JET Program Information Session with University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center, October 23.

The University of Pittsburgh's Asian Studies Center will host its annual JET Program Information Session on October 23. It starts at 5:30 pm in 4130 Posvar Hall (map).

2022 documentary Beyond Utopia, about families attempting to escape North Korea, in Pittsburgh October 23 and 24.

The 2022 documentary Beyond Utopia will play in Pittsburgh on October 23 and 24. A summary, from the Sundance Film Festival where the documentary made its premiere earlier this year:

A suspenseful look at the lengths people will go to gain freedom, Beyond Utopia follows various individuals as they attempt to flee North Korea, one of the most oppressive places on Earth, a land they grew up believing was a paradise. At the film’s core are a mother desperate to reunite with the child she was forced to leave behind, a family of five — including small children and an elderly grandmother — embarking on a treacherous journey across the Yalu River and into the hostile mountains of China, and a man of God on a mission to help these desperate souls. Leaving their homeland is fraught with danger — severe punishment if caught and possibly even execution — as well as potential exploitation by unscrupulous brokers. Family members who remain behind also may face retribution. Yet these individuals are driven to take the risk.

Gripping, visceral, and urgent, Madeleine Gavin’s film embeds the viewer with these family members as they attempt their perilous escape, palpably conveying life-or-death stakes. The result is a singular, illuminating, and unforgettable experience.

It plays locally at the AMC Loews Waterfront, the AMC Classic in Greensburg, and the Cinemark theaters in Monroeville and Robinson, and tickets are available online.

1993 Chinese movie Farewell my Concubine (霸王别姬) in Pittsburgh for film's 30th anniversary, October 15 - 19.

The 1993 Chinese movie Farewell my Concubine (霸王别姬) will play at the Harris Theater from October 15 - 19.

Cheng Dieyi (Leslie Cheung) and Duan Xiaolou (Zhang Fengyi) grow up enduring the harsh training of the Peking Opera Academy, where instructors regularly beat the students to instill in them the discipline needed to master the complex physical and vocal techniques of this ancient art. As the two boys mature, they develop complementary talents: Dieyi, with his fine, delicate features, assumes the female roles while Xiaolou plays masculine warlords. Their dramatic identities become real for Dieyi when he falls in love with Xiaolou, who fails to fully reciprocate his affections and marries a courtesan, Juxian (Gong Li), creating a dangerous, jealousy-filled romantic triangle.

Hailed as a “cultural achievement” (The New York Times) and widely considered one of the most important motion pictures ever made, FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE is a “gorgeous, intoxicating epic” (Los Angeles Times) that is both “visually spectacular” and “sumptuous in every respect” (Time Out). Spanning 50 years from the early 20th century to the tumultuous Cultural Revolution, Chen Kaige's passionate, exquisitely shot film captures the vast historical scope of a changing country while revealing the intimate and touching details of a unique, tender, heartrending love story. Based on the bestselling novel by Lillian Lee, it was selected as one of the “100 Best Films in Global History” by TIME Magazine, was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and remains the only Chinese-language film to ever win the Palme d’Or.

In celebration of its 30th anniversary, Film Movement Classics is proud to bring the recently restored 4K version of this masterwork to North American theaters, where audiences in the U.S. and Canada will be able to see the complete, uncut film (20 minutes longer than its original Miramax theatrical release) on screen for the first time ever.

Tickets are available online. The Harris Theater is located at 809 Liberty Ave. in downtown's Cultural District (map).

2019 Japanese movie My Girlfriend is a Serial Killer (羊とオオカミの恋と殺人) with Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and Pitt's Asian Studies Center, October 26.

The Asian Studies Center at the University of Pittsburgh and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Main Branch in Oakland are collaborating to show the 2019 Japanese movie My Girlfriend is a Serial Killer (羊とオオカミの恋と殺人) on October 26. The movie starts at 7:00 pm in the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh Lecture Hall at 4400 Forbes Ave. in Oakland (map).

Squirrel Hill (im)patiently awaits Tiger Sugar and Mango Mango.

Work has yet to progress on Tiger Sugar and Mango Mango, which will share a large storefront in Squirrel Hill. Signage first went up in May advertising the first Pittsburgh locations for the Taiwanese bubble tea chain Tiger Sugar and the Hong Kong-style dessert chain Mango Mango. They will occupy 5853 Forbes Ave. (map), which was most recently a beer distributor; Tiger Sugar will have Suite A and Mango Mango will have Suite B.

"Stories from Pittsburgh’s Chinatown," free at Heinz History Center, October 29.

The Heinz History Center will present "Stories from Pittsburgh's Chinatown" on October 29.

Join the History Center for a rich celebration of stories from Pittsburgh’s Chinatown.

Featuring two short film screenings and a panel discussion, this event will vividly explore family and communal narratives from this long-overlooked neighborhood. Panelists (including community members, artists, and experts) will share their memories and research reflections on the history and legacy of Pittsburgh’s Chinatown.

Attendees will learn how Chinese Americans established businesses, started families, and created community despite the racism and discrimination that they faced. Participants will also garner insights into the decades-long partnerships and advocacy within the Chinese American community that has resulted in broader recognition of this history.

It runs from 2:00 to 4:00 pm and is free with advance registration. More information about the presenters and the films is available on the Heinz History Center's hompeage. The Heinz History Center is located at 1212 Smallman St. at the western edge of the Strip District (map).

University of Pittsburgh hiring Teaching Professor of Korean Studies.

The University of Pittsburgh is hiring a Teaching Professor of Korean Studies (Open Rank) to support its new Korean major.  An excerpt from the job posting:

The Department of East Asian Languages and Literatures at the University of Pittsburgh invites applications for a Teaching Professor (of any rank) position in Korean culture and visual culture, pending budgetary approval. The successful candidate should possess a primary disciplinary training in Korean literature and culture and strong competence in film and media studies, performance studies, or a closely related discipline. A Ph.D. in Korean Studies or related field is required by the time of appointment. 

The appointment starts immediately. The teaching load is six courses per year. The appointee will teach current undergraduate courses, develop new courses in the area of their specialization, help develop a new Korean major, and participate in the department’s interdisciplinary MA program. The successful candidate must demonstrate strengths as a teacher at all levels. The candidate must have native or near-native user of Korean and English in all language skill areas. In addition, the new hire should be willing to take an active leadership role for a vigorous growth of the Korean program and to collaborate closely with the established Korean language program. Besides working closely with other Korea studies faculty, the individual hired for this position is expected to collaborate with Asianists in other units to promote Korea studies and visual studies. 

Free guzheng performances by Zhongbei Wu at IUP, October 12 and 13.

Indiana University of Pennsylvania's College of Arts and Humanities will host two days of programming with guzheng performer Zhongbei Wu on October 12 and 13. A concert is scheduled for October 12 at 7:00 pm while a presentation and hands-on workshop is scheduled for October 13 from 11:20 am.

Professor Zhongbei (Daisy) Wu is a renowned musician of playing Guzheng (a traditional Chinese instrument), and has performed in various countries and remarkable venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, United Nations Headquarters, China National Television, and many more. he is also a groundbreaking creator with her own contemporary compositions. Currently, she is a clinical professor of music at Alfred University, where she has been teaching Chinese music and the Guzheng courses since 2010, and is also director of its Chinese language and culture program. Prior to coming to the US, she was an associate professor of music and the director of the Chinese orchestra in Hunan University of Technology and Business, China.

The Corell Recital Hall is located in Cogswell Hall on the campus of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (map), a roughly 90-minute drive east of Pittsburgh.

Noodles of Burma Pop-Up Event, from Spice Island Tea House team, October 20-21.

The team behind Spice Island Tea House in Oakland is putting on a Noodles of Burma Pop-Up Event on October 20 and 21.

[W]e hope your love of noodles remain strong to join us on Oct 20 and 21! So save the dates! This is a dine-in only event, so no take-out will be available. No reservations. No BYOB. No rice. Just noodles.

Spice Island Tea House was a long-standing restaurant in Oakland that closed on September 30.  The storefront is located at 253 Atwood St. (map).

Happy 84th Birthday to Chinese Nationality Room at University of Pittsburgh.

The Chinese Nationality Room in 1939; via Historic Pittsburgh.

The University of Pittsburgh's Chinese Nationality Room was dedicated on October 6, 1939.