WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring bilingual English+Mandarin SSAT tutor.

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education and consulting company WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) has announced openings for part-time bilingual SSAT tutors.

The academic support department of Wholeren Education is looking for talented, experienced tutors in SSAT for high school level Chinese international students in the US. We help both struggling and gifted students reach their full potential by supplementing the instruction they receive in class and guiding them toward study practices and aides that can help them excel. Tutors work with individual students one-on-one, though we occasionally organize group activities for students who are studying the same material. Most of the time, we provide our students with online tutoring unless the tutor is located in the same area with the student. Our team offers compassionate, motivating assistance to students, and we expect our new hires to do the same. If you have experience tutoring students, please submit an application.

2018 movie Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions The Movie: Take O (映画 中二病でも恋がしたい！ -Take On Me) in Pittsburgh, November 4.

The 2018 Japanese animated movie Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions The Movie: Take O (映画 中二病でも恋がしたい！ -Take On Me) will play in Pittsburgh on November 4. The Anime News Network provides a summary of the movie based on a manga series:

Rikka is now a third-year student, but she still has "chūnibyō" syndrome. University entrance exams loom on the horizon, and it's spring break, and Yūta and Rikka are together as usual. One day, Rikka's older sister Tōka declares that she's going to take Rikka to Italy with her, as Tōka is moving to Italy for work and she thinks they should move together as a family. Yūta understands Tōka's opinion, but thinks that at this rate he and Rikka will be separated. Shinka and the other members suggest that Yūta and Rikka should "elope," and thus sets the stage for Yūta and Rikka's travels throughout Japan in their escape drama.

The movie plays in Japanese with English subtitles at the Southside Works Cinema. Tickets for the 7:00 pm show are available online. The theater is located at 425 Cinema Drive in the Southside, one block from the Hot Metal Bridge (map).

Japanese-language yoga class in Shadyside, Saturdays from November 3.

St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Shadyside (map) will host Japanese-language yoga sessions on Saturdays, from November 3. The cost is $10 per session, and though reservations are not required they are recommended as space is limited.

Pitt hiring Assistant Instructor of Korean for Fall 2019 start.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures is hiring an Assistant Instructor of Korean for a Fall 2019 start.

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at the University of Pittsburgh (http://www.deall.pitt.edu) invites applications for an Assistant Instructor position in Korea studies, pending budgetary approval, beginning September 1, 2019. The position is non-tenure stream with the possibility of renewal for a multi-year contract. The successful candidate is expected to contribute significantly to the Korean language program and teach language courses on all levels. The successful candidate should hold an MA in teaching Korean as a foreign language or in an allied field, possess native or near-native competence in all skill areas of Korean and English, and have at least one year of teaching experience at a North American institution of higher education.

The new hire should be prepared to teach classes for both undergraduate and graduate students. Instruction to graduate students may involve PhD and MA students whose focus may be on literature, history, art history, religion, anthropology, etc. Preference will be given to candidates who possess linguistic knowledge of the Korean language, and who demonstrate familiarity with theories in second language acquisition and current practices in Korean pedagogy in North American higher education settings. Any expertise in non-language areas such as film, popular culture, literature, etc. will be a plus. Duties include teaching both recitations and lectures of language courses as well as working closely with the language coordinator to contribute to the overall effectiveness of the Korean language program. The appointee should expect to collaborate with Asianists in other units (e. g., the Asian Studies Center) to promote Korea studies.

The application deadline is November 9; additional application details and requirements are available on the job posting.

Pitt hiring Assistant Instructor of Chinese for Fall 2019 start.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures is hiring an Assistant Instructor of Chinese for a Fall 2019 start.

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at the University of Pittsburgh (http://www.deall.pitt.edu) invites applications for an Assistant Instructor position in Chinese, pending budgetary approval, beginning September 1st, 2019. The position is non-tenure-stream with the possibility of renewal. The successful candidate is expected to contribute significantly to the Chinese language program and teach language courses on all levels. The successful candidate should hold an MA in Chinese as a foreign language or in an allied field, possess native or near-native competence in Chinese and English, and have at least two years of Chinese language teaching experience at a North American institution of higher education.

Preference will be given to candidates who possess linguistic knowledge of the Chinese language and who demonstrate familiarity with current practices in Chinese pedagogy in North American higher education settings. Duties include teaching both recitations and lectures of language courses, as well as working closely with the language coordinator to contribute to the overall effectiveness of the Chinese language program. The appointee should also expect to collaborate with Asianists in other units (e. g., the Asian Studies Center) to promote Chinese language learning and China studies.

The application deadline is November 9; additional application details and requirements are available on the job posting.

US premiere of Yabin Wang Dance's "Moon Opera," November 3 at Byham Theater.

Photo by Wang Ning, via Yabin Wang's Behance page.

Yabin Wang's "Moon Opera" will make its US premiere in Pittsburgh on November 3, as part of the city's International Festival of Firsts:

Yabin Wang is China’s superstar. One of the most promising and pioneering choreographers in contemporary dance in China, her work was commissioned by English National Ballet and was performed by the company at Sadler’s Wells for their prestigious She Said series. Westerns know her best for her incredible dance in the film House of Flying Daggers.

In her newest work, Moon Opera, she has collaborated with a multi-disciplinary team of award-winning designers and composers to unveil a dramatic modern-day story of an artist. Through the lens of Chinese culture, contemporary dance tells the story of a Peking Opera performer struggling between her dreams of artistic stardom and the harsh realities of maintaining her traditional role as a woman in society.

The Byham Theater is located at 101 6th Street in downtown's Cultural District (map).

"Cherry Blossoms, Traditions, Symbols, and Stories" at Pitt, October 30.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Ann McClellan and her talk "Cherry Blossoms, Traditions, Symbols, and Stories" on October 30.

Author Ann McClellan will explore the images and tales associated with the ethereal Japanese cherry blossoms. People have celebrated the blooming of these trees for more than 1000 years, and today they serve as instruments of diplomacy, as landscape enhancements, and as eternal signs of spring and romance.

Ann McClellan is the author of two definitive books about the Japanese cherry blossoms including the official book of the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, DC.

The talk runs from 5:00 to 6:30 pm in 540 Cathedral of Learning (map) and is free and open to the public.

University of Pittsburgh hiring Chinese-speaking student to be Program Coordinator for Shougang Executive Education program visit.

The University of Pittsburgh is hiring a bilingual Mandarin-English student to be the Program Coordinator for the Shougang Executive Education program through the Katz Graduate School of Business.

The candidate will work closely with the Director of Operations to provide logistical support for the Shougang Executive Education program. The candidate will attend all academic sessions, all site visits and all meetings with the Shougang and WholeRen team. Where necessary, the candidate will provide verbal and written translation services.

Fluent in Mandarin and English (spoken and written). Experience in business. Must be able to attend all academic sessions and site visits. Must be able to work independently.

Crazy Rich Asians free at Pitt, November 2.

The Pitt Program Council and the Chinese American Student Association will present a free screening of Crazy Rich Asians on November 2.

Join Pitt Program Council and Chinese American Students Association in the WPU Assembly Room at 10:00 P.M. on Friday, November 2nd for a FREE screening of Crazy Rich Asians! We will be providing Asian-influenced snacks, and there’ll be a photo booth. Doors open at 9:15.

The event is free and open to Pitt undergraduates with a valid student ID.

"Somebody is Watching"—lecture on Koshikijima no Toshidon (甑島のトシドン)—at Pitt, November 5.

via satsumasendai.gr.jp

Pitt will host Dr. Michael Foster of UC-Davis and his talk on "Koshikijima no Toshidon (甑島のトシドン)" on November 5.

"Koshikijima no Toshidon" is a New Year's Eve ritual performed annually on the island of Shimo-Koshikijima off the southwest coast of Kagoshima Prefecture. During the event, men masked and costumed as frightening demon-deities enter individual households to "discipline" and "educate" young children. In 2009 the ritual was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This talk will introduce Toshidon with a focus on the way a structure of surveillance, of "seeing and being seen," informs the performance of the ritual and to a certain extent the everyday lives of the islanders. An understanding of the dynamic of this "optic imaginary" provides insight into broader questions of community, tourism, UNESCO, and the production of heritage in Japan and elsewhere.

The talk runs from noon to 1:30 pm in 602 Cathedral of Learning (map).

1934 Chinese silent film The Goddess (神女) at Pitt, November 15.

The University of Pittsburgh's Film and Media Studies Program will present the 1934 Chinese silent film The Goddess (神女) on November 15.

The November Pittsburgh Film and Media Colloquium will feature a screening of the Chinese silent film The Goddess (directed by Wu Yonggang, 1934). Released by the Lianhua Film Company (United Photoplay), the film stars Ruan Lingyu in one of her final roles. This will be a special presentation featuring pipa artist and composer Min Xiao-Fen and guitarist Rez Abbasi, two New York-based artists who have created a score to accompany the screening of the film. The film will be introduced by Kun Qian, Associate Professor of Chinese Literature and Film.

The movie starts at 6:00 pm in the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium (map).

"Storytime: Chinese and English" at Carnegie Library in Squirrel Hill, October 27.

The Squirrel Hill branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh will host its next "Storytime: Chinese and English" on October 27.

Celebrate our city’s diverse culture as we explore new words through songs, action rhymes and stories in Chinese and English. For children birth-5 years and their caregivers.

It runs from 11:00 to 11:30 am and is free and open to the public. The Carnegie Library branch in Squirrel Hill is located at 5801 Forbes Ave. (map), accessible by buses 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, and 74.

Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) in Pittsburgh, October 28, 29, 30.

The 2001 Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し) will play in Pittsburgh as part of GKIDS Studio Ghibli Fest 2018 from October 28 through 30.

Authoritarian Governance of Auyghur Autonomous Region in China, October 23 at Pitt.

The Global Citizen Lab at Pitt will host Sarah Tynen and her talk "Authoritarian Governance of Uyghur Autonomous Region in China" on October 23. The talk by a University of Colorado Boulder PhD candidate

explores state territorialization practices as crucial components in shaping everyday life. In particular, it asks: How do citizens experience state bureaucratic power at the neighborhood level in their everyday lives? What is the role of community participation in garnering regime legitimacy? The research draws on 24 months of ethnographic and interview data in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of northwest China. The findings show that the conflict between state control and social membership revolves around the negotiation for territorial control, especially when it comes to struggle for power over minority bodies in nationalist space.

It runs from 4:00 to 6:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).

Paul Tran, "Search & Destroy: Building a New Language for Freedom," at Pitt, November 4.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Student Alliance will host Paul Tran and their talk "Search & Destroy: Building a New Language for Freedom" on November 4.

The Pitt Asian Students Alliance is proud to present our first speaker of the 2018-19 academic year: Paul Tran! Join us as Paul leads a workshop titled Search & Destroy: Building a New Language for Freedom.

Paul Tran (They/Them/Their) is a poet, poetry editor at The Offing Magazine, and 2018 recipient of a Ruth Lilly & Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Fellowship. Their work has been featured in The New Yorker, Poetry Magazine, and numerous other outlets.

Join the discussion as they share their experiences of being part of the LGBTQIA+ community and the intersectionality with their Asian background! We hope to see you there!

The event runs from 5:00 to 7:00 pm in the William Pitt Union Lower Lounge (map).

Pittsburgh Chinese School hiring teachers.

The Pittsburgh Chinese School is still hiring teachers for its numerous language and subject classes held each Sunday in Squirrel Hill.

匹兹堡中文学校诚聘有爱心和责任心,有教学经验, 并有工作许可的有关人士加入教师队伍。

岗位要求:
1、热爱中国文化,并有热情将中国的文化广泛传播。
2、喜欢孩子,有爱心、耐心,责任心,有亲和力。
3、普通话发音标准清晰,语言表达能力强。
4、有基本的英语表达沟通能力。
5、有中文教学经验,尤其是有中小学教学经验者优先。
6、有教育或中文相关学历者优先。
7、文艺课教师有相关学历或工作经验者优先。

Mongolian-inspired "nomadic folk metal" band Tengger Cavalry in Pittsburgh, November 27.

Mongolian-inspired "nomadic folk metal" band Tengger Cavalry will play Spirit Lounge on November 27.

Tengger Cavalry, or "the army of sky god", is not only a Billboard-featured metal band, but also a symbol of nomadic warrior spirit that connects fans from all over the world. With a mix of throat singing, Mongolian fiddle and Central Asian instruments, the band performed a sold out concert at Carnegie Hall and featured in CNN, New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.

Local Asian-Appalachian folk music group Appalasia will open. Tickets for the 7:00 pm show are available online. Spirit is located at 242 51st St. in Lawrenceville (map).

Japan Exchange & Teaching Program (JET) Information Session, October 23 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center and the Pittsburgh JET Alumni Association will host a Japan Exchange & Teaching Program Information Session on October 23.

Are you graduating soon? Thinking about the future? Come to the Japan Exchange & Teaching Program information session to find out if this program could be your next adventure! If you're at all interested in working abroad in Japan, this is a great opportunity for you! Positions are available as Assistant Language Teachers or as Coordinators for International Relations. Pittsburgh JET Alumni Association's President, Smitha Prasadh, will be leading the session and a panel of alumni will be available to answer questions.

The event starts at 5:00 pm in 4217 Posvar Hall (map).

Documentary Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki (終わらない人 宮崎駿) in Pittsburgh area, December 13 and 18.

Tickets went on sale today for the US premiere of the 2016 documentary, Never-Ending Man: Hayao Miyazaki, which will play locally at the Cinemark theater in Robinson on December 13 and 18. A summary from the distributor:

In 2013, Academy Award®-winning film director and animator Hayao Miyazaki suddenly announced his retirement at the age of 72. But he can’t shake his burning desire to create. After an encounter with young CGI animators, Miyazaki embarks on a new project to utilize CGI for the first time ever. But the artist, who has been adamant about hand-drawn animation, confronts many challenges that threaten to cancel the film. Can an old master who thinks he’s past his prime shine once again? This program goes behind the scenes over two years as Miyazaki overcomes struggles to create his short film Boro the Caterpillar using CGI.

The shows are in Japanese with English subtitles, and tickets are available online.

WholeRen's American Homestay Services (美国寄宿家庭服务中心) hiring bilingual Mandarin-English Biology instructional coordinator.

American Homestay Services (美国寄宿家庭服务中心), a branch of the Pittsburgh-based Chinese education consultancy company WholeRen Education, is hiring a bilingual instructional coordinator for Chinese students studying Biology in the US.

2019 Pittsburgh Humanities Festival to feature Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan, "Crazy Rich Asians and the Power of Representation."

via @kevinkwanbooks

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes today that the 2019 Pittsburgh Humanities Festival will feature Crazy Rich Asians author Kevin Kwan. The festival introduces "An Evening with Kevin Kwan: Crazy Rich Asians and the Power of Representation":

Kevin Kwan’s breakout debut novel, Crazy Rich Asians, has become something of a cultural phenomenon, topping bestseller lists worldwide, spawning two bestselling sequels and inspiring a #1 movie. Also the first romantic comedy from a major Hollywood studio to feature a lead actor and actress of Asian descent, the release of this film is now considered a watershed moment to many Asians and Asian-Americans.

In this interview, Kwan discusses the (unanticipated) cultural impact of his novels and describes how the climate in many industries, particularly entertainment, is already changing. Discussing the wide spectrum and multiple facets of Asians around the world, Kwan also explores the unimaginable wealth disparity rarely discussed.