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2017
New York Asian Film Festival 2017
Friday, June 30 – Sunday, July 16
Event Fee: $9 Per Ticket–Members, $14 Per Ticket–Non-Members
Location: Film Society of Lincoln Center, 165 W. 65th Street, New York, NY 10023
Get wooed by die-hard romantics, unnerved by devil children, and bear witness to the fury of angry young men on paths of destruction in the sweet sixteenth edition of the New York Asian Film Festival. Wild cinematic outings that always have something to say about the human condition, this summer’s crop of titles range from the heartwarming to the desperately dark. Dive headfirst into the raging sea of talent from China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and across South East Asia—filmmakers unafraid to take on controversial subjects and explore complex emotions.
This year China Institute will co-present the festival’s China film slate, with a special ticket discount for China Institute members and appearances by actor Duan Yihong and Director Yang Shupeng. Learn More
Screening: China Now! Three Films from the Chinese Documentary Festival
Wednesday, June 28, 6:30-8:30PM
Event Fee: FREE Members, $10 Non-Members
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
This June, China Institute will screen a selection of works from Hong Kong’s Chinese Documentary Festival. Through a personalized lens, these films (one feature and two shorts) explore contemporary social issues in Hong Kong and China including spirituality, identity, and urban and rural development. Since its inception in 2008, the Chinese Documentary Festival has drawn the attention of filmmakers from around the world, especially those of mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, becoming a major forum for Chinese documentary filmmaking. With an award-winning feature and US premiere screenings, you can experience a taste of this prestigious festival in New York.
Southeast the Peacocks Fly: A Ben Wang Lecture Series
Session 2: Thursday, June 22, 6:30-8:30PM
Speaker: Ben Wang
$10 Members/$15 Non-Members (each lecture)
$15 Members/$25 Non-Members (for the series)
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
In this two-session series, China Institute Senior Lecturer Ben Wang will delve into the epic narrative poem Southeast the Peacocks Fly. Written by an anonymous poet at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, it is a tale in which love soars above death to defy destiny and ultimately triumphs over the strict feudal and social confines of its era. The blending of its unique theme of feminism, depicted poignantly for the first time in Chinese literature, and surpassing poetic writing technique has evoked deep sympathy in readers and has been passionately praised by generations of Chinese over the centuries.
This series is being presented in conjunction with the exhibition Dreams of the Kings: A Jade Suit for Eternity, Treasures of the Han Dynasty from Xuzhou. The lecture will be conducted in English. No previous knowledge of the Chinese language is required.
Night at the Museums
Tuesday, June 20, 4:00–8:00PM
Event Fee: Free
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
On June 20, China Institute will partner with 14 of our downtown neighbors on Night at the Museums, an annual event where museums and historic landmarks open their doors for an evening of fun and exploration – all within comfortable walking distance of each other. At China Institute, come explore our exhibition, Dreams of the Kings: A Jade Suit for Eternity: Treasures of the Han Dynasty from Xuzhou with free tours and live music. Details about the full event are available at www.NightAtTheMuseums.org.
Lecture: Dreaming of Kings in the Han Dynasty with Nancy S. Steinhardt
Wednesday, June 7, 6:30 – 8:00PM
Speaker: Nancy S. Steinhardt
Event Fee: Free for Members/$10 Non-Member
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
On June 7, 2017, learn about the history behind China Institute’s upcoming exhibit, Dreams Of The Kings: A Jade Suit for Eternity with a lecture exploring the architecture and decoration of Han dynasty tombs by renowned scholar, Nancy S. Steinhardt. Placing objects from the exhibition in their architectural context, Dr Steinhardt will contrast royal and non-royal tombs, and through the tombs of wealthy citizens of Han dynasty show how the desire for immortality is only part of the final statements of men and women in Han China.
Gourmet Food Circle: Chinese Tuxedo
Tuesday, June 6, 7:00–10:00PM
Speaker: Paul Donnelly (Chef)
Event Fee: $180 Members/$210 Non-Members
Location: Chinese Tuxedo, 5 Doyers Street, New York, NY 10013
On June 6, 2017, kick off the summer with a one-of-a-kind evening at Chinatown’s hottest new restaurant, Chinese Tuxedo. Tucked away on quiet Doyers Street in the heart of Chinatown, Chinese restaurateurs Eddy Buckingham and Jeff Lam have built a strikingly beautiful space on the site of a former opera house that offers a modern take on Chinese cuisine. China Institute’s guests will dine in Chinese Tuxedo’s private lower level, where Chef Paul Donnelly will meet the group and set us upon a journey through eleven mouthwatering courses, served family style.
Price includes cocktail upon arrival, eleven preselected courses, as well as complimentary beer, wine, and/or tea throughout the evening. Please contact China Institute to discuss any allergies or other dietary restrictions when purchasing tickets, so that accommodations can be made in advance. Must be 21 or older to participate.
China Institute’s Gourmet Food Circle brings together curious foodies with an adventurous appetite for all things China. Focusing on both Chinese and Chinese-inspired cuisine, we delve into the local New York food scene to create a cultivated, gourmet experience for participants to learn, taste, and explore.
China Institute Children’s Book Festival
Sunday, June 4, 11:00AM – 3:00PM
Event Fee: Free
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
In honor of International Children’s Day and in conjunction with BookExpo America & BookCon, China Institute presents a family festival celebrating some of the most beloved Chinese children’s stories. Children of all ages will be able to explore classic and contemporary books and stories through a puppet show, author readings, pop-up exhibition, movies, costumed characters, e-book launch, games, crafts and more!
Activities:
Chinese Theatre Works Puppet Performance: Hao Bang-Ah, Rooster!
E-Book Launch & Interactive Storytelling: This is the Greatest Place!
Author Readings & Book Signings
Pop-Up Exhibition of Contemporary Chinese Children’s Books
Costumed Characters
Movies
Summer Class & Camp Info Sessions (Children & Adult)
Crafts, Games, Snacks, Giveaways, And More!
This program is supported through the Confucius Institute at China Institute.
Sinica Podcast Live at China Institute: Jerome A. Cohen on Law in China
Wednesday, May 17, 6:30–8:00PM
This is a live taping. Attendees must arrive by 6:30 so as to not disrupt the podcast.
Event Fee: FREE Members / $10 Non-Members
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
Jerome Cohen is one of the earliest and most prominent Western scholars of the Chinese legal system. He began studying and teaching about Chinese law in the early 1960s, and has worked as a scholar and in private practice. He introduced the teaching of Asian law into the curriculum of Harvard Law School, and has played a role in some of the most significant legal developments in China, from business to human rights.
In this live Sinica Podcast interview, Jeremy Goldkorn and Kaiser Kuo will talk to Professor Cohen about his own long and fascinating involvement with law in China, the emergence of the country's legal system after the Cultural Revolution, and prospects for China implementing the rule of law that Xi Jinping has talked about so much but that cynics might say is still a long way off.
The Chinese Mind: Traditional Wisdom and Its Transformation in Modern Times
Thursday, May 11, 6:30–8:00PM
Event Fee: FREE Members / $10 Non-Members
Speaker: YU Zhenhua
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism constitute the "three teachings" that have historically had the largest influence on Chinese culture. This lecture by acclaimed scholar Yu Zhenhua will explore these three influential schools of thought from the perspective of world history, and examine what happened when Chinese society was confronted with the large-scale introduction of Western ideas, beginning in the 17th century. What were the foundations of these three major schools of Chinese thought? What effect has Western philosophy and thought had on these beliefs over time? How have these philosophies shaped the Chinese mind as it exists today?
This lecture will be the first in a series exploring Chinese thought, wellness, and beliefs and how they relate to our modern world.
Discussion and Performance: The Role of the Asian Artist in America
Wednesday, May 3, 6:30–8:00PM
Event Fee: FREE Members / $10 Non-Members
Speakers: Ms. Eleanor Yung of the Asian American Arts Centre; Ms. Yung Yung Tsuai, dancer; Ms. Nuo An, dancer; Ms. Phyllis Chen, musician; Kuang-Yu Fong and Stephen Kaplin of Chinese Theatre Works
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
This season the Crossing Paths With... Salon Series will examine issues related to immigrant artists and the development of Asian arts and culture in America. The evening will open with a roundtable discussion that includes dancers Yung Yung Tsuai and Nuo An; toy piano musician Phyllis Chen; Eleanor Yung of Asian American Arts Center; and Kuang-Yu Fong and Stephen Kaplin of Chinese Theatre Works. Together they will talk about the difficulties in presenting performance arts for audiences of widely different cultural backgrounds and the ways artists adjust their work to accommodate them. The discussion will conclude with a performance that combines dance with shadow puppetry.
This event is a co-presentation between China Institute and Chinese Theatre Works, with additional funding provided by the Confucius Institute at China Institute.
Masters of Wushu: A Martial Arts Spectacular
Saturday, April 22, 1:30–3:00PM
Event Fee: FREE
Speakers: Wang Peikun, Zhang Ping’an, Wang Hanzhi, Tian Hao, Dai Wei, He Jungang, Chen Guixue, Little Martials Group
Location: 100 Washington Street, New York, NY 10006
On Saturday, April 22, China Institute will welcome a delegation of stunning Martial Arts Masters from China for an all-ages performance featuring seven distinct forms of martial arts including Chin Wu, Northwest Boxing, Taichi, Huaquan, Whip Boxing, Eagle Claw, and Bagua Zhang. Additional performances from the “Little Martials” Chinese Martial Arts Youth Group, a renowned guqin (Chinese zither) player, and an expert calligrapher will make for a one-of-a-kind program.
Screening and Filmmaker Talk: Masters in the Forbidden City
(我在故宮修文物)
Thursday, April 20, 6:30-8:30PM
Event Fee: FREE Members; $10 Non-Members
Speakers: Ming Xue, Professor Lei Jianjun (Producer)
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
Join us for an exclusive screening of the documentary Masters in the Forbidden City (我在故宮修文物) followed by a discussion with the filmmakers. A surprise box office hit in China, this film follows the daily lives of the artisans and craftspeople who restore relics at the Palace Museum in Beijing, including experts in bronze, lacquer, wood, and clockworks. Through stunning imagery and refined storytelling director Xiao Han uses his unprecedented access to the Forbidden City to celebrate and evoke the “spirit of craftsmanship” that is the hallmark of these unsung artists.
The film will be shown in Mandarin with English subtitles.
Theater, Art, and the Cultural Revolution: A Presentation and Conversation featuring Zheng Shengtian
Wednesday, March 29, 6:30–8:00PM
Members – FREE, Non-Members - $5.00
Moderator: Jane DeBevoise; Speakers: Zheng Shengtian, Chen Xiaomei
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
On March 29, Artist, Curator, and Managing Editor of Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art, Zheng Shengtian, returns to China Institute to continue his conversation with Jane DeBevoise, Chair of the Board of Directors, Asia Art Archive, on his experience as an artist and young teacher in the Oil Painting Department at Zhejiang Academy of Art in Hangzhou (now China Academy of Art) during the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Their conversation will focus on Zheng's personal experience at that turbulent time, as well as the broader consequences of the Cultural Revolution on art in China.
The discussion will be preceded by a presentation on research done by Chen Xiaomei, Professor of Chinese Literature at University of California, Davis, on film and theater during the Cultural Revolution period. The presentation will include a screening of clips from a filmed theater performance of The Red Detachment of Women.
For questions email Aaron Nicholson at: [email protected] or call 212-744-8181 ext. 138
Gourmet Food Circle - Tea and Food Pairing with Tea Drunk and Fung Tu
Tuesday, March 21, 6:30–8:30PM
$55 Member / $65 Non-Member
Location: Tea Drunk, 123 East 7th Street (between 1st Avenue & Avenue A), New York, NY 10009
This spring, Shunan Teng of Tea Drunk and Chef Jonathan Wu of Fung Tu will present a four course tea-food pairing curated exclusively for China Institute’s Gourmet Food Circle. Shunan has combed through the rare and exceptional teas in her collection for individual pairings to a menu of seasonal dishes envisioned by Chef Jonathan. Together, at Tea Drunk’s cozy East Village teahouse, they will guide us through the unique tastes and culinary context that will bring the meal to life.
Please Register Online. For questions email Aaron Nicholson at: [email protected] or call 212-744-8181 ext. 138
Film Art Set in Times of Chaos: Chinese Martial Arts Films
Speakers: Richard Peña, Jim Zhang, Annette Juliano, Morris Rossabi, Raymond Tsang
Per Screening: Free for all Members/$5 Non-Members
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
This five-week film series is dedicated to classics of wuxia, China’s heroic stories of martial arts and swordplay, and accompanies China Institute’s exhibition Art in a Time of Chaos: Masterworks from Six Dynasties China, 3rd – 6th Centuries. Directed by guiding lights of Chinese cinema — King Hu, Zhang Yimou, John Woo, Feng Xiaogang, and Tsui Hark – each film is set in a different dynastic period, during a time of chaos marked by immense change. The screenings will be introduced by a distinguished scholar and will feature accompanying contextual materials written by series curator Nancy Jervis.
For questions or to register by phone, please contact Aaron Nicholson at 212-744-8181 ext. 138 or by email at [email protected]
This film series is sponsored by a Humanities New York Action Grant, with additional support from the Confucius Institute at China Institute.
Performance and Panel Discussion: Incident at Hidden Temple
Tuesday, February 7, 2017, 7:30PM
Speaker: Damon Chua, playwright
Members: $45.25* (please e-mail [email protected] for the members discount code)
Non-members: $66.25*
*Price includes ticket to the show and the post-show panel discussion
Location: The Clurman Theatre, 410 West 42nd Street(Between 9th and 10th Avenues), New York NY 10036
With his new play Incident at Hidden Temple, playwright Damon Chua builds on the success of his earlier work focusing on China in the 1940s with a narrative inspired by real events. Using the historic Flying Tigers squadron as the setting, and the key presence of Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, the play throws open a window into the critical role played by American pilots in China during World War II. The mystery hinges upon three Chinese women – two sisters separated by wartime chaos, and the third who unwittingly crosses their paths.
China Institute invites you to a special performance on Tuesday, February 7, 2017, where we will partner with Pan Asian Repertory Theatre to present a post-show panel discussion on the play’s historical setting moderated by Ernabel Demillo and featuring Incident at Hidden Temple writer Damon Chua alongside historical specialists Richard Bernstein and Gene Chin.
China Institute members will receive an exclusive discount on tickets to this performance.
For questions or to get the promotional code for the China Institute members ticket discount please contact Aaron Nicholson at 212-744-8181 ext. 138 or by email at [email protected]
Chinese New Year Celebration, Year of the Rooster
Date & Time: Saturday, February 4, 2017
Family Workshops: 1:00–3:30PM; Party & Performance: 4:00–7:00PM
Family Workshop Tickets*:
Members: Adult $15, Children $5; Non-Members: Adult $20, Children $5; Patron Members FREE
*Price includes entry to one workshop and the concert
Concert Tickets:
Members $10; Non-Members $20; Patron Members FREE
Location: 40 Rector Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10006
Kick off the Year of the Rooster with China Institute’s signature New Year Celebration. In the afternoon, we open our doors to families for New Year-themed workshops and activities including dumpling making, storytelling, and lantern-making. In the evening, adults and families alike are welcome to a party featuring a lion dance, food, and live music.
For questions or to register by phone, please contact Aaron Nicholson at 212-744-8181 ext. 138 or by email at [email protected]
China Institute’s Rockin’ Rooster Chinese New Year Concert
Date & Time: Saturday, February 4, 4:00 – 7:00PM
Speakers: SungBeats, Mr. Cake, Kohei, TiA
Concert Tickets: Members $10; Non-Members $20; Patron Members FREE
Location: 100 Washington Street, New York, NY 10006
Join us at our first annual New Year’s concert featuring a lion dance, food and live music!
4:00 – Doors Open & Lion Dance
4:30 - Mr. Cake
5:00 – SungBeats
6:00 - TiA & Kohei
(Food and drinks will be available for purchase)
Adults and Families – All are welcome!
For questions or to register by phone, please contact Aaron Nicholson at 212-744-8181 ext. 138 or by email at [email protected]
Concert: Stephanie Chou at Joe’s Pub
Presented in Association with China Institute
Saturday, January 14, 2017, 7:00PM, doors open at 6:00PM
Joe’s Pub at The Public
$15.00 Non-members
$10.00 Members (please e-mail [email protected] for the members discount code)
Location: Joe’s Pub at The Public, 425 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10003
Join us for a concert celebrating the release of Asymptote, the third album by jazz musician and composer Stephanie Chou. Her music combines classical and Chinese influences with jazz and pop harmony and rhythm. Asymptote features fresh arrangements of Chinese classics including "The Moon Represents My Heart" and "Kangding Love Song." Chou's goal is to create global music that is artistically challenging, bold and fearless, and which presents a unique musical perspective. This concert will take place at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater.
For questions or to register by phone, please contact Aaron Nicholson at 212-744-8181 ext. 138 or by email at [email protected]
