarashi layout.

Sushi Atarashi is the rebranded outcome of Sushi Fuku, as the two split back in 2015 with the S. Craig St. location in Oakland retaining the original name. Sushi Atarashi---atarashi means "new" in Japanese---has several locations around the Pittsburgh area in addition to the original Oakland Avenue location.

Taiwanese-style chicken restaurant Kung Fu Chicken opens second location, this time in Shadyside.

Kung Fu Chicken, which operates a location in the Novo Asian Food Hall in the Strip District Terminal, opened another location in Shadyside on February 28. It is located at 709 Bellefonte St. in Shadyside (map), the former spot of I Tea Cafe, one of the first bubble tea places in Pittsburgh when it opened in 2013. From its signage:

At Kung Fu Chicken, we bring the authentic taste of Taiwan's bustling street food culture right to your table. Inspired by the vibrant night markets of Taipei, our specialty is the iconic Taiwanese chicken cutlet, known for its mouthwatering flavor, tender texture, and signature crispy coating. Our journey began with a passion for sharing the joy of traditional Taiwanese street food. Each cutlet is carefully crafted using fresh, high-quality ingredients and marinated in a blend of soy sauce, garlic, and secret spices, staying true to time-honored recipes. We pride ourselves on delivering a perfect balance of flavors---crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, with just the right amount of seasoning.

A Taiwanese chicken cutlet, also known as "ji pai" (雞排), is a popular street food in Taiwan. It's a large, boneless chicken breast that is pounded thin to tenderize it, then marinated in a mixture of soysauce, garlic, and spices to infuse it with rich flavor. The chicken is made from sweet potato starch, which gives it a distinctive crispy texture when deep-fried. The cutlet is typically seasoned with a special blend of spices, including white pepper, Chinese five-spice and chili powder for a mildly spicy kick. It's usually served piping hot, sometimes with a sprinkle of additional seasoning on top, and enjoyed as a snack or meal-on-the-go.

Screening of After Spring, the Tamaki Family (海的彼端), March 1 at Carnegie Mellon University.

Café Philo-Pittsburgh will present a screening of the film After Spring, the Tamaki Family (海的彼端) on March 1.

Join a movie screening of <After Spring, The Tamaki Family…> on Saturday, March 1 at 2pm at CMU.

This documentary delves into the history and identity struggles of the Tamaki family, the largest Taiwanese clan on Japan's Ishigaki Island. Forced into repatriation, the family endured the 228 Incident and 30 years as stateless refugees under U.S. rule in Okinawa. As the first generation ages, the Tamaki children plan a final journey to Taiwan to reconnect with their roots.

This is an event to commemorate the February 28 massacre of 1947 in Taiwan.  

Admission is FREE. Please reserve your tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/after-spring-the-tamaki-family-movie-screening-tickets-1227065819899 

Check-in for the event starts at 1:30 pm, a brief intro will start at 2:00, the film will start at 2:10, and the movie will be followed by a post-screening talk. The events will be held in McConomy Auditorium in the Jared L. Cohon University Center at Carnegie Mellon University (map). The screening is sponsored by Taiwan International Democratic Film Festival (TIDFF), KITA Foundation, Taiwan Aloha, and the Taiwanese Scholar Society in Pittsburgh (TSS).

New time for Pittsburgh Lunar New Year Parade on Sunday, February 16.

Organizers have moved the start time of the Lunar New Year Parde through Squirrel Hill from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm in the hopes of finding warmer weather. The relatively new annual tradition returns in 2025 after taking 2024 off. The parade moves up Murray Ave. from Phillips Ave. to Forbes Ave. (map).

Two information sessions on Huayu Scholarship for Mandarin-language study in Taiwan, February 10 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures will present two information sessions on Huayu Scholarship for Mandarin-language study in Taiwan on February 10. The scholarship is open to University of Pittsburgh undergraduate and graduate students. The sessions run from 1:30 to 3:00 pm in the Global Hub on the first floor of Posvar Hall (map). More information about the scholarhsip to National Taiwan Normal University is available via this Qualtrics survey.

Screening of After Spring, the Tamaki Family (海的彼端), March 1 at Carnegie Mellon University.

Café Philo-Pittsburgh will present a screening of the film After Spring, the Tamaki Family (海的彼端) on March 1.

Join a movie screening of <After Spring, The Tamaki Family…> on Saturday, March 1 at 2pm at CMU.

This documentary delves into the history and identity struggles of the Tamaki family, the largest Taiwanese clan on Japan's Ishigaki Island. Forced into repatriation, the family endured the 228 Incident and 30 years as stateless refugees under U.S. rule in Okinawa. As the first generation ages, the Tamaki children plan a final journey to Taiwan to reconnect with their roots.

This is an event to commemorate the February 28 massacre of 1947 in Taiwan.  

Admission is FREE. Please reserve your tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/after-spring-the-tamaki-family-movie-screening-tickets-1227065819899 

Check-in for the event starts at 1:30 pm, a brief intro will start at 2:00, the film will start at 2:10, and the movie will be followed by a post-screening talk. The events will be held in McConomy Auditorium in the Jared L. Cohon University Center at Carnegie Mellon University (map). The screening is sponsored by Taiwan International Democratic Film Festival (TIDFF), KITA Foundation, Taiwan Aloha, and the Taiwanese Scholar Society in Pittsburgh (TSS).

Lunar New Year Celebration, February 1 at Cooper-Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel.

The Cooper-Siegel Community Library will host a Lunar New Year Celebration on February 1.

Celebrate and learn about the Lunar New Year! This annual celebration organized by the Asian community of the Fox Chapel area features a wide variety of different festival activities. Final plans are still being made, but previous years have included: traditional Chinese music performed by Dorseyville Middle School students, taekwondo performed by the Young Brothers Taekwondo School students, a dragon parade, storytelling, crafts, as well as treats and gifts.

All ages are welcome.

The event runs from 2:00 to 3:30 pm. Registration is required and can be completed online. The Cooper-Siegel Community Library is located at 403 Fox Chapel Rd. (map).

Lunar New Year Celebration at University of Pittsburgh, January 22.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host a Lunar New Year Celebration on January 22.

Celebrate the Year of the Snake! Fun Activities & Delicious Snacks. Come join us and bring in the Lunar New Yeat with joy and excitement!

It runs from 12:00 to 1:30 pm in the Global Hub on the first floor of Posvar Hall (map), and is free and open to the Pitt community.

2025 Squirrel Hill Lunar New Year Parade, February 16.

Pittsburgh's Lunar New Year Parade will return in 2025. From the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition:

Please come out to join us to celebrate the 2025 Lunar New Year with a parade starting at Phillips and Murray (Streets closed Phillips to Forbes on Murray Ave from 9 - 12 pm)

Update: the start time has been moved to 12:00 pm.

The relatively new annual tradition returns after taking 2024 off. The parade starts at 10:00 am, moving up Murray Ave. from Phillips Ave. to Forbes Ave. (map).

Monthly Chinese & English Storytime for kids, starting January 4 at Cooper-Siegel Library in Fox Chapel.

The monthly Chinese-English Storytime will continue in 2025 at the Cooper-Siegel Library with its first session on January 4.

Explore the Chinese language through bilingual songs, books, and playful experiences. This program is designed for kids in grades preschool - 2nd grade with their caregivers. This program occurs on the first Saturday of the month. Please register for all dates you plan to attend.

The event runs from 10:30 am to 11:30 am in the Verne C. Koch Program Room. Future sessions are scheduled for February 1, March 1, April 5, and May 3. (There are also Chinese-English Storytimes scheduled for January 17, February 15, March 15, and May 17, from 10:30 to 11:30 am, at the Sharpsburg Community Library.) Registration is required and can be completed online. The Cooper-Siegel Community Library is located at 403 Fox Chapel Rd. (map).

Registration open for newest sessions of Adult Mandarin Classes through the Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning.

Registration remains open for newest sessions of Adult Mandarin Classes through the Taiwan Center for Mandarin Learning.

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!

Classes are Sundyas from 10:00 am to 12:45 pm at South Hills Middle School (map), and the next sesion runs from January 12 through April 6, 2025. The cost is $120 per term, with discounts for referrals available. Space is limited and registration can be completed online.