Chinese Calligraphy at Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill, January 28.

The Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill will host Chinese Calligraphy on January 28.

Stop in on January 28 to celebrate Lunar New Year’s Day with Chinese Calligraphy! Join us to rub ink sticks, learn to write “lucky” Chinese characters with a brush and carry the luck with you into the New Year.

新年好!

The library is located at 5801 Forbes Ave. (map) and is accessible by buses 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, 64, and 74.

Nomadic Perspectives on Multivocality in the Altai Mountains, January 19 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Center for Russian and East European Studies will host Robert O. Beahrs and his talk "Nomadic Perspectives on Multivocality in the Altai Mountains" on January 19.

Over the past forty years, nomadic vocal practices from Inner Asia known as "throat-singing" or "overtone singing have been commonly misunderstood. Drawing on twelve years of fieldwork in Tuva and Altai, this presentation explores how localized cosmologies and indigenous philosophies of voice and music suggest new ways of conceiving of xöömei beyond ethnic identity and vocal technique. This project joins a number of recent anthropological studies of Central Eurasia that reexamine how indigenous peoples were inscribed into the ethnographic archive and offers new ways of conceiving of the poetics and politics of life in less human-centered ecologies.

The talk starts at 3:30 pm in 4217 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

1993 movie Sailor Moon R: The Movie (劇場版 美少女戦士セーラームーンＲ) at Hollywood Theater January 21 - 25, part of US theatrical premiere.

The 1993 movie Sailor Moon R: The Movie (劇場版 美少女戦士セーラームーンＲ) will play in US theaters for the first time in January 2017, and will be in Pittsburgh on January 21, 22, 24, and 25 at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont. The distributor provides a plot summary:

Long before Mamoru found his destiny with Usagi, he gave a single rose in thanks to a lonely boy who helped him recover from the crash that claimed his parents. This long-forgotten friend, Fiore, has been searching the galaxy for a flower worthy of that sweet gesture long ago. The mysterious flower he finds is beautiful, but has a dark side- it has the power to take over planets. To make matters worse, the strange plant is tied to an ominous new asteroid near Earth! Faced with an enemy blooming out of control, It’s up to Sailor Moon and the Sailor Guardians to band together, stop the impending destruction and save Mamoru!

The theatrical premiere will also include the short "Make Up! Sailor Guardians", and giveaways are available on a first-come first-served basis.

Tickets are currently available online. The screenings on January 21, 22, and 24 will be dubbed in English and the January 25 showing will be in Japanese with English subtitles. The theater is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. in Dormont (map), and is accessible by Pittsburgh's subway/LRT at a block south of Potomac Station.

Nicky's Thai Kitchen to open North Hills location.

Construction is underway at 1026 Mt. Nebo Rd (map) on Nicky's Thai Kitchen, in what was formerly Recipe's Remembered and, most recently, a Chinese restaurant. Nicky's Thai Kitchen has two locations in Pittsburgh---downtown and North Shore---and is routinely in the conversation for best Thai food in the city. The North Hills location is scheduled for a February opening.

1993 Studio Ghibli film Ocean Waves (海がきこえる) in Pittsburgh for the first time, January 20 - 26 (sneak preview January 17).

The 1993 Studio Ghibli movie Ocean Waves (海がきこえる) made its US premiere in December, and will play at the Row House Cinema from January 20 through 26. The theater has planned a sneak preview on January 17; tickets go on sale to the general public on December 22. The distributor provides a summary of the film that premiered in New York City on December 28 and nationwide in January:

Rarely seen outside of Japan, Ocean Waves is a subtle, poignant and wonderfully detailed story of adolescence and teenage isolation. Taku and his best friend Yutaka are headed back to school for what looks like another uneventful year. But they soon find their friendship tested by the arrival of Rikako, a beautiful new transfer student from Tokyo whose attitude vacillates wildly from flirty and flippant to melancholic. When Taku joins Rikako on a trip to Tokyo, the school erupts with rumors, and the three friends are forced to come to terms with their changing relationships.

Ocean Waves was the first Studio Ghibli film directed by someone other than studio founders Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, as director Tomomi Mochizuki led a talented staff of younger employees in an adaptation of Saeko Himuro’s best-selling novel. Full of shots bathed in a palette of pleasingly soft pastel colors and rich in the unexpected visual details typical of Studio Ghibli’s most revered works, Ocean Waves is an accomplished teenage drama and a true discovery.

Tickets for the sneak preview are still available online, and tickets and showtimes are available at the Row House Cinema's website. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

New Asian hair salon coming to Squirrel Hill.

Renovations are underway at 5815 Forbes Ave. in Squirrel Hill (map), where Feng's Hair Salon will open in what was most recently a Kidz & Company children's clothing store. It will be the second Asian hair salon in the neighborhood, and the most recent in a line of Asian businesses to recently open in Squirrel Hill following Hair Lin's (名髮廊), two express mail services, an Asian clothing boutique, a Taiwanese restaurant, and Hi Sound KTV.

Josh Lindblom rejoins Pirates, by way of Lotte.

via 스포츠동아.

Major League Baseball's official site on the 12th profiled Josh Lindblom, a 29-year-old pitcher signed by Pittsburgh in December after two years with the Lotte Giants.

He learned some conversational Korean, came to appreciate the food, took part in team events and soaked in the unique baseball culture for two years. He pitched pretty well, too, starting 61 games with a 4.33 ERA in the hitter-friendly KBO. He became a fan favorite in a foreign country.

"We loved everything about it," he said. "I can't say enough about our experience over there. No words can describe the way they accepted us. It was unbelievable. … It was probably one of the best, if not the best experience of my career."

Lindblom was briefly in the organization in 2014. He returned to the US because of his infant daughter, who requires special medical attention.

On July 1, after one of those routine checkups, the top pediatric cardiologist in South Korea told the Lindbloms their daughter would be born with a rare congenital heart defect: Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome. The right side of her heart didn't develop properly.

. . .

Monroe was born on Oct. 20. She had her first open-heart surgery a week later, on Oct. 27. It won't be her last. She'll need another operation this summer, maybe one more after that.

You'd never know it by looking at her, Lindblom says. She's a beautiful, growing baby. But for now, he says, Monroe is "day to day." For her and her parents, some of those days are better than others.

"Essentially, she still has half a heart," Lindblom said. "Every day's a battle. You wake up and you're just thankful that she's alive."

Dr. Haifeng Huang and "China's Development through Green Economic Policy" at Pitt, January 17.

Dr. Haifeng Huang of the Peking University HSBC Business School will speak on "China's Development through Green Economic Policy" at the University of Pittsburgh on January 17. The talk will run from 5:00 to 6:15 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

"Aristotle Meets Sei Shonagon--Figures of Speech in Japanese Advertising" at Pitt, January 20.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Patricia Wetzel of Portland State University and her talk "Aristotle Meets Sei Shonagon--Figures of Speech in Japanese Advertising" on January 20.

"It would not come as a surprise to the fields of marketing and consumer research that language—specifically rhetoric—is crucial to effective advertising. But just how might linguistics look at the same figures of speech that fascinate the world of commerce? A meeting of the minds between business and marketing on the one hand and linguistics on the other is taking place through their mutual interest in semiotics and classical rhetoric."

"The questions I wish to address here are: What are the common rhetorical devices of Japanese advertising? And how do they compare with their western counterparts? The umbrella of rhetoric has a broad scope which may have to be expanded even further to accommodate tropes and schemes that may not be present in western texts."

The event begins at 4:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

Colloquium "Transcendence and Return: Re-interpreting and Re-envisioning Urbanization in Contemporary Chinese Art" at Pitt, January 13.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures will host MA candidate and her colloquium "Transcendence and Return: Re-interpreting and Re-envisioning Urbanization in Contemporary Chinese Art" on January 13.

From the perspective based on Chinese traditional aesthetics and philosophy, this paper discusses how the artistic representation of urban landscape, materials and performed bodies reflects on the contemporary context in China since the late 1990s. The artists include Zhang Dali, Chen Qiulin, Yang Yongliang, Xing Danwen and Chen Qingqing. On the one hand, the meditation, reflection and representation of urban transformation by these artists focus indicate not the urban conflicts but more importantly the cultural values, historical significance and spatial fluidity. Such specific time-space relation can be seen as the transcendence of universality and locality in terms of Chinese fast urban expansion and enter to the global market. On the other hand, the indigenous focus on the global issues of urbanization meanwhile entails the possibility to return on the tradition-based theoretical structures, such as Yi Pai, to rethink about the writing of Chinese art history and to reestablish the cultural identity in the temporal context.

The event begins at 12:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

MEPPI Lecture Series - The Japanese Spirit of an American Company, January 19.

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania will host the next MEPPI Lecture Series event on January 19 with Paul Francis, the Senior Director of Advanced Product Innovation at Nike, who

will present on the Japanese connection that continues to be a part of the culture at NIKE.

The event runs from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Frick Fine Arts Building in Oakland (map). It is free and open to the public, though registration is required and can be completed online.

Upcoming Chinese movie Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2 (西遊伏妖篇) in Pittsburgh, from February 3.

The upcoming Chinese movie Journey to the West: Conquering the Demons 2 (西遊伏妖篇), set for a January 28 release date in China, will play at the AMC Loews Waterfront theater from February 3. Ticket information has yet to be announced.

Filipino Marathon Film Series continues with Sonata in Oakland, January 14.

The 2013 movie Sonata will play at the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium in Oakland on January 14, the second installment in the Filipino Marathon Film Series presented by the Filipino American Association of Pitsburgh.

An opera diva, on the verge of a nervous breakdown after losing her voice, returns home to Negros Occidental and through a young boy rediscovers her art and life. As the world of the well-traveled opera diva collides with the world of a young boy in the throes of exploration, both discover the nature of art and the healing power of love.

The event runs from 6:00 to 9:00 pm at the Frick Fine Arts Building (map). Single tickets are $10 and proceeds benefit the Philippine Nationality Room fund.

Upcoming animated movie Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (劇場版 ソードアート・オンライン -オーディナル・スケール) in Pittsburgh, March 9.

The upcoming Japanese animated movie Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (劇場版 ソードアート・オンライン -オーディナル・スケール) will play at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont on March 9, the date of its US premiere.

113 Industries hiring Chinese-language Consultant, Consumer Insights.

113 Industries, a market research consulting firm headquartered in Station Square, is hiring a Chinese-language "Consultant, Consumer Insights". An excerpt of the job posting, via Indeed.com:

113 Industries is seeking a detail-oriented and self-motivated Consultant to join the Consumer Insights team on projects related to Chinese consumers. The Consultant’s primary contributions will include configuring and analyzing data collection campaigns in Chinese language.

This is a temporary assignment but could lead to a full-time role as an Associate with highly variable day-to-day activities, a highly collaborative team, and great exposure to industry-leading organizations. In that Associate role, the candidate will create strategies, presentations and deliverables and interact with the clients directly. In that role, the candidate will also contribute to ongoing development of 113’s services to continually enhance the analysis of consumer data and insights.

Excellent knowledge of Chinese languages, both written and verbal, and Chinese culture is a must. Good knowledge of English is also required.

This opportunity is based in Pittsburgh, PA.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Identify conversation trends and patterns within social media data occurring in various spaces for projects in the Chinese languages
• Configure the software and tools 113 Industries uses for social listening and analysis in Chinese.
• Read through and analyze social data in Chinese for insights and conversation trends and identify the various themes and spaces of conversations
• Work closely with insights team to extract patterns in data and create subsequent strategic recommendations for clients
• Help team to maintain project deliverable timelines through providing status reports

Potential Additional Responsibilities

• Perform deep-dive market research and analysis to understand and conceptualize the existing consumer space
• Contribute to product ideation and brainstorming sessions
• Develop strategy briefs and project deliverables
• Deliver presentations and reports internally as well as to clients and serve as a communication contact with clients

Qualifications:

• Excellent knowledge of Chinese language, written and verbal, and good knowledge of English
• Excellent knowledge of Chinese culture, preferably someone who has lived and grown up in China
• Bachelor’s Degree
• 1-2 years work experience
• Background in marketing, business analysis, market research, and/or social listening ideal
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong communication (written and verbal) skills

Cambodian-American rock group Dengue Fever in Pittsburgh this April.

Dengue Fever, a Cambodian-American "cross pollination of Khmer rock, garage rock, psychedelic rock and the British Invasion sound", recently announced a stop in Pittsburgh as part of their 2017 tour with Tinariwen. Tickets for the April 21 show at the Carnegie Library of Homestead are currently on sale and range from $18.75 to $45.



Dengue Fever last performed in Pittsburgh in 2012.

2016 Jackie Chan movie Railroad Tigers (铁道飞虎) in Pittsburgh, from January 13.

The upcoming movie Railroad Tigers (铁道飞虎), released in China on December 23, will play at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont from January 13. The distributor provides a summary:

In this action-comedy caper harkening back to Jackie Chan’s classic Hong Kong films, a railroad worker (Chan) and his ragtag group of freedom fighters find themselves on the wrong side of the tracks when they decide to ambush a heavily armed military train filled with desperately needed provisions. Unarmed and outnumbered, they must fight back against an entire army using only their wits, in a series of a dazzling set pieces and action scenes rivaling anything seen on the big screen.

It was originally scheduled to open at AMC Loews Waterfront and the Hollywood Theater from January 6 as part of its initial nationwide release. Ticket and showtime information is available at the Hollywood Theater's website. The theater is located at 1449 Potomac Ave. in Dormont (map), and is accessible by Pittsburgh's subway/LRT at a block south of Potomac Station.

Chinese-language EndNote, Mendeley training sessions at Hillman Library in February.

The University of Pittsburgh Library System will offer training sessions in EndNote Basics and Mendeley Basics in Chinese in February. A description of EndNote Basics for Chinese Speakers, scheduled for February 6 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm:

Each training session will cover creating an account, searching resources and exporting citations, organizing citations, attaching files to citations, creating and formatting bibliographies, and inserting citations automatically into documents. Time will be available after the session for individual questions and practice.

Laptop owners: If you have a laptop that is set up for wireless PittNet, please bring it to use during the session with the software already loaded on it.

我們會講解如何使用EndNote的一些基本功能：如何建立帳號； 搜尋數據庫，導出參考文獻；參考文獻的組織與管理；給參考文獻附加全文；參考文獻表的建立與格式化； 撰写论文时自動插入參考文獻。

溫馨提示：如果您想在課上用您的電腦筆記本進行練習，請確認您的電腦筆記能連接匹大無綫網，而且已經下載了相關軟件。

And for Mendeley Basics for Chinese Speakers, scheduled for February 9 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm:

Each training session will cover creating an account, searching resources and exporting citations, organizing citations, attaching files to citations, creating and formatting bibliographies, and inserting citations automatically into documents. Time will be available after the session for individual questions and practice.

Laptop owners: If you have a laptop that is set up for wireless PittNet, please bring it to use during the session with the software already loaded on it.

我們會講解如何使用Mendeley的一些基本功能：如何建立帳號； 搜尋數據庫，導出參考文獻；參考文獻的組織與管理；給參考文獻附加全文；參考文獻表的建立與格式化； 撰写论文时自動插入參考文獻。

溫馨提示：如果您想在課上用您的電腦筆記本進行練習，請確認您的電腦筆記能連接匹大無綫網，而且已經下載了相關軟件

Registration is required and can be completed at the respective event pages.

One Piece Film: Gold (ワンピースフィルムゴールド) in Pittsburgh, from January 10.

The 2016 Japanese animated movie One Piece Film: Gold (ワンピースフィルムゴールド) will have a limited theatrical release in the US in January, and will play at the Southside Works Cinemas from January 10 through 17. The distributor summarizes:

The Straw Hat pirates are hitting the big screen once again in an all-new high-flying adventure! The popular series that has captivated fans all over the world unfolds a new saga in the highly anticipated movie, One Piece Film: Gold.

The glittering Gran Tesoro, a city of entertainment beyond the laws of the government, is a sanctuary for the world’s most infamous pirates, Marines, and filthy rich millionaires. Drawn by dreams of hitting the jackpot, Captain Luffy and his crew sail straight for the gold. But behind the gilded curtains lies a powerful king whose deep pockets and deeper ambitions spell disaster for the Straw Hats and the New World alike.

Tickets and showtimes are available on the theater's website.

Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) in Pittsburgh area for film's 20th anniversary, January 5 and 9.

The 1997 Japanese animated film Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫) by Studio Ghibli will play at several theaters in the Pittsburgh area as part of a limited release for its 20th anniversary. A 1999 Roger Ebert four-star review summarizes:

Hayao Miyazaki is a great animator, and his "Princess Mononoke" is a great film. Do not allow conventional thoughts about animation to prevent you from seeing it. It tells an epic story set in medieval Japan, at the dawn of the Iron Age, when some men still lived in harmony with nature and others were trying to tame and defeat it. It is not a simplistic tale of good and evil, but the story of how humans, forest animals and nature gods all fight for their share of the new emerging order. It is one of the most visually inventive films I have ever seen.

The film will be shown with English subtitles on January 5 and dubbed in English on January 9, and will play at five local Cinemark theaters: Monaca, Monroeville, North Hills, Pittsburgh Mills and Robinson. Tickets are now available online via the Cinemark website (for the January 9 showing, search by theater to purchase tickets).

1995's Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) at Southside Works, February 7 and 8.

The 1995 Japanese animated movie Ghost in the Shell (攻殻機動隊) will play in Pittsburgh on February 7 and 8, 2017. 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[.]

Tickets are currently available online. Southside Works Cinema is located at 425 Cinema Drive in the Southside, one block from the Hot Metal Bridge (map).