Chinese Nationality Room at Pitt turns 75 today.

The Chinese Nationality Room in the University of Pittsburgh's Cathedral of Learning turns 75 today. The room was dedicated on October 6, 1939, and the photograph above is from the University of Pittsburgh Historic Photographs Collection.

A City of Asylum house on Sampsonia Way (map), North Side. More information about "House Poem" from City of Asylum.

Japanese tea ceremony demonstrations in western PA on October 9, 11, 18.

There are several Japanese tea ceremony demonstrations scheduled for western Pennsylvania in October.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Japanese program will host Tea Culture in Japan ceremony on October 9. The cost is $1, and the 90-minute program consists of:

* Talk about modern Tea culture in Japan
* How to brew Sencha (hands-on, they are going to bring 10 pots so teachers can try)
* Play songs about tea (Zui zui zukkorobashi, and Chatsumi)
* Tea farming (ppt)
* Chakabuki (tea tasting game). Taste five different kinds of tea and guess their names
* History of tea (including Chinese tea presentation)
* Baisa-ryu school Sencha Tea ceremony

Presenters Fumiyo Iwadachi and Ami Nishiyama are coming from Handa City near Nagoya, Japan. Nishiyama also has a Chinese tea master license along with a Baisa-ryu school Sencha license. She will perform Chinese tea ceremony when they talk about the history of tea.

The program runs from 10:20 am to 11:50 am in the HUB's Monongahela Room (campus map). Reservations can be made by emailing Dr. Yong-Taek Kim yt.kim at iup.edu.

The Japan America Society of Pennsylvania is presenting two Tea Culture in Japan presentations in the Pittsburgh area on October 11. The first is from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Way Wellness Center in Fox Chapel (map). The second is from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Mookshi Wellness Center (map) in Regent Square. Registration is required for the events and can be done so at the JASP website. The cost is $10 for JASP members and Japanese language teachers, and $20 for general admission.



The Maridon Museum in Butler (map) will also host a Traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony on November 18 at 12:30 pm. The cost is $25, and reservations are required and can be made by calling 724-282-0123.

Nikki Lee at Carnegie Mellon University School of Art, October 14.

From "The Hispanic Project".

Carnegie Mellon University's School of Art will host Korean photographer and filmmaker Nikki Lee on October 14 as part of its Fall 2014 Art Lecture Series. The school profiles Lee:

She received a broad education at institutions including the Fashion Institute of Technology, Chung-Ang University, and New York University. Lee became known early for her “Projects” series, in which she insinuated herself into subcultural groups, working for two to three months to be accepted in each social group. The varied groups of people included seniors, Hispanics, swingers, yuppies, lesbians, and others. For each project, Lee changed what she wore, where she shopped, and how she presented herself. In her recent series “Parts,” Lee curates scenes of herself with a significant other showing intimate dynamics and details of a relationship, then physically cuts her partner out of each printed photograph.

More on Lee in a (now somewhat dated) 2007 KoreAm cover story.

The lecture starts at 5:00 pm in Kresge Theater (map), and is free and open to the public.

"Music and Dance of West Java: The Past, Present, and Future of Sundanese Performing Arts" at Pitt, October 11.

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Music will present "Music and Dance of West Java: The Past, Present, and Future of Sundanese Performing Arts" on October 11, to celebrate the new agreement between Pitt and a visiting Indonesian performing arts school.

Musicians and dancers from the Indonesian College of Performing Arts (STSI) in Bandung, Indonesia will present an evening of vocal music, instrumental music, and dance. The performers will explore a broad range of cultural expressions from the ancient aristocratic tembang Sunda Cianjuran (Sundanese vocal poetry accompanied by zither and flute) to the ebullient music of bamboo instruments and the popular jaipongan dance that thrilled audiences in the 1980s.

The performance starts at 8:00 pm in the Bellefield Hall auditorium (map) and is free and open to the public.

Yesterday, the university announced a Memorandum of Understanding between it and the Indonesian College of Performing Arts to be signed on October 10.

Department of Music Chair Andrew Weintraub, who has collaborated on projects with the Indonesian College for 30 years, says the partnership will bring about an exchange of students and creative artists and will enhance the exploration and understanding of Sundanese culture and performing arts, a core strength of Pitt's ethnomusicology program.

"Stronger relationships lead to better understanding of cultural diversity, and vice versa," he said. "A formal agreement between Pitt and the Indonesian College will facilitate better communication between the two schools. Our goal is to generate collaborative research projects, a student exchange at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and, eventually, the development of a Pitt in Indonesia study abroad program."

Chinese language and culture class in Fox Chapel resumes October 9.

The Thursday evening Chinese Language and Culture class at Fox Chapel Area High School (map) resumes October 9.

Whether for travel, business, or fun, join us and learn useful phrases and fascinating information about Chinese language, culture and holiday celebrations from an American who lived in Taiwan for 17 years. In this interactive class, practice simple dialogs and sample traditional Chinese snacks like moon cakes.

The class runs each Thursday from 7:00 to 8:00 pm through November 13. The cost is $24 for Fox Chapel residents and $29 for everyone else. Registration information is found online.

Pitt signs MOU with Indonesian College of Performing Arts.

The University of Pittsburgh today announced a collaboration with the Indonesian College of Performing Arts,

launching a partnership designed to further the two schools' common objectives of research and study in the field of Indonesian music and culture.

From the university release:

Department of Music Chair Andrew Weintraub, who has collaborated on projects with the Indonesian College for 30 years, says the partnership will bring about an exchange of students and creative artists and will enhance the exploration and understanding of Sundanese culture and performing arts, a core strength of Pitt's ethnomusicology program.

"Stronger relationships lead to better understanding of cultural diversity, and vice versa," he said. "A formal agreement between Pitt and the Indonesian College will facilitate better communication between the two schools. Our goal is to generate collaborative research projects, a student exchange at the graduate and undergraduate levels, and, eventually, the development of a Pitt in Indonesia study abroad program."

Expect a post here shortly on the October 11 performance "Music and Dance of West Java: The Past, Present, and Future of Sundanese Performing Arts" at Pitt, hosted by the Department of Music.

Korean Conversation Club at IUP, Tuesday afternoons.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania now hosts a weekly Korean Conversation Club. "Learn Korean Through K-Pop, K-Drama, and More" said the department release that advertised the first meeting on September 23.

The Korean Conversation Club meets every Tuesday afternoon. The club is open to beginners as well as to the public.

The next meeting is October 7. The class runs from 4:00 to 5:00 pm in 103 Wallwork Hall (map). Korean is currently offered at IUP as a Critical Language, in less-formal tutoring sessions led by graduate students or other native Korean speakers.

Japanese short "The Great Rabbit (グレートラビット )" part of Ann Arbor Film Festival tour stop in Oakland, October 3 and 4.

Trailer.

The seven-and-a-half minute short "The Great Rabbit (グレートラビット )" by Atsushi Wada is among the short films that comprise the Ann Arbor Film Festival, which makes a stop in Pittsburgh on October 3 and 4.

Once we called the noble, profound and mysterious existence The Great. We have moved with the time, our thought and consciousness has changed. And yet what makes us still keep calling it The Great?

The short films will be shown at the Melwood Screening Room in Oakland (map) as part of Pittsburgh's RADical Days. "The Great Rabbit" is part of Program B, which runs on Friday the 3rd at 9:15 pm and Saturday the 4th at 7:30 pm. Admission is free.

Chinese film Shower (洗澡) at Maridon Museum, October 9.

The Maridon Museum will show the 1999 Chinese film Shower (洗澡) on October 9. A 2000 Robert Ebert review summarizes:

The customers of the bathhouse in "Shower" hardly seem to spend any time anywhere else. The old men are there from morning to night, bathing, soaking, being rubbed, playing cards and staging fights to the death with their pet crickets (one feeds ant eggs to his champion; his opponent accuses him of using "steroids"). Master Liu has run this bathhouse since time immemorial and brushes off his son's suggestions that he retire: "I've done this all of my life and I like doing it!" The son is Da Ming, a successful businessman who lives in a distant city, but has returned because of an alarming postcard he received from his retarded brother Er Ming. The postcards seem to indicate that old Liu is dead or dying, but in fact Liu is presiding, as he has for decades, over the closed world of the bathhouse, where steam and ancient customs wall out the changing ways of modern Beijing.

The movie starts at 6:00 pm and is presented by Dr. Armand Policicchio, an Associate Professor of Asian Studies at Slippery Rock University. The Maridon, an Asian art museum that periodically shows Asian movies, is located at 322 North McKean St in downtown Butler (map), roughly 40 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Fukuda closing on September 28.

Fukuda announced Thursday that it will be closing its doors on Sunday, September 28.

I’ll keep this fairly short: We opened almost exactly two years ago, heart and soul full of promise and excitement with a singular mission – To bring the most authentic sushi experience to Pittsburgh.

I’m proud to admit that we’ve achieved that, and more.

I can’t thank everyone enough who came into our doors over the past two years, supporting our mission and philosophy. I’m grateful to our staff, our team of dedicated chefs and front of house, and to all who’ve contributed in a meaningful way.

However, Fukuda will close its doors this Sunday, 9/28/14. So join us this weekend! On Sunday, we’ll have free beer, and will remain open until we sell out of fish.

Fukuda may re-open in the coming months ahead in another location, so we’ll keep everyone updated on a potential new location as it develops.

Fukuda is one of the best, most authentic Japanese and sushi restaurants in Pittsburgh; the closing is a big loss.

Pittsburgh Taiko at Carnegie Library in Oakland, September 28.

As part of the World Kaleidoscope series, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh - Main branch in Oakland will host Pittsburgh Taiko on Sunday, September 28.

Pittsburgh Taiko is dedicated to bringing Japanese group taiko drumming (kumidaiko) to the city of Pittsburgh. Open to anyone interested in learning about the art form, we seek to educate members of the community about taiko and about Japanese culture through performances and outreach activities.

The presentation will take place from 2 to 3 pm in the First Floor Quiet Reading Room.

Mochi Making at CMU, September 26.

Carnegie Mellon University's Japanese Student Association presents Mochi Making on Friday, September 26.

"Mochi" is a type of traditional Japanese rice cake, made from the traditional short-grain rice "Mochigome", and typically prepared in a ceremony called "Mochitsuki". This year, the JSA will be teaching students how to make their own Mochi, and holding a competition to see who can make the best batch.

Please note that this event is open to all people, whether or not you are in the JSA, or even a member of the Carnegie Mellon Community, so if you are interested, make sure to be there!

It'll be held in 5409 Wean Hall (campus map) and will start at 4:30 pm.

Pitt lecturer named Resident Director of Year-in-Japan program at Konan University from 2015.

The University of Pittsburgh Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures writes that lecturer Stephen Luft will head the Year-in-Japan program at Konan University in Kobe, Japan, from next year.

Lecturer Stephen Luft has been named resident director of the Konan-Illinois Year-in-Japan program. His appointment will begin in July 2015. Known as the Konan Program at Pitt, it is a full-year residential program in Kobe for students from consortium universities in the U.S. As resident director, he will teach one course per semester and oversee all aspects of this study abroad program.

The University of Pittsburgh has been a charter member of the Year-in-Japan program at Konan University for decades; the May 1983 Pitt magazine profiled several Pitt students who participated.

Korean film Poetry (시) at Maridon Museum, September 26.

The Maridon Museum will show the 2010 Korean film Poetry (시) on September 26. A Korea Times review gives a plot summary:

Yun [Jeong-hie] plays the role of a grandmother who lives in the suburbs with her teenage grandson. Though in her 60s, she is still naïve, curious and charming like a little girl, and one day becomes immersed in the world of poetry. She begins to explore the beauty of the small things in everyday life as she builds her craft, but when a terrible, unexpected incident occurs she discovers the dark side to things.

The movie starts at 6:00 pm and is presented by Dr. Bill Covey of Slippery Rock University's Department of English. The Asian art museum is located at 322 North McKean St in downtown Butler (map), roughly 40 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Lecture "Design Thinking: Japanese Style" at Pitt, September 25.

The University of Pittsburgh Asian Studies Center and International Business Center will present "Design Thinking: Japanese Style", a lecture and book-launch tour stop by Dr. Robert Tobin, on September 25. An overview, from the University Center for International Studies:

What are the elements of Japanese aesthetics and design?
How is the Japanese approach to creativity different from the American approach? How can you apply these principles to your daily life?

Dr. Robert "Bob" Tobin, emeritus professor from the Faculty of Business and Commerce at Keio University in Japan, and former director of the Program on Creativity and Change will be speaking on the Japanese approach to creativity and design. Dr. Tobin has over 20 years of experience in organizational consulting and training with global business leaders. His presentation style is strongly focused on audience participation and designed to help participants change their world view and spark their creativity.

The talk is from 12:30 to 2:00 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (campus map).

NAAAP September Dinner Club at Fukuda, September 25.

The Pittsburgh chapter of the National Association of Asian American Professionals [NAAAP] is holding a dinner club meeting on Thursday, September 25, at Fukuda.

Come and join NAAAP PGH on September 25, at 6:00pm for a night of great food and conversation at Fukuda on Liberty ave. in Bloomfield!

More information available at the event's Facebook page.

Another Northwest Chinese Pop-up Restaurant Event at Sonny's Tavern, September 20.

Northwest Chinese Pop-up Restaurant will host another event on September 20 at Sonny's Tavern. The person slash group exists to "strive to bring Northwestern Chinese culture to Pittsburgh through its authentic food, arts, music and crafts." This fall's first event was last weekend.

The event runs from 6:00 pm to 11:30 pm at Sonny's Tavern in Bloomfield (map), and registration can be done online.

New home for Chinatown bus station.

As of September 1, the Pittsburgh Chinatown bus station moved to 1613 Penn Ave. (map) in the Strip District from its former location on Meyran Ave. in Oakland. Not to be confused with Pittsburgh's Chinatown, which used to be downtown off Grant Street. The surviving buildings are along Court Place (map).


Former home of the local Hop Sing Association (協勝公會) branch.

Panel Discussion "China's Entrepreneurs" at Pitt, September 19.

The University of Pittsburgh Asian Studies Center and the Pitt International Business Center are hosting a panel discussion on September 19 called "China's Entrepreneurs" with presenters Mr. Zhao Bin (Chairman, Xi'an Kitamura Machine Works Co. Ltd.) and Megan Xi (Director, Blue Water Growth.). An overview:

Over the past decade China’s rapid economic growth and diversification has powered that country’s economy past a stage of primary industrialization into a new era of creativity and manufacturing. The country’s entrepreneurs are playing a leading role in developing businesses, seeking new markets, and creating products. Please join us in a discussion of China’s new entrepreneurs and how their business decisions are changing the global economy.

Refreshments will be served.

The discussion begins at 1:00 pm and is held in 4130 Posvar Hall (campus map).

Language exchange and conversation partner programs in Pittsburgh this fall.

There are a good number of free language classes in Pittsburgh at the Carnegie Libraries: Japanese, Chinese, Korean, German, French, Spanish, English as a Second Language, among others (search events on the CLP webpage for details). If you're looking for one-on-one exchanges, or just want to chat with someone from a different country, many local universities and language institutes run language exchange and conversation partner programs to help their international students share quality time with native English speakers, time that can be surprisingly hard to come by. A new semester means renewed need for conversation partners, and if you're in Pittsburgh you can register now with the University of Pittsburgh English Language Institute or contact Duquesne University's ESL program or Chatham University's English Language Program.

Schools in other areas have these outreach programs, too, so Google around. Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Penn State, and the University of Pennsylvania come to mind. It's a great way to help someone new to your city and to make a meaningful experience for both of you.

No Name Painting Association at Global Shift Festival, September 20.

The Global Shift Festival, at Point Park University from September 18 through September 21, will show the 2013 Chinese-American documentary No Name Painting Association on September 20. The 23-minute documentary is, says imdb,

about the Wuming (No Name) group of renegade Chinese artists who painted forbidden images during the Chinese Cultural Revolution and pioneered the Contemporary Chinese Art Movement.

The documentary is paired with Finding Mike, and the pair start at 3:00 pm. Tickets are $5 and are available online.

"A Taste of Korea" at Maridon Museum, September 17 - 20.

Butler's Maridon Museum will present "A Taste of Korea" from September 17 through 20, with talks and presentations on Korean people, culture, and customs. Highlights include two talks Dr. Kang-Yup Na of Westminster College and one by the author of Love Beyond Measure: Memoir of a Korean War Bride. Tickets are $3 per day or $6 for a four-day pass.

The Asian art museum is located at 322 North McKean St in downtown Butler (map), roughly 40 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Japanese film Why Don't You Play in Hell? (地獄でなぜ悪い) returning to Pittsburgh in November.

On Wednesday, the Hollywood Theater in Dormont announced it would be showing the Japanese film Why Don't You Play in Hell? (地獄でなぜ悪い) from November 13 through 16. A summary, from The Japan Society:

A tribute to old-school yakuza cinema and shoe-string amateur filmmaking based on a screenplay Sion Sono wrote 17 years ago. The Fuck Bombers, a group of film geeks led by Hirata (Hiroki Hasegawa), try to turn brawler Sasaki (Tak Sakaguchi) into their new Bruce Lee but are nowhere near making their action masterpiece. An ambush set up by a yakuza clan comes to a gory end in the home of boss Muto (Jun Kunimura) with only one man, Ikegami (Shinichi Tsutsumi), surviving. When Mitsuko, the Mutos' young daughter, makes an unexpected entrance, Ikegami is instantly smitten. Ten years later, she has become one sultry mean mess of a girl (Fumi Nikaido). Determined to make Mitsuko a star, her father gives Hirata a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make his movie, with the yakuza as film production crew and the Bombers joining the "real" action--the ultimate sword battle between the Muto and Ikegami clans.

The movie was first in Pittsburgh last spring as part of the 2014 Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival.

Northwest Chinese Pop-up Restaurant at Sunny's Tavern, September 13.

Northwest Chinese Pop-up Restaurant will host an event on September 13 at Sonny's Tavern. The person slash group exists to "strive to bring Northwestern Chinese culture to Pittsburgh through its authentic food, arts, music and crafts." From this Saturday's event page:

We are now starting to host popups at Sonny's Tavern. Come out and try our ***Authentic Chinese Green Bean Jello Stir Fry***one of the most popular Chinese muslim dish in Xi’an! ***Beijing-style Cucumber Salad***a common dish that goes with beer for sleepless nights in Beijing. We’ll also serve ***California Rolls*** which can never let you down!

You may remember the first pop-up restaurant in June 2013. The event runs from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm at Sonny's Tavern in Bloomfield (map), and registration can be done online.

Conversational Chinese and Chinese Culture at Mt. Lebanon Public Library, Thursday evenings.

A Conversational Chinese and Chinese Culture group meets at Mt. Lebanon Public Library Thursday evenings from 7:00 to 8:45 pm.

Join us every Thursday to practice conversational Chinese and explore Chinese culture. All levels welcome.

Participants are asked to donate $30, prorated, to Mt. Lebanon Public Library for each ten-week session. Please check the Event Calendar for potential schedule changes.

The library is located at 16 Castle Shannon Blvd. (map).

Gallery Exhibition: Jewish Refugees in Shanghai (1933-1941) opens September 15 in Squirrel Hill.

The exhibition "Jewish Refugees in Shanghai (1933-1941): An Exhibit of Storyboards and Artifacts" will run in Squirrel Hill for a month from September 15. An excerpt from the Confucius Institute at the University of Pittsburgh, one of the exhibition's sponsors:

The story of Jewish refugees in China during World War II is something that relatively few people understand or know about in the overall history of Jewish immigration and settlement. As many as 16,000 Jews fled Europe during WWII to live and work in Shanghai. This exhibit is in collaboration with the Jewish Refugees Museum of Shanghai and consists of 45 storyboards outlining the process of immigration from Europe to China, the various struggles and cultural adaptions, and the personal stories of survivors and their families. The exhibit offers a unique perspective on the lives and struggles of individuals who lived in China during the war and emphasizes the cross-cultural intersections of both Chinese and the Jewish settlers during a chaotic and significant historic period.

The exhibition runs through October 15 at The Edward and Rose Berman Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh (map). Reservations are required for the September 17 opening reception with keynote speaker Dr. Steve Hochstadt of Illinois College.

Camp Konnichiwa at Carnegie Library, Saturdays from September 20.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's Main Branch will again host Camp Konnichiwa on Saturdays this fall starting from September 20.

Konnichiwa is a popular greeting in Japanese. Children will learn some words and songs in the Japanese language during this four-week program.

Each free session is thirty minutes long, from 10:30 to 11:00 am. It is presented by Atsuya Yoshida of Taylor Allderdice High School and the library's Bridge to Japan members. The Main Branch of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is located at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakland (map).

ARCC presents Late Night: Mid-Autumn Festival, September 6 at CMU.

Awareness of Roots in Chinese Culture [ARCC] will present its annual Late Night: Mid-Autumn Festival on September 6 at Carnegie Mellon University. It will run from 10:00 pm to 1:00 am in the Connan Room of the Cohon University Center (campus map). As the flyer says, there will be free mooncakes, games, and more.

Mandarin for Beginners class at Carnegie Library Squirrel Hill, from September 10.

A free Mandarin for Beginners course is starting at Carnegie Library Squirrel Hill from September 10.

Learn Mandarin from a native speaker right at the Library! Class will be held on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month.

In addition to this new class, there is still a free Chinese Conversation Club and a free Chinese for Beginners course at the Oakland branch of the Carnegie Library.

The starts at 6:30 pm; registration is preferred and can be done online at each class's page. The library is located at 5801 Forbes Ave. (map) on the corner of Forbes and Murray Aves.

All-you-can-eat LA 갈비 coming to Oakland in October.

Update: A hoax.



Signage recently went up in Oakland for an all-you-can-eat Korean galbi place set to open in October. LA 갈비 is advertising its 19.99 AYCE offering at 4611 Forbes Ave. (map), which until recently was the home of the Pather Hollow Inn. Its set to open on October 15.

Galbi is a Korean dish of thinly-sliced beef or pork, often wrapped and eaten with other side dishes like lettuce, onions, and kimchi. It is ubiquitous in South Korean nightlife, and turns up on a couple of menus in Pittsburgh restaurants.

Free Japanese classes at Carnegie Library East Liberty resume September 10.

The Carnegie Library branch in East Liberty periodically offers free Japanese classes, and the latest session will begin on September 10.

A fun way to learn a new language! Learn conversational Japanese in a casual setting. All ages and abilities welcome.

The class runs from 6:30 to 7:30 pm every other Wednesday, and the library is located at 130 S. Whitfield Street, about four blocks northwest of Whole Foods.

The Oakland branch still offers several free Japanese classes: Japanese For Beginners on the second and fourth Mondays of each month; Japanese II for high-beginners and intermediate learners on the second and fourth Tuesdays; and a Japanese conversation club for intermediate and advanced learners, also on the second and fourth Tuesday. Visit the library's event page and search "Japanese" (or Korean, or Chinese) for more information.

More Korean food coming to Oakland.

Korean-language signage recently went up advertising 갈비 (galbi) in Oakland at the spot formerly occupied by the Panther Hollow Inn (map) near the corner of Forbes Ave. and Craig St. The meat dish is ubiquitous in Korea and turns up on a couple menus in Pittsburgh. The restaurant will join Korea Garden, at the other side of the Oakland, as the second Korean restaurants in the neighborhood.

Born Out of Place book launch at Pitt, September 11.

The University of Pittsburgh's Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies Program will host the stateside book launch for Born Out of Place: Migrant Mothers and the Politics of International Migration by professor Nicole Constable. The talk will be held on September 11 from 4:00 to 5:30 in room 602 of the Cathedral of Learning. A summary from the GS&W webpage:

Nicole Constable is a professor in the Department of Anthropology and the director of the Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh. Her latest book, Born Out of Place: Migrant Mothers and the Politics of International Migration was co-published by the University of California Press and Hong Kong University Press, and had its first official launch in Hong Kong in June. At this University of Pittsburgh book launch, Constable will speak on her work, and Shalini Puri (Department of English) and Lara Putnam (Department of History) will respond.

Based on research and interviews conducted in 2011 and 2012, the book tells the stories of Indonesian and Filipino migrant women, their South Asian, African, Chinese, and Western expatriate partners, and their Hong Kong–born babies. The main focus is on the often painful and poignant struggles of women as they consider abortion, adoption, keeping a child, remaining in Hong Kong as “illegal” overstayers, or returning home as single mothers. This ethnography provides insight into global problems of mobility, family, gender, and citizenship, and points to the consequences, creative responses, melodramas, inequalities, and tragedies of labor and migration policies.

"Intro to Japanese Cinema" series at Row House Cinema, tomorrow through September 4.

Clockwise from top left: Tokyo Story (東京物語), Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫), Rashomon (羅生門), Nobody Knows (誰も知らない). Not pictured: Brother.

Lawrenceville's Row House Cinema will present an "Intro to Japanese Cinema" series from August 29 through September 4, featuring animated and live action films from the 1950s, 1990s, and 2000s. Five films will be shown in all: Rashomon (羅生門), Tokyo Story (東京物語), Brother, Nobody Knows (誰も知らない), and Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫). Sunday's noon showing of Princess Mononoke is a "Kids Will Be Kids" show, and the September 2 showing of Rashomon will be followed by a discussion of the film.

Times are available on the theater's website, and tickets are $9. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street (map).

Asian student groups holding events on Pitt campus this weekend.

Several of the University of Pittsburgh's largest Asia-focused student groups will be holding events on campus this weekend to welcome members old and new. The Facebook pages listed below offer more details, but the events generally include food, socializing, and a chance to meet the groups' organizers.

* Asian Student Alliance - Friday, August 28, 1:00 - 3:00 pm, William Pitt Union Assembly Room

* Vietnamese Student Association First Social on the Lawn - Friday, August 28, 3:00 - 5:00 pm, William Pitt Union patio and lawn

* Korean Culture Association [KCA] First Social - Friday, August 28, 4:45 to 6:45 pm, William Pitt Union lawn

* Filipino Student Association [FSA] First Social - Saturday, August 30, 3:30 - 4:30 pm, 630 William Pitt Union

* Chinese American Student Association [CASA] - Sunday, August 31, 3:00 - 5:00 pm, William Pitt Union lawn

* Japanese Culture Association [JCA] Ice Cream Social - Sunday, August 31, 5:00 - 7:00 pm, 548 William Pitt Union

The events will be held in or around the William Pitt Union, located at the intersection of Forbes and Bigelow Blvds. in Oakland (map).

Tickets now on sale for Royal Ballet of Cambodia in Pittsburgh, November 7.

A 2010 performance in Paris, by Jean-Pierre Dalbera (Creative Commons).

Tickets recently went on sale for the November 7 performance of the Royal Ballet of Cambodia at the Byham Theater. It is considered an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, and is described thus:

Renowned for its graceful hand gestures and stunning costumes, the Royal Ballet of Cambodia, also known as Khmer Classical Dance, has been closely associated with the Khmer court for over one thousand years. Performances would traditionally accompany royal ceremonies and observances such as coronations, marriages, funerals or Khmer holidays. This art form, which narrowly escaped annihilation in the 1970s, is cherished by many Cambodians.

Infused with a sacred and symbolic role, the dance embodies the traditional values of refinement, respect and spirituality. Its repertory perpetuates the legends associated with the origins of the Khmer people. Consequently, Cambodians have long esteemed this tradition as the emblem of Khmer culture. Four distinct character types exist in the classical repertory: Neang the woman, Neayrong the man, Yeak the giant, and Sva the monkey. Each possesses distinctive colours, costumes, makeup and masks.The gestures and poses, mastered by the dancers only after years of intensive training, evoke the gamut of human emotions, from fear and rage to love and joy. An orchestra accompanies the dance, and a female chorus provides a running commentary on the plot, highlighting the emotions mimed by the dancers, who were considered the kings’ messengers to the gods and to the ancestors.

The Friday show begins at 8:00 pm, and tickets range from $20 to $45. The Byham Theater is located at 101 6th Street, in the Cultural District downtown (map).

Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie at Hollywood Theater, August 30 and 31.

The Hollywood Theater in Dormont will show the 2012 animated movie Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie (劇場版 NARUTO -ナルト- ロード・トゥ・ニンジャ) on August 30 and 31. Tickets are $12 and are available online for the Saturday and Sunday afternoon shows. The movie, which will be released in the US on August 29, will be dubbed in English and the Hollywood Theater will be the only one in Pennsylvania showing the film the weekend it makes its stateside premiere.

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.

Free Chinese, Japanese, Korean classes at Oakland branch of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

As the new school year begins, a reminder that the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has free Korean, Japanese, and Chinese classes at its Oakland branch (map). Depending on the class and the particular volunteer teacher, the sessions range from a period of casual free talking to more rigorous class with workbooks and chalk-and-talk instruction on grammar and usage.

Here's a look at what's coming up:

* Chinese for Beginners (next meeting: August 31). Held the second and fourth Sunday of the month from 3:30 to 4:30.
* Chinese Conversation Club (next meeting: August 28). Held the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 6:00 to 7:00 in the Large Print Room. For intermediate and advanced learners.

* Japanese for Beginners (next meeting: August 25 in Classroom A). Second and fourth Monday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30.
* Japanese II (next meeting: August 26 in Classroom A). Second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30. "Japanese II is geared toward those who already have a basic understanding of Japanese and are interested in increasing proficiency," says the library website. "Ability to read and write hiragana is required to take this class."
* Japanese Conversation Club (next meeting: September 2). Held on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 6:00 to 7:00. For intermediate and advanced learners.

* Korean for Beginners (next meeting: August 30). Every Saturday from 1:00 to 2:30 in the Large Print Room. Focuses on reading Hangeul and producing basic phrases.
* Korean II (next meeting: August 30). Every Saturday from 11:00 to 12:30 in the Large Print Room.

Students may join the class at any time of the year, though registration is now required for the classes. This can be done online by clicking on the class and submitting your name and email address. For more information about the courses, and to register for one, visit the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh homepage, click events, and search for Chinese, Japanese, or Korean.

The Korean mall.

Visited More Shopping Center last weekend, a Korean mall in North Philadelphia (map). The anchor is a Korean grocery, H Mart, and there are branches of Korean franchises like Paris Baguette, Hana Tour, Woori Bank, and The Face Shop. There are also doctor offices, dentists, salons, a pharmacy, a Korean food court, and a few dozen other local businesses. Walking through there, if you didn't know you were above ground you might think you've stepped into one of the underground arcades (지하상가) ubiquitous in Korean cities.

Chick'n Bubbly grand opening, August 25.

A reminder that Chick'n Bubbly will have its grand opening on Monday, August 25, the start of the University of Pittsburgh fall term. It's had a soft opening since July 28, during which time it's only been serving chicken and tea.

Chick'n Bubbly is the Korean-style fried chicken restaurant in Oakland, next to---and run by the same people who own---Oishii Bento (map). The small restaurant in a former nail salon is the city's first Korean fried chicken place.

A picture from a University of Pittsburgh Lantern Night ceremony, circa 1940. It's at least prior to 1942, as the university tells us:

The Japanese paper lanterns, abandoned when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, were replaced by metal lanterns. Later the ceremony was simplified and the less costly candles were substituted.

This year's Lantern Night is scheduled for August 24.

"Intro to Japanese Cinema" series at Row House Cinema, August 29 through September 4.

Lawrenceville's Row House Cinema will present an "Intro to Japanese Cinema" series from August 29 through September 4, featuring animated and live action films from the 1950s, 1990s, and 2000s. Five films will be shown in all: Rashomon (羅生門), Tokyo Story (東京物語), Brother, Nobody Knows (誰も知らない), and Princess Mononoke (もののけ姫).

Times are available on the theater's website, and tickets are $9. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street (map).

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette profiles Golden Pig today.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Melissa McCart visits Golden Pig for today's paper. The best Korean restaurant in Western Pennsylvania reopened on July 31 after a several-month hiatus. An excerpt from the article:

[Owner and chef Yong Kwon is] back cooking the food she grew up on, decidedly savory dishes that display what she describes as an older style. It's different from sugar-laden dishes that have crept into Korean restaurants, such as Korean fried chicken with its sweet heat.

Her food also reflects her values, having been raised during a depression when she admits she had been close to starving. Today, her priority is to serve fresh, affordable fare.

Regulars had hankered for her cooking during her absence. It had been too long since they'd feasted on bul dak ($7.50, $9.50), sesame-laced chicken with carrots in a fiery marinade, the result of chili peppers, soy sauce and red pepper paste, among other ingredients.

It's one of the hottest dishes you can order in Pittsburgh, competing with the Scoville scale of Sichuan dishes.

Whether it's because of her spicy food or her charisma, Ms. Kwon has cultivated quite a following. It's made up of diners looking for authenticity at a time when cuisine that adheres to a culinary tradition is hardly celebrated.

The paper has visited the restaurant before, in 2009 and 2010.

Golden Pig is located in Cecil Township (map), about 20 miles southwest of Pittsburgh. It's closed Sundays and Mondays.


Inconspicuous, via Google Maps.

1979's The Crippled Masters at Hollywood Theater, August 21.

The Hollywood Theater in Dormont will show the 1979 Hong Kong martial arts movie The Crippled Masters on August 21. A summary from an imdb user:

Two men skilled in the arts of Kung-Fu are betrayed by their master and crippled for life, one left with no arms and the other with no legs. Despite their obvious disadvantages, they learn to combine their martial arts skills and seek revenge against the evil master.

The movie begins at 7:30 and tickets are $5. 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.

New JAGP website.

In January we helped build a new website for the Japan Association of Greater Pittsburgh. The old address was left as an automatic redirect to the new Wordpress site, but in mid-July the domain expired. Please update your bookmarks to pittsburghjapan.wordpress.com. There's a new email address, too. Recent posts in the "ニュース / News" include the members' fall picnic in September. and a visit from the Japanese Consulate in October.

Asia 1, 2, 3 at Maridon Museum, August 19.

The Maridon Museum will host Asia 1, 2, 3 on Tuesday, August 19 from noon to 1 pm. A few words from the Facebook event page:

Learn about Asian culture at The Maridon Museum.
Craft, Snacks, and games.
Ages 4-11 are welcome.
All children must be accompanied by an adult.
$5 per child

The Maridon Museum is an Asian art museum in downtown Butler (map), roughly 33 miles north of Pittsburgh.

Hillman Library tours in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean for international students at Pitt, August 12 - 19.

From tomorrow, August 12, the University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library will host tours in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean for incoming Pitt international students.

Would you like to know:

• how to meet and know a librarian who speaks your native language?
• the differences between the academic libraries in the U.S. and libraries in your home country?
• what and how the library can help your area of study and research at Pitt?

See the flyer above for a schedule and registration information.

Another local find from our Chinese fashion department.

QZ Lady now offers a Kordell Stewart replica jersey, sort of.

National Association of Asian American Professionals [NAAAP] Pittsburgh Annual Summer Picnic, August 23.

The Pittsburgh chapter of the National Association of Asian American Professions [NAAAP] will hold is annual summer picnic on August 23 in North Park. From the Facebook event page:

Get out and enjoy summer with NAAAP (The National Association of Asian American Professionals) and NetIP (The Network of Indian Professionals). Join us for our annual summer picnic! We'll enjoy food, games, and good conversation. Bring yourself and a dish to share.

The picnic will be held at Miller Grove in North Park. Note that this is a free event, but please bring a dish to share. Frisbees, balls, and any outdoor games are encouraged if you have them. You are welcome to bring family along (this is a kid friendly event) or invite any other friends. The picnic will run from 12pm to 4pm and food will be served at 1pm.

Everyone is welcome, you don't need to be a member of NAAAP or NetIP (or an Asian/Indian professional) to join in. Post a comment or contact us at info@naaappittsburgh.org for more information.