| |
 |
Information | |
This page is an extract from SACU's China Eye magazine sent out to members. If you have would like to publicise an event or promote an organization please use our contact form to let us know.
2008 is the Chinese New Year of the Rat. The full sequence of 12 years is; Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit (or Hare), Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep (or Goat), Monkey, Rooster (or Cock), Dog and Pig (or Boar).
The main traditional Chinese festivals in 2008 are as follows:-
Chinese Valentine's Day 7th August
Zhong Yuan (Hungry Ghosts) 15th August
Mid-Autumn Festival 14th September
Chong Yang 7th October
*Recommended book on Chinese festivals are:-
compiled by Qi Xing, Foreign Languages Press, Beijing 1988.
by Marie-Luise Latsch, New World Press, Beijing 1984
DORS a UK charity operates to promote and facilitate sustainable and equitable development in certain villages in Sichuan Province, which are in mountainous regions where some people live in extreme poverty. DORS projects are small-scale poverty alleviation exercises, e.g. simple rural credit schemes; water and electricity supply projects, helping to set up household enterprises and other ways of earning income. All projects, carried out co-operating with local people, aim to be environmentally sustainable and to provide long-term benefits.
Xiong Darun, an astronomer from Nanjing Observatory has donated his 200,000 RMB (about £14, 000) science prize to DORS for use in two poor villages.
DORS are currently supporting a number of 'self-help' projects. They include forestry management training, sheep raising training, establishment of a village primary school, financial help for village students, water supply improvements, road surfacing activities and provision of a telephone link for one village.
Donations, including donations for specific projects would be welcomed. Further information is available from DORS (UK), 17 Denmark Road, Gloucester GL1 3HZ. Tel 01452 522328 or e-mail info@dors.org.uk . Please visit the DORS web site
This is a well-bound large colour illustrated paperback detailing ecological matters in China's countryside and how it is influencing the world in rural development. It describes various projects including ecological agriculture, promotion of organic food in China and environmental management in small Chinese towns. This volume also features an essay on Yangshuo illustrated with beautiful colour photographs. It is an information bridge connecting China with Europe-204 pages.
Price £13 or €19 available from the publishers: Biosani Lda., Serra do Louro, 2950-131 Palmela , Portugal
E-mail greenchina@greenchina.eu
Also available from www.amazon.com
Keep informed how China is changing the world by registering, free at the website: www.greenchina.eu
SACU members will be able to consult the books at Sheffield University during normal opening hours. They are now integrated into the Chinese collection and the East Asian Studies librarian is Gill Goddard (Tel 0114 222 7334) The university central library telephone number is 0114 222 7200 and the head of library services is Martin Lewis.
The library is on Western Bank (Sheffield S10 2TN) just west of the city centre and about 20 minutes walk from the railway station. During term time the library is open from 9.00 a.m. to 9.30 p.m., Monday to Friday. During vacations the times are 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. with late openings on Wed/Thurs to 8.30 p.m.
Books can be borrowed using the normal inter-library borrowing system, which can be arranged via your local library. Sheffield Library
HOST exists to provide some of the thousands of international students at universities and colleges in the UK with the opportunity to spend a weekend, or a few days at festival times such as Christmas or Chinese New Year, in private homes. The purpose is to enable them to explore the culture and way of life in a local community, feel at home for a few days away from the campus, and to see a different part of the country in the company of people who live there.
Our hosts are all volunteers - individuals, couples and families - who welcome the occasional guest from another country, learning from them and sharing their lives briefly with them. Sometimes lasting friendships are made.
We have nearly 2000 hosts across the whole of Britain, but are constantly needing to find more. Some 60% of the students applying for HOST invitations are Chinese, and would be pleased to visit hosts already interested or having connections in China. Such links with people in this country can have an invaluable influence on the students' perceptions of Britain, and the attitude with which they return home.
For more information please visit www.hostuk.org or call 020 7254 3039. Thank you.
Hosting of young Chinese students also required by The China HSK UK Committee. The Committee is looking for native English-speaking families to rent bedrooms-or full board to Chinese GCSE or A level students during their boarding school half term or vacation. Homes in greater London or south England are needed now.
Contact; Tina Chen, China HSK UK Committee, 124 Euston Road, London NW1 2AL, tel; 020 7388 8818 email hsk@uk-china.net
The Red Mansion Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation, which promotes artistic exchange between China and the UK through exhibitions, exchange programmes, publications and the Red Mansion Art prize. For further information and visuals please contact us at;-The Red Mansion Foundation, Fourth Floor, 12 Great Portland Street, London W1W 8QN. Tel 0207 323 3700. Info on line at ic@redmansionfoundation.org.
MBL is striving to introduce an authentic China to the West and to disseminate information to people in China about the lives of adopted Chinese children and of overseas Chinese in the West. Through this bridge it is hoped that both cultures will be better able to understand one another. (Ref; Sine, Newsletter of the Scotland-China Association). MBL was founded by Xinran, the Chinese authoress of The Good Women of China' and more recently, 'Sky Burial'. It is a registered charity and would welcome support or donations.
For more information, please visit MBL website