Chinese Language Social Hour, October 2 at Pitt.

via Pietro Motta (Creative Commons)

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host a Chinese Language Social Hour on Tuesday, October 2.

For the students who want to learn and practice Mandarin and Cantonese, also the Chinese speakers who want to practice and improve their English, please come and join our event! Music, free food, make friends, lots of activities! Mark it on your calendar!!

The event is free and open to the Pitt community, and will be held in 4217 Posvar Hall (map) from 4:30 to 6:00 pm.

Kang to rejoin Pirates for the final weekend of the season.

Via Newsen.

Korean infielder Jung-ho Kang will rejoin the Pittsburgh Pirates for their final weekend of the 2018 season.

Kang has been playing games in the fall instructional league in Bradenton, Fla., after undergoing surgery to debride cartilage in his left wrist. Kang completed his rehabilitation by playing five instructional league games. General manager Neal Huntington said Kang will get some playing time, but he didn't anticipate him starting all three games.

"We only have three games left in our season after today and wanted to respect his hard work, his intent to get back, his work to get back," Huntington said. "It's not really going to help us a lot in our evaluation process as to where we take this, but at the same time, give him an opportunity to get back to the big leagues, which is any guy's goal."

Kang was not able to enter the United States last year after a December 2016 DUI arrest in South Korea, later revealed to be his third such charge since 2009. He was also investigated but not charged by the Chicago Police Department in 2016 after a sexual assault allegation was made against him.

Kang joined the team in 2015 after being a top prospect in the Korean Baseball Organization.

"Rotating to the Top: How Career Tracks Matter in the Chinese Communist Regime," October 2 at Pitt.

via mit.edu

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of Political Science will host Yiqing Xu of the University of California San Diego and his talk "Rotating to the Top: How Career Tracks Matter in the Chinese Communist Regime" on October 2.

This paper takes a novel perspective on the selection of leaders by depicting the importance of career tracks. Using full and alternate Central Committee members of the Chinese Communist Party from 1982 to 2017, we measure career tracks - both the horizontal and vertical movement of individuals - using machines learning techniques, and link them with political selection. Our main finding is that career tracks play an important role in the Chinese political system despite the in influence of patronage networks. In addition, when comparing the roles of career tracks and personal ties over time, we find suggestive evidence that Chinese politics becomes more paternalistic in the 19th Party Congress.

The talk runs from 12:00 to 1:30 pm in 4801 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

Day of the Western Sunrise, documentary on the nuclear contamination of Daigo Fukuryū Maru and the aftermath, at Row House Cinema, September 29 and 30.

The Row House Cinema will hold the premiere of the documentary Day of the Western Sunrise on September 29 and 30. Pittsburgh Filmmakers provides a summary:

"Day of the Western Sunrise" tells of real life story the Japanese tuna trawler Daigo Fukuryu Maru, or the Lucky Dragon No. 5, and it's 23 man crew. On March 1st, 1954, the fishermen onboard the Lucky Dragon survived the biggest explosion ever caused by man, the Castle Bravo thermonuclear test in the Pacific Ocean. That's just the start of the story. Through survivor interviews and beautiful animation the film tells how their lives were forever changed while showing the long-term impact of this devastating event.

In 2015 Keith traveled to Japan to interview the surviving crew members of the Lucky Dragon, their families, and to visit their fishing village.

Members of the Pittsburgh Japanese-speaking community were involved in some of the scenes.

There are three screenings scheduled, and tickets are available online: September 29 at 7:00 pm, and September 30 at 2:00 and 8:00 pm. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival (匹茲堡龍舟節), September 30 at North Park.

The Pittsburgh Chapter of the Organization of Chinese Americans will present the Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival on September 30.

Join us at the Pittsburgh Dragon Boat Festival on September 30, 2018 for a day of fun at North Park Lake! Watch exciting races or form your own dragon boat and compete against other community teams for medals and awards. Cultural demonstrations, food, marketplace and other activities will be available, so bring the whole family to this FREE event!

The event starts at 8:30 am and runs until 5:00 pm, with cultural demonstrations running from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. It will be held at and around the Boathouse at North Park Lake in the North Hills (map) and is free and open to the public.

My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) in Pittsburgh, September 30, October 1, and October 3.

The classic Japanese animated film My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) is celebrating its 30th anniversary and will play in Pittsburgh, September 30, October 1, and October 3 as part of this year's GKIDS Ghibli Fest. From a 2001 Roger Ebert review:

Miyazaki's films are above all visually enchanting, using a watercolor look for the backgrounds and working within the distinctive Japanese anime tradition of characters with big round eyes and mouths that can be as small as a dot or as big as a cavern. They also have an unforced realism in the way they notice details; early in ''Totoro,'' for example, the children look at a little waterfall near their home, and there on the bottom, unremarked, is a bottle someone threw into the stream.

The movie tells the story of two young sisters, Satsuki and Mei Kusakabe. As the story opens, their father is driving them to their new house, near a vast forest. Their mother, who is sick, has been moved to a hospital in this district. Now think about that. The film is about two girls, not two boys or a boy and a girl, as all American animated films would be. It has a strong and loving father, in contrast to the recent Hollywood fondness for bad or absent fathers. Their mother is ill; does illness exist in American animation?

The September 30 and October 3 shows are dubbed in English while the October 1 show is in Japanese with English subtitles. The film will play at the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson.

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

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

The academic support department of Wholeren Education is looking for talented, experienced tutors in GRE/SAT for college 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.

My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (僕のヒーローアカデミア THE MOVIE ～２人の英雄) in Pittsburgh, from September 25.

My Hero Academia: Two Heroes (僕のヒーローアカデミア THE MOVIE ～２人の英雄) will play in Pittsburgh from September 25. The distributor provides a summary:

The anime smash hit that’s swept the world now makes its debut on the big screen! Our favorite young hero-in-training is in for a wild ride when villains threaten the artificial moving city, I-Island.

Deku and All Might receive an invitation to I-Expo, the world’s leading exhibition of Quirk abilities and hero item innovations!Amid the excitement, sponsors, and pros from all over, Deku meets Melissa, a girl who is Quirkless just like he once was. Suddenly, I-Expo’s top-of-the-line security system gets hacked by villains, and a sinister plan is set in motion. It’s a serious threat to hero society, and one man holds the key to it all—the symbol of peace, All Might.

The movie will play at both the Southside Works Cinema and the Hollywood Theater in Dormont on September 25, 26, 29, and October 2. Tickets are available online.

Free performance by Taiwan Acrobatic Troupe, September 28 at Carlow University.

The Troupe of Acrobats at National Taiwan College of Performing Art will give a free performance, titled Taiwan Acrobatic Troupe: A Cultural Celebration, on September 28 at Carlow University.

The inspiration of the performance is founded on Taiwan's diverse heritage. Integrating elements of modern performance, the show will also incorporate folk dance, juggling, martial arts, and Taiwanese opera to showcase various expressions of Taiwanese lifestyle. The audience can look forward to this interactive performance!

The show runs from 7:30 to 9:00 pm at the Rosemary Heyle Theater in Antonian Hall at Carlow University in Oakland (map). The performance is free but advanced registration is required and can be completed online.

Sennan Asbestos Disaster (ニッポン国VS泉南石綿村), winner of 2018 Pittsburgh Japan Documentary Film Award, free at Pitt on September 27.

The first-ever winner of Pitt's first-ever Pittsburgh Japan Documentary Award, Sennan Asbestos Disaster (ニッポン国VS泉南石綿村), will screen on September 27 in Oakland.

More than ten years in the making, Sennan Asbestos Disaster follows a dwindling group of dying former asbestos workers as they seek justice and recognition from an indifferent Japanese government As Mr. Hara follows these plaintiffs through their successes and failures, his film also examines the power of the Japanese state and its continued responsibilities to its citizens. In praising the film for its profound effect, Mr. Soda notes that Sennan Asbestos Disaster “shows the painstaking process of the eight years of lawsuits. I was able to physically experience what it's like to fight against the Japanese government.” Mr. Hara, whose previous works include The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On (1987), is well known for being unafraid to punch through walls of conventional society. Sennan Asbestos Disaster has already received the 2017 Audience Award at the Tokyo Filmex International Film Festival and the 2017 BIFF Mecenat Award at the Busan International Film Festival.

The movie starts at 6:00 pm at the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium in Oakland (map). The screening is free but tickets are required (and can be reserved online).

Mid-Autumn Festival at Pitt with CASA and VSA, September 22.

The University of Pittsburgh's Chinese American Student Association and Vietnamese Student Association will host their annual Mid-Autumn Festival on September 22.

CASA and VSA are proud to present to you our 2018 Mid-Autumn Festival! Mid-Autumn is a time of celebrating the moon and harvest! We encourage you to gather your family and friends to come out and have a good time!

Come to the WPU Assembly Room for a fun evening of performances by FRESA, a skit done by CASA/VSA committees and cultural activities like calligraphy, Chinese yo-yo & paper folding! There will also be food catered by Golden Palace Buffet!

It runs from 5:00 to 8:00 pm in the William Pitt Union's Assembly and Kurtzman Rooms (map), though you must arrive by 6:00 pm to get food.

Pittsburgh's first Chatime (日出茶太) to open, hopefully, this weekend.

Chatime (日出茶太), a Taiwanese tea and bubble tea chain, is set to open its first Pittsburgh-area location soon in Ross Park Mall. The initial opening date of September 20th was pushed back to the 21st, with the mall now aiming for a grand opening this weekend.

Chatime is the next trend in beverages. A unique Tea concept that is dedicated to make Tea a healthier, refreshing and fun alternative to Coffee.

Chuseok (추석) celebration at Pitt, September 30.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center, the Korean Student Association, and the Daehwa Korean Conversation Club will present a Chuseok celebration on Sunday, September 30.

Join Pitt KSA, Daehwa Korean Conversation Club, and the Asian Studies Center in celebrating one of the most important Korean holidays: Chuseok (추석)!

Chuseok, aka mid-autumn festival, is a day for families to gather and give thanks to their ancestors for plentiful harvest. We will have Korean games, opportunities to learn more about Korean culture and most important of all, there will be KOREAN FOOD! Come out and celebrate with us!!

It runs from 3:00 to 5:00 pm in the William Pitt Union's Kurtzman Room (map).

Anime Week starts tomorrow, runs through September 27 at Row House Cinema.

The Row House Cinema's next Anime Week starts tomorrow, September 21, runs through the 27th, and features four Japanese animated films: Akira (アキラ), Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (カウボーイビバップ 天国の扉), Perfect Blue (パーフェクトブルー), and Mobile Suit Gundam - Part 1 for a one-night special screening. Tickets and descriptions are available online. The single-screen theater is located at 4115 Butler Street in Lawrenceville (map).

WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring math, chemistry, computer science, and engineering tutors for university-level Chinese students.

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education and consulting company WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) has just announced openings for Mathematics Academic Tutors, Chemistry Academic Tutors, Computer Science Academic Tutors, and online CS/Math/Chemistry/Engineering Academic Tutors for university-level Chinese students. Some generic information for all positions:

The academic support department of Wholeren Education is looking for talented, experienced tutors for college 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. 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.

10 days, 20 Asian movies in Pittsburgh, starting September 21

Anime Week at Row House Cinema, the Silk Screen Asian American Film Festival, the Ghibli GKIDS Fest, the Pittsburgh Japan Documentary Award, and some regularly-scheduled distribution mean that 20 East Asian movies will play in Pittsburgh from September 21 through September 30. See below for a list of screenings of these films from Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Philippine-American Performing Arts of Greater Pittsburgh recital "Halo Halo" at Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, September 22.

The Philippine-American Performing Arts of Greater Pittsburgh will present its seventh annual recital on September 22, a show called "Halo Halo."

Halo-halo literally means "mix-mix," or a hodgepodge. It is the name of a popular Filipino dessert---a mixture of sweetened fruits, tubers and beans poured over shaved ice, with a topping of evaporated milk and ice cream.

Just like the colorful dessert, the recital will showcase a melding of different elements. Dancers will perform more than a dozen traditional folk dances, including the famous Tinikling pole-jumping dance. But five of the dances have been modernized with contemporary moves and street-dancing styles.

The show starts at 4:00 pm at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater at 5941 Penn Ave. in East Liberty (map). Tickets are in a "Pay What Makes You Happy" format, and are available online.

University of Pittsburgh hiring Assistant Instructor of Chinese for September 2019 start.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures is hiring an Assistant Instructor of Chinese.

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.

For more information, contact Monika Losagio, tel. (412) 624-5221, or losagio@pitt.edu. In order to ensure full consideration, applications must be received by November 9, 2018.

Special application details and instructions are posted on the job ad.

诚聘教师 / 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。

2018 animated film Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (さよならの朝に約束の花をかざろう), in Pittsburgh (and dubbed in English) September 23.

An English-dubbed version of the 2018 Japanese animated film Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (さよならの朝に約束の花をかざろう) will play at Southside Works Cinema on September 23. The Anime News Network provides a summary:

Maquia is from a clan where all the members stop aging in their mid teens. She has no parents and, although her days are peaceful, she feels lonely. Their peace is shattered when an army invades, seeking the secret to her people's immortality. Leilia, the most beautiful girl in her clan, is taken away, and the boy Maquia has secret feelings for disappears. Maquia is able to escape, but she loses her friends and her home. Wandering alone in the forest, she finds Erial, a baby boy who has lost his parents. The story follows the changing relationship between the two as Erial grows up and Maquia does not.

The movie first played in Pittsburgh in July, premiered in Japan on February 24, and was the fifth-highest-grossing movie there its opening weekend.

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 Social Hour, September 18 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center is hosting a Japanese Language Social Hour on Tuesday, September 18, with the group of students from Yasuda Women's University spending the term at the English Language Institute. From the Asian Studies Center newsletter:

Interesting in practicing your Japanese language with native speakers? The Asian Studies Center is partnering with students from Yasuda University in Japan who are studying English at Pitt's English Language Institute. We will organize a series of games to encourage Japanese/English conversations and hopefully many participants will find a language partner. Please join us on Tuesday evening September 18 at 4:30 pm in 4130 Posvar for an evening of language and culture exchange. Free pizza and drinks will be provided. Please email asia@pitt.edu if you are interested in attending.

"Storytime: Japanese and English" at Carnegie Library in East Liberty, September 18.

The next installment of the monthly program "Storytime: Japanese and English" will take place on September 18 at the Carnegie Library in East Liberty.

Celebrate our city’s diverse culture as we explore new words through songs, action rhymes and stories in both English and Japanese for children and their parents or caregivers. For children age birth – 5 and their caregivers.

It runs from 11:00 to 11:30 am. The library is located at 130 S. Whitfield St. (map).

Pipa soloist Yang Jin in Oakland, September 23.

The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh's branch in Oakland hosts pipa soloist Yang Jin on September 23 as part of its World Kaleidoscope series.

Haikyuu!! The Movie: Battle of Concepts (ハイキュー!! コンセプトの戦い) in Pittsburgh, from September 19.

The Japanese animated movie Haikyuu!! The Movie: Battle of Concepts (ハイキュー!! コンセプトの戦い) will play in Pittsburgh from September 19.

Based on the 3rd season of the popular TV anime series Haikyuu!!, the compilation film focuses on the Karasuno High Boys volleyball team preparing for their final face off to represent the prefecture in the volleyball national championship.

Despite being known as "The Fallen Champions", Karasuno High boys volleyball team is highly determined to take down the powerhouse, Shiratorizawa High boys volleyball team. As Hinata comes closer to fulfilling his promise of defeating Ushijima's team, will the "Flightless Crows" finally find their wings and soar above the best school in the prefecture?

The movie will play at the Southside Works Cinema on September 19 and 22, and at the Hollywood Theater in Dormont the 19th, 22nd, and 23rd. Tickets for both locations are available online. Southside Works Cinema is located at 425 Cinema Drive in the Southside, one block from the Hot Metal Bridge (map), and the Hollywood 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.

2018 OCA Free Medical and Dental Clinic, with free medical consultation and Chinese-language interpretation, October 15 in Oakland.

The Organization of Chinese Americans Pittsburgh chapter will hold its annual OCA Free Medical and Dental Clinic on October 15 at the UPMC Montefiore Hospital in Oakland. The clinic provides free medical consultation and Chinese-language interpretation to the local Chinese communities.

Taiwanese tea chain Chatime (日出茶太) to open first Pittsburgh-area location on September 20.

via @chatime.tw

The Taiwanese tea chain Chatime (日出茶太) will open its first Pittsburgh-area location on September 20 in Ross Park Mall.

Chatime is the next trend in beverages. A unique Tea concept that is dedicated to make Tea a healthier, refreshing and fun alternative to Coffee.

And from the Chatime official site:

We are committed to producing high quality products, brewed from the freshest ingredients, with the fullest flavours from one of eastern lifestyle.

The word “Cha” means tea in Taiwan. So technically ‘chatime’ could be loosely translated into ‘teatime’. Finest teas from Taiwan and unique flavour of bubble tea bring new drinks tea style for good user experience in the whole world.

It will open on the second floor near Pac Sun. Ross Park Mall is located at 1000 Ross Park Mall Drive in the North Hills (map).

Tickets now available for new Japanese animated film Mirai (未来のミライ), in Pittsburgh on November 29, December 5, December 8.

Tickets for the new Japanese animated film Mirai (未来のミライ), playing in Pittsburgh from November 29, went on sale this morning. A synopsis, from the distributor:

From acclaimed director Mamoru Hosoda (Summer Wars, Wolf Children) and Japan’s Studio Chizu comes MIRAI, a daringly original story of love passed down through generations. When four-year-old Kun meets his new baby sister, his world is turned upside down. Named Mirai (meaning “future”), the baby quickly wins the hearts of Kun’s entire family. As his mother returns to work, and his father struggles to run the household, Kun becomes increasingly jealous of baby Mirai... until one day he storms off into the garden, where he encounters strange guests from the past and future – including his sister Mirai, as a teenager. Together, Kun and teenage Mirai go on a journey through time and space, uncovering their family’s incredible story. But why did Mirai come from the future?

An official selection at Cannes Directors’ Fortnight, and the epic capstone of director Mamoru Hosoda’s career, Mirai is a sumptuous, magical, and emotionally soaring adventure about the ties that bring families together and make us who we are.

The movie will play in the Pittsburgh area on November 29, December 5, and December 8, with some shows dubbed in English and others in Japanese with English subtitles. It will play locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, the Cinemark Theaters in Monroeville and Robinson, the Regal Crown Center Stadium theater in Washington, and the AMC Classic Westmoreland in Greensburg. Tickets are now available online.

"Rotating to the Top: How Career Tracks Matter in the Chinese Communist Regime," October 2 at Pitt.

via mit.edu

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of Political Science will host Yiqing Xu of the University of California San Diego and his talk "Rotating to the Top: How Career Tracks Matter in the Chinese Communist Regime" on October 2.

This paper takes a novel perspective on the selection of leaders by depicting the importance of career tracks. Using full and alternate Central Committee members of the Chinese Communist Party from 1982 to 2017, we measure career tracks - both the horizontal and vertical movement of individuals - using machines learning techniques, and link them with political selection. Our main finding is that career tracks play an important role in the Chinese political system despite the in influence of patronage networks. In addition, when comparing the roles of career tracks and personal ties over time, we find suggestive evidence that Chinese politics becomes more paternalistic in the 19th Party Congress.

The talk runs from 12:00 to 1:30 pm in 4801 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

2016 Japanese animated movie A Silent Voice (聲の形) at Pitt, September 21.

The Pitt Japanese Student Association will screen the 2016 Japanese animated movie A Silent Voice (聲の形) on Friday, September 21. A synopsis of the film from the distributor:

The story begins with a deaf elementary school girl named Shoko Nishimiya, who transfers to a new school and meets a boy named Shoya Ishida. Shoya, who is not deaf, leads the school in bullying Shoko over her disability. The bullying escalates, and so Shoko transfers to another school. Immediately, the class and even Shoya's closest friends, bully him for having bullied Shoko. Shoya loses contact with Shoko, and for years he suffers the consequences of his guilt. Upon entering high school, Shoya finally decides he must find Shoko, determined to make amends for what he did in elementary school and to become Shoko's friend. Along the way, he meets new and old faces, and struggles with many complicated relationships and feelings.

It runs from 8:00 to 10:00 pm in room G-8 of the Cathedral of Learning, and is free and open to Pitt students interested in Japanese culture, movie, language, or stuff.

"Private Tutoring impact On Junior High School Students' Performance In China: Fast Lane or Placebo Effect?" September 14 at Pitt.

The University of Pittsburgh's Institute of International Studies in Education will present two speakers on September 14 in the first installment of the 2018 Symposium Series: Lunxuan Sun and "Private Tutoring impact On Junior High School Students' Performance In China: Fast Lane or Placebo Effect?," and Humin Chen and "Research on Endowed Chairs in American Top Research Universities."

Lunxuan Sun is a lecturer from School of Education in Tianjin Normal University, China. He is currently serving as a visiting scholar at the Institute for International Studies in Education (IISE), University of Pittsburgh. His faculty counterpart at the University of Pittsburgh is Prof. Maureen McClure and his current research project is “The Act of the State in the Development of Higher Education of China and the United States: A Comparative Perspective.”

He received his Ph.D. degree in Science of Public Management at Nankai University. Dr. Lunxuan Sun’s current research includes a comparative study on government’s action in higher education funded by the Ministry of Chinese Education and research on Non-monetary of education Funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation. He teaches courses in the sociology of education, research methods of applied educational science and advises Master students in comparative education.

The panel discussion begins at 10:30 am in 4318 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) in Pittsburgh, September 30, October 1, and October 3.

The classic Japanese animated film My Neighbor Totoro (となりのトトロ) is celebrating its 30th anniversary and will play in Pittsburgh, September 30, October 1, and October 3 as part of this year's GKIDS Ghibli Fest. From a 2001 Roger Ebert review:

Miyazaki's films are above all visually enchanting, using a watercolor look for the backgrounds and working within the distinctive Japanese anime tradition of characters with big round eyes and mouths that can be as small as a dot or as big as a cavern. They also have an unforced realism in the way they notice details; early in ''Totoro,'' for example, the children look at a little waterfall near their home, and there on the bottom, unremarked, is a bottle someone threw into the stream.

The movie tells the story of two young sisters, Satsuki and Mei Kusakabe. As the story opens, their father is driving them to their new house, near a vast forest. Their mother, who is sick, has been moved to a hospital in this district. Now think about that. The film is about two girls, not two boys or a boy and a girl, as all American animated films would be. It has a strong and loving father, in contrast to the recent Hollywood fondness for bad or absent fathers. Their mother is ill; does illness exist in American animation?

The September 30 and October 3 shows are dubbed in English while the October 1 show is in Japanese with English subtitles. The film will play at the Cinemark theaters in Monaca, Monroeville, Pittsburgh Mills, and Robinson.

Japanese Language Social Hour, September 18 at Pitt.

Via Yasuda Women's University.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center is hosting a Japanese Language Social Hour on Tuesday, September 18, with the group of students from Yasuda Women's University spending the term at the English Language Institute. From the Asian Studies Center newsletter:

Interesting in practicing your Japanese language with native speakers? The Asian Studies Center is partnering with students from Yasuda University in Japan who are studying English at Pitt's English Language Institute. We will organize a series of games to encourage Japanese/English conversations and hopefully many participants will find a language partner. Please join us on Tuesday evening September 18 at 4:30 pm in 4130 Posvar for an evening of language and culture exchange. Free pizza and drinks will be provided. Please email asia@pitt.edu if you are interested in attending.

University of Pittsburgh hiring Assistant Instructor of Korean for September 2019 start.

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of East Asian Languages & Literatures is hiring an Assistant Instructor of Korean.

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.

Special application details are posted on the job ad.

"Private Tutoring impact On Junior High School Students' Performance In China: Fast Lane or Placebo Effect?" September 14 at Pitt.

Via spencerauthor.com

The University of Pittsburgh's Institute of International Studies in Education will present two speakers on September 14 in the first installment of the 2018 Symposium Series: Lunxuan Sun and "Private Tutoring impact On Junior High School Students' Performance In China: Fast Lane or Placebo Effect?," and Humin Chen and "Research on Endowed Chairs in American Top Research Universities."

Lunxuan Sun is a lecturer from School of Education in Tianjin Normal University, China. He is currently serving as a visiting scholar at the Institute for International Studies in Education (IISE), University of Pittsburgh. His faculty counterpart at the University of Pittsburgh is Prof. Maureen McClure and his current research project is “The Act of the State in the Development of Higher Education of China and the United States: A Comparative Perspective.”

He received his Ph.D. degree in Science of Public Management at Nankai University. Dr. Lunxuan Sun’s current research includes a comparative study on government’s action in higher education funded by the Ministry of Chinese Education and research on Non-monetary of education Funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation. He teaches courses in the sociology of education, research methods of applied educational science and advises Master students in comparative education.

The panel discussion begins at 10:30 am in 4318 Posvar Hall (map) and is free and open to the public.

"Sounds of China" in Pittsburgh, February 8.

Sounds of China will perform in Pittsburgh on February 8 as part of an American tour in 2019.

Sounds of China Guzheng Music Promotion Center was founded by Carol Chang (aka yukina) in 2005. With a group of guzheng-loving friends, Carol also founded Sound of China Guzheng Ensemble. The group promotes the music of guzheng, also known as Chinese zither, and the guzheng instrument itself. They work closely with guzheng instrument makers and musicians to bring most updated guzheng music and instruments on tour.

Tickets for the 7:30 pm show at the Byham Theater are now available online from $25.

Sennan Asbestos Disaster (ニッポン国VS泉南石綿村), winner of 2018 Pittsburgh Japan Documentary Film Award, free at Pitt on September 27.

The first-ever winner of Pitt's first-ever Pittsburgh Japan Documentary Award, Sennan Asbestos Disaster (ニッポン国VS泉南石綿村), will screen on September 27 in Oakland.

More than ten years in the making, Sennan Asbestos Disaster follows a dwindling group of dying former asbestos workers as they seek justice and recognition from an indifferent Japanese government As Mr. Hara follows these plaintiffs through their successes and failures, his film also examines the power of the Japanese state and its continued responsibilities to its citizens. In praising the film for its profound effect, Mr. Soda notes that Sennan Asbestos Disaster “shows the painstaking process of the eight years of lawsuits. I was able to physically experience what it's like to fight against the Japanese government.” Mr. Hara, whose previous works include The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On (1987), is well known for being unafraid to punch through walls of conventional society. Sennan Asbestos Disaster has already received the 2017 Audience Award at the Tokyo Filmex International Film Festival and the 2017 BIFF Mecenat Award at the Busan International Film Festival.

The movie starts at 6:00 pm at the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium in Oakland (map). The screening is free but tickets are required (and can be reserved online).

The Voice of Pipa: Yang Jin and Friends, September 9 in Oakland.

Numerous performers of traditional Chinese music will collaborate in Oakland on September 9 for "The Voice of Pipa: Yang Jin and Friends" on September 9. The program includes pipa virtuoso Yang Jin, the Afro Yaqui Music Collective, the HarmoniZing Ensemble, the Purple Bamboo Ensemble, and the Helio Phoneix Trio.

The show runs from 7:00 to 8:30 pm on the 9th at the Frick Fine Arts Auditorium in Oakland (map). It is free and open to the public, though a donation is suggested.

WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) hiring Financial Analyst.

Pittsburgh-based Chinese education consulting and placement firm WholeRen Education (美国厚仁教育集团) has announced an opening for a Financial Analyst.

Satoshi Kon's Perfect Blue (パーフェクトブルー) in Pittsburgh, September 6 and 10.

The 1997 film Perfect Blue (パーフェクトブルー) will play in the Pittsburgh area on September 6 and 10, followed by a run at the Row House Cinema later in the month. A 1999 Variety review summarizes:

Forsaking the usual anime fantasy terrain for a straight suspense plot that might easily have been executed in live-action form, director Satoshi Kon’s debut pic, “Perfect Blue,” is a psychological thriller that intrigues without quite hitting the bull’s-eye. Animated feature is currently getting limited U.S. release in an English-dubbed version.

The movie will play at Pittsburgh-area Cinemark theaters in Greensburg, Monroeville, and Robinson on September 6 (Japanese with English subtitles) and September 10 (dubbed in English). Tickets are available online at those links. It will also play at the Row House Cinema from September 21 through 27 as part of an Anime film series.

GlobalPittsburgh Happy Hour with visiting Yasuda Women's University students, September 6.

Interior of Pitt's Cathedral of Learning, from the 2019 Yasuda Women's University promotional catalog.

GlobalPittsburgh's next First Thursdays Happy Hour on September 6 will welcome students from Yasuda Women's University (安田女子大学) in Hiroshima.

Meet globally-minded people from Pittsburgh and all over the world to make new friends and learn more about different cultures at our GlobalPittsburgh First Thursdays monthly happy hour. Bring your friends, family, and colleagues or come alone - we are a very friendly group!

In September, our guests will be a group of female students from Yasuda University in Japan. They will be coming to Pittsburgh to study English at the University of Pittsburgh English Language Institute.

A cohort of undergraduates has studied each fall at the University of Pittsburgh's English Language Institute since 2016.
The event runs from 5:30 to 8:00 pm at Roland's Seafood Grill in the Strip District (map), and tickets are available online.