Talking About Asia - Rediscovering the War: Post-Division Imagination in Recent Division Films, October 21 at Pitt.

On October 21, the University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host Dr. Seung-hwan Shin and his Talking About Asia presentation, "Talking About Asia - Rediscovering the War: Post-Division Imagination in Recent Division Film".

Second screening of documentary on early Cambodian rock music, Don't Think I've Forgotten, October 18.

The Eco-Soap Bank will present the second of two screenings of Don't Think I've Forgotten, a documentary on early Cambodian rock music, on Tuesday, October 18 at the Row House Cinema.

1994 Zhang Yimou film To Live (活着) at Maridon Museum, October 20.

The 1994 Zhang Yimou movie To Live (活着) will play at the Maridon Museum on October 20, the second installment of this fall's Chinese Film Series.

Japanese punk group Shonen Knife in Pittsburgh, November 3.

The Japanese punk group Shonen Knife will play at Cattivo on November 3. The band, formed in Osaka in 1981, has opened for Sonic Youth and Nirvana and describes their sound as "Ramones meets the Beatles brand of sticky-sweet punk-pop." The group was last in Pittsburgh in 2011.

Cattivo is located at 116 44th Street in Lawrenceville (map). The show starts at 8:00 pm and tickets for the 21-and-older concert are $12 in advance or $15 at the door.

Modern Slavery at MCG from October 17; Reception and Artist Talk with Xyza Cruz Bacani, December 14.

Photographer Xyza Cruz Bacani will be at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild on December 14 to open and discuss her exhibit Modern Slavery.

Yummyholic profile on 4 the 412.

Jasmine Cho of Yummyholic was profiled on 4 the 412 the other day, talking about her online bakery, custom cookies, her new commercial kitchen, and her future plans.

Documentary The Eagle Huntress in Pittsburgh, from November 25.

The Eagle Huntress, the 2016 documentary about a 13-year-old girl training to be an eagle hunter in Mongolia, will play at the Harris Theater from November 25 through December 8.

Japanese movie Sweet Bean (あん) at Northland Public Library, November 9.

Northland Public Library will show the 2015 Japanese movie Sweet Bean (あん) on November 9 as the next installment in its monthly Foreign Film Series.

Pittsburgh Taiko Beginner Session, October 15.

Pittsburgh Taiko will hold a beginner session in Shadyside on October 15 to introduce learners to traditional Japanese percussion (taiko / 太鼓).

Over the course of the workshop, you will learn basic movements and techniques used to play taiko.

Drumsticks will be provided, as will earplugs (although you’re welcome to bring your own if you have some).

The session runs from 3:00 to 5:30 pm at Winchester Thurston City Campus Lower School on Morewood Ave. in Shadyside (map). More information about the session, as well as some tips for Saturday---don't wear street shoes, for example---are available at the Pittsburgh Taiko website. Registration can be done on the Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania website; the cost is $5 for JASP members, $10 for students, and $15 for everyone else. You can see and hear Pittsburgh Taiko on YouTube.

Takao Kawaguchi: About Kazuo Ohno at Warhol Museum, October 13.

Dancer Takao Kawaguchi will perform About Kazuo Ohno at the Warhol Museum on October 13. The Japan Society offers a description of the performance and Kawaguchi's seven-city tour this fall:

Takao Kawaguchi, one of Japan’s most sought-after dancers and former member of Dumb Type, challenged himself to literally "copy" the dances of the late butoh master and co-founder Kazuo Ohno, from archival recordings. What results is a hauntingly beautiful illusory duet between Kawaguchi and Ohno. Presented just weeks before what would have been Ohno’s 110th birthday, About Kazuo Ohno attempts to reconstruct Ohno’s timeless masterpieces, including Admiring La Argentina (1977) and My Mother (1981), phrase by phrase. This work offers the opportunity to explore and question the portrayal of gender, specifically femininity, that appears within Ohno’s repertoire.

Pittsburgh is the last stop on the US tour that included performances in New York and Los Angeles. The Warhol is located at 117 Sandusky St. on the Northside (map). Tickets are $12 for students and $15 for the general public, and are available online.

Paprika and Japanese Culture Society, October 14 at Row House Cinema.

The Anime Film Series opens at Lawrenceville's Row House Cinema on October 14, and the Pittsburgh Japanese Culture Society will be there during the initial screening of Paprika (パプリカ).

The Pittsburgh Japanese Culture Society will be hanging out at Row House this Friday, 10/14. Take the opportunity to chat with them about their organization, volunteer opportunities, and upcoming events (especially the 2017 Tekko convention)!

Showtimes and ticket information for all five films on all seven days is available on the theater's website. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Baozi and Books at Pitt, October 12.

Baozi, by Evgeni Zotov (Creative Commons)

The University of Pittsburgh Asian Studies Center will host Baozi and Books on Wednesday afternoon, October 12. From the Asian Studies Center newsletter:

Please join us for free books and Chinese baozi (steamed buns)! Through the generous donations from the Vietnamese Student Association and our center associate Dr. Katy Carlitz, we have acquired some fascinating books in Chinese, Japanese, and English that we'd like to share. Please drop by on Wednesday, October 12 between 3:45-4:30 in 4217 Posvar Hall to browse our collection and take home a few books. We also have a limited number of tickets for the Pittsburgh premier of the Taiwanese film 52Hz I Love You available.

2016 Autumn CLTA-WPA & Foreign Language Teaching Symposium 西賓州中文教師學會 (西宾州中文教师学会) 2016 秋季研討會 (2016 秋季研讨会), October 16 at CMU.

The Chinese Language Teachers Association of Western Pennsylvania (西賓州中文教師學會 / 西宾州中文教师学会) will host its annual Autumn Foreign Language Teaching Symposium at Carnegie Mellon University on October 16. The agenda of the all-day event is posted online, and reposted above.

Anime Film Series at Row House Cinema, October 14 - 20.

The Row House Cinema will present five Japanese animated movies as part of its Anime Film Series that runs from October 14 - 20: 1973's Belladonna of Sadness (哀しみのベラドンナ), Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉), Millennium Actress (千年女優), Studio Ghibli's 1988 Grave of the Fireflies (火垂るの墓), and Paprika (パプリカ). The film share common themes beyond the country of origin and style of production, though, according to the theater's website:

Japanese animation breaks many traditional notions of what animated films "should" be in in terms of style, genre, and audience—maybe that's why we love it so much. This week we're featuring anime movies geared towards an adult audience with some heavy subject matter, including rape, war, viral terrorism, and mind control.

Showtimes and ticket information is available on the theater's website. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Pennsylvasia.com

I finally purchased a custom domain name, which means you are likely reading this at www.pennsylvasia.com. I've also replaced the old header that took six minutes to make with an online seal generator with one that took four minutes in Microsoft Paint. Please update your bookmarks and Favorites to pennsylvasia.com, though the pennsylvasia.blogspot.com site will still work. (And please also take a moment to pauseyour adblock software on the new domain.)

Seven Samurai (七人の侍), Bento Boxes, and Tea Tasting, November 9 at Row House Cinema.

The Row House Cinema will host Stephanie Tsong for a Japanese tea tasting to accompany bento boxes and the 1954 Akira Kurosawa film Seven Samurai (七人の侍). The evening begins at 6:30 pm and tickets are currently available online. Tickets for the first go-round on July 21 sold out in about a week. Additional information is available via the event's Faceobook page.

Free advanced Korean class at Carnegie Library Oakland, through December 17.

The Carnegie Library of Oakland recently added an advanced-level Korean class to its offerings, and the next meeting will be Saturday, October 15.

Advanced Korean is geared toward those who already have a strong grasp of Korean language and have completed Korean II. This group meets every Saturday, except the 2nd Saturday of each month, from September 24 through December 17th in the Third Floor Conference Room.

The library also has Korean For Beginners on Saturdays at 1:00 pm and Korean II on Saturdays at 11:00 am, both 90 minutes long and both in the Large Print Room. The library is located at 4400 Forbes Ave (map). and is accessible by all the city buses that run to Oakland, including the 61 series, 67, 69, 71 series, and 75.

Documentary on early Cambodian rock music, Don't Think I've Forgotten, back in Pittsburgh, October 13 and 18.

The Eco-Soap Bank will present two screenings of Don't Think I've Forgotten, a documentary on early Cambodian rock music, on October 13 and 18.

New Godzilla movie, Shin Godzilla (シン・ゴジラ), in Pittsburgh October 11 - 18.

The 2016 Japanese blockbuster Shin Godzilla (シン・ゴジラ) will have a limited theatrical release in the US from October 11 to October 18

PNC hiring bilingual (Korean-English) Sales Representative Specialist.

PNC is hiring a bilingual Sales Representative Specialist fluent in both Korean and English for its downtown Pittsburgh location.

Job Profile

• Performs customer service and sales support activities and initiatives. Transitions the conversation to present sales opportunities to increase share of wallet to higher valued customers, handles inquiries, and cross-sells home secured lending products. Specialty roles support a complex dedicated suite of products/services, service a sophisticated client base, and/or leverage an advanced process or tool to support PNC customers.
• Receives, investigates, and responds to customer service and sales inquiries regarding all retail products, services and issues via all channels through which customers are served. Interacting with line of business partners. Performs outbound call activities as defined by business needs.
• Cross-sells applicable products and services. Recommends appropriate solutions. Follows defined treatments and/or employs active listening skills to present alternative solutions.
• Maintains high levels of customer satisfaction consistent with PNC's core values. Demonstrates commitment to quality through customer and service partner interactions. Handles complex or reoccurring issues to management. Serves as a coach or mentor and may serve as a trainer to the sales team.
• Documents customer interactions, results of sales activities, and completes service requests.

More details available at the job posting on PNC.com.

Chinese movie I Belonged To You (从你的全世界路过) at Waterfront through October 12.

The 2016 Chinese romance film I Belonged To You (从你的全世界路过), which opened at the AMC Loews Waterfront theater on September 30, will continue to run there through October 12.

Study Abroad in South Korea information session, October 7 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Daehwa Korean Conversation Club will present a Study Abroad in South Korea information session on October 7 as part of its weekly conversation hour.

We'll be talking about the application process, life in Seoul, language barriers, culture shock, finances, and much more!

The information session will run from 4:30 to 5:30 pm in the ground floor of the Hillman Library (map), and is free and open to the University of Pittsburgh community.

Chinese film Mountains May Depart (山河故人) at Maridon Museum, October 7.

The 2015 Chinese film Mountains May Depart (山河故人) will play at the Maridon Museum on October 7 as part of this fall's Chinese Film Series.

Organization of Chinese Americans Free Medical and Dental Clinic, October 17.

The Pittsburgh chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans will hold its annual Free Medical and Dental Clinic (義診) on Monday, October 17, at Montefiore hospital.



The event runs from 6:30 pm to 10:00 pm, and registration is required. More information and registration details available on the above flyers by OCA Pittsburgh.

China Work, Study Abroad & Scholarship Experiences Sharing & Information Session, October 5 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center, along with the Confucius Institute and the Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures, is hosting a China Work, Study Abroad & Scholarship Experiences Sharing & Information Session on October 5.

Do you plan to work or start your own business in China?

Do you want to gain summer internship experiences in China?

Do you want to teach English in China?

Do you want to know the tips applying for national scholarships?

Do you want to learn about study abroad and summer intensive language programs?

Join the information session if your answer is YES!!!

Light refreshments will be served.

The event starts at 3:30 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the university community.

Shippensburg U. graduate finishes first week in China Arena Football League.

via @bigmetzy, Metz's Instagram page.

Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania graduate Jake Metz, an offensive lineman who spent time in the Philadelphia Eagles' training camp this summer, is one of a couple Pennsylvanians on rosters of China Arena Football League, which began play on October 1. Metz, a 6'7" (200.66 cm) offensive lineman, was chosen in the third round of the CAFL draft by the Qingdao Clipper, one of the league's six teams. The Clipper beat the Guangzhou Power 38-35.

Handa City Sashiko Program at the Society for Contemporary Craft, October 7.

by littlelixie (2010, Creative Commons)

The Japan-America Society of Pennsylvania and the Society for Contemporary Craft will present an information session and demonstration on sashiko (刺し子) on October 7.

Sashiko is a decorative reinforcement stitch, similar to Western quilting, traditionally with white thread on an indigo background. The presentation will be given by Fumiyo Iwadachi and the hands-on making session will be facilitated by Itsuko Hotta.

The event runs from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. The cost is $50, and the required registration can be done on the Society for Contemporary Craft website. It's located at 2100 Smallman St. in the Strip District (map).

1989 China/Avant-Garde Exhibition at Pitt continues through October 31.

Wang Youshen, Newspaper-Advertising, 1993

The 1989 China/Avant-Garde Exhibition – from Gao Minglu Archive that opened on April 8 at the University of Pittsburgh's Hillman Library will continue through October 31.

Dr. Minglu Gao is a research professor in the Department of the History of Art and Architecture (HAA) at Pitt, and a leading scholar of Chinese contemporary art. Over three decades Dr. Gao has been building a collection of Chinese contemporary art unique in the world today. These unique primary materials include manuscripts, posters, paintings, and exhibit catalogs, as well as slides, videos, recordings, etc.

Since 2014, the University Library System has been working the HAA department, Asian Studies Center, and University Center for International Studies to create a digital archive of Dr. Gao's collection. This exhibit will showcase many of the items in Dr. Gao's collection, and present an unparalleled look into the world of Chinese contemporary art.

The Spring 2006 issue of Pitt Magazine has one of many lengthy profiles on Gao. Hillman Library is located at 3960 Forbes Ave. (map) in Oakland.

Chinese Film Series at Maridon Museum, October and November.

The Maridon Museum announced today the five movies it will present as part of a Chinese Film Series this fall: Mountains May Depart (山河故人), Zhang Yimou's To Live (活着), If You Are The One (非诚勿扰), The Road Home (我的父亲母亲), and an unrelated Indian movie.

Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend Ends (るろうに剣心 伝説の最期編) in Pittsburgh, October 4 and 5.

The 2014 Japanese movie Rurouni Kenshin 3: The Legend Ends (るろうに剣心 伝説の最期編) will play at Southside Works Cinema on October 4 and 5.

Dr. Greg Kulacki and "The Risk of Nuclear War between US & China" at Chatham University, October 4.

Chatham University will host Dr. Gregory Kulacki and his talk "The Risk of Nuclear War between US & China" on October 4. The event begins at 7:00 pm in Sanger Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

Dr. Erika Lee at Pitt, October 8.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Student Alliance will host Dr. Erika Lee on October 8.

The Wind Rises (風立ちぬ), 5 Centimeters Per Second (秒速5センチメートル) at Pitt Japanese Film Night, October 7.

The University of Pittsburgh's Japanese Culture Association will show two movies as part of its October 7 Japanese Film Night: the 2013 Hayao Miyazaki animated movie The Wind Rises (風立ちぬ) and the 2007 Makoto Shinkai animated film 5 Centimeters Per Second (秒速5センチメートル).

Chinese movie Soulmate (七月与安生) in Pittsburgh, from September 28.

The 2016 Chinese movie Soulmate (七月与安生) will play at the Waterfront AMC Loews Theater from September 28. A Fort Worth Star-Telegraph review calls it a fascinating look at contemporary China:

"Soulmate" is a gorgeously shot, tear-stained love letter to female friendship that also provides a fascinating look into contemporary, urban China.

Ansheng (Zhou Dongyu, "Under the Hawthorn Tree") and Lin Qiyue aka July (Ma Sichun) have been friends since childhood but they find the currents of life pushing them in different directions. Ansheng is a rootless free spirit while July is a studious careerist. Their relationship becomes complicated by the presence of Su Jia-ming (Toby Lee), a man emotionally torn between the two of them.

It all culminates in a rather surprising ending while along the way director Derek Tsang offers glimpses of the back streets of Shanghai and Beijing, away from the gleaming skyscrapers and sprawling factories that are often the image of China these days.

Two other new Chinese films, the stop-motion CGI film L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties (爵迹) and the romance I Belonged To You (从你的全世界路过), will play at the Waterfront from September 30. Tickets and showtime information for all movies is available on the theater's website. The theater is located at 300 West Waterfront Dr. in the Waterfront shopping complex in Homestead (map), across the Monongahela River from Greenfield, Squirrel Hill, and the rest of Pittsburgh.

2016 Korean zombie movie Train to Busan (부산행) in Pittsburgh, September 30 to October 6.

The 2016 Korean hit zombie movie Train to Busan (부산행) will play at the Parkway Theater in McKees Rocks from September 30 to October 6. A July 21 New York Times review summarizes:

The setup is lean and clean. A flattened deer, mowed down in a quarantine zone in Seoul where some kind of chemical spill has occurred (echoes of Bong Joon-ho’s 2007 enviro-horror film, “The Host”), springs back to life. Then, in just a few swiftly efficient scenes, we meet a harried hedge-fund manager and his small, sad daughter (Gong Yoo and an amazing Kim Su-ahn), see them settled on the titular locomotive and watch in dismay as a vividly unwell last-minute passenger lurches onboard. And we’re off!

Sprinting right out of the gate, the director, Yeon Sang-ho, dives gleefully into a sandbox of spilled brains and smug entitlement. (“In the old days, they’d be re-educated,” one biddy remarks upon spying an undesirable fellow traveler.) As zombies chomp and multiply, an assortment of regular folks face them down while furthering an extended critique of corporate callousness. The politics are sweet, but it’s the creatures that divert. Eyes like Ping-Pong balls and spines like rubber — I’d wager more than a few chiropractors were required on the set — they attack in seizures of spastic energy. They’re like break-dancing corpses.

Showtimes aren't posted on the theater's website, but they do appear on a Facebook post:

9/30 - 9:45pm
10/1 - 4:00pm
10/2 - 3:00pm & 5:00pm
10/3 - 7:15pm
10/4 - 7:15pm
10/6 - 7:15pm

The theater is located at 644 Broadway Ave. in McKees Rocks (map), a few miles west of the North Side.

Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language Workshop, September 30 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's School of Education will present the first Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language Workshop of the Fall 2016 term on September 30. The topic is Public High School Chinese Teaching, presented by Wei-Chen Chou, a Chinese tutor and a 2015 graduate of Pitt's M.Ed. in Foreign Language Education program.

The September 30 talk will be held in 5130 Posvar Hall (map). Presentations are held primarily in Mandarin Chinese, and are free and open to the public.

"The Labor Market Effect of Health Improvement: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial in Rural China", October 3 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of Economics will host Ph.D. candidate Lulu Liu and her seminar "The Labor Market Effect of Health Improvement: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial in Rural China" on October 3.

Asian clothing boutique Ehua Fashion now in Squirrel Hill.

Over the past year an Asian hair salon, an Asian KTV/karaoke/noraebang, and an Asian express mail shop have opened in Squirrel Hill, so an Asian clothing boutique sounds about right. Located at 5865 Forbes Ave. (map) in what was most recently a real estate office, Ehua Fashion opened two weeks ago and offers "Fresh, airy, on-trend styles." The Chinese owner says while only about 20% of the clothes are from Korea---with the others predominantly Chinese---the styles in general are Korean. The snapshots on its Instagram give an idea of its offerings, though they are generic images from Asian fashion sites.