Photo Exhibit: Tempo of China at University of the Philippines, Diliman

   Last March 16, 2016 I went to see a photo exhibit, Tempo of China at UP Diliman, Wisdom Hall - Asian Center. The photo exhibit is about photos of China today. Cultural activities like this, really fuels up my passion, and love for the Chinese culture. I'm also overjoyed to see the ties between Philippines, and China that can trace its way back during ancient times.

According to the wall plaque information at the exhibit hall, quoting:

"Many associate China with a civilization of ancient origins dating back five thousand years, conjuring iconic images of antiquity, vestiges of yore, while in their mind's eye, images of contemporary China remain unspecific and somewhat blurred. 

Thus, Tempo of China, a photographic exhibition, attempts to capture the spirit of China in perspective of compelling immediacy, that of a nation of immense vim and vigor. It features works selected from entries submitted by more than one thousand professional and amateur photographers around the country. Demonstrating brilliant photographic skills and superb sense of space, movement and alacrity, the winning entries cover spectacular landscape, glorious sunrise, stunning architecture and endearing people of all ages and ethnicities. In focus China in the 21st century, with its vigor and prosperity, vividly and realistically rendered in myriad colors, graceful lines and enchanting  compositions; all images of harmoney and no less.

Indeed they catch glimmers of the sublime, with such boundless vigor that it has to define the tempo of nation today." 

   Here are some of my favorite photos from the exhibit. All rights reserved to the rightful owners of this photo. My most favorite shot is entitled, Old Fiddler and his Captured Audience by Yang Hong, A Selfie by Wu Wei, about Tai-Chi and Vitality photo by Li Biao.

I also like the photo of a beautiful Chinese woman in an alley, a Chinese woman holding a Chinese relic, and a newlywed couple riding a bike.

  The Tempo of China photo exhibit was also held this year (January 2016) in Toronto, Canada. This photo exhibit is sponsored by The Cultural Counsellor's Office of the Chinese Embassy Philippines, and organized by Confucius Institute, UP Diliman, Asian Center UP Diliman.

 

Confucius Institute at the University of the Philippines

      I received an invite last week from the Filipino-Chinese president of the Philippine-China friendship club, Mr. Austin Ong. The invitation was about the inauguration of Confucius Institute at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. I was a former student of Confucius Institute based in Ateneo de Manila, Katipunan, Quezon City. It was last year when I finished Basic Chinese 2. (Pls. do check out my previous post about studying Chinese at Confucius Institute in Ateneo).

      I almost failed to attend the inauguration because I need to stay at my area since my co-worker can't report to work due to an unforeseen circumstance. As they say if there's a will, there's a way so I asked someone to fill in for me for just a short time. I arrived just in time at the UP theater. I waited a bit, and I looked around. I think I don't know any of the people in the event. I'm thankful that I saw Mr. Joaquin Sy, the last time I saw him was almost 7 or 8 yrs. ago if I'm not mistaken. I greeted him and asked for a photo op with him. Then after that he told me that he'll take a photo of me together with the ambassador of China to the Philippines, His Excellency Zhao Jianhua. I didn't know what to say after the photo op but I just repeatedly said the mandarin word for thank you, 謝謝! (xie-xie). Truly this is another milestone in my life. One was when my article was feature in a Filipino-Chinese magazine, Nin Hao. I'm really thankful to Sir Joaquin.
   
      I also witnessed the opening ceremony, the dragon and the lion dance performed by the UP Wushu team. I also listened to a group of UP musician's play a very popular melody entitled, 'General's Mandate or A Man of Determination', often used in Chinese Wuxia, or kung-fu movies like my favorite Once Upon A Time in China, starring Jet Li Lian Jie. I really like this song because it is a song that speaks of being courageous, one that is never afraid in the battle that he's/she's going to face in this life, and being a hero in your own way.

      I'm looking forward to the courses that they will offer at Confucius Institute. I hope that they'll have a music class here. I want to learn how to play classical Chinese instruments. Anyway. to all who are interested in learning Mandarin you can try and enroll soon at Confucius Institute at UP Diliman. In closing, as my former mandarin teacher says, jia you! (go!go!go!) 
   

Studying Chinese at Confucius Institute in Ateneo de Manila University

"If Spain has their Instituto Cervantes and Germany has their Goethe Institut, and France has their Alliance Francaise, China has Confucius Institute."

    I just finished my Basic Chinese 2 course at Confucius Institute in Ateneo de Manila University last week, June 14, 2014. It was my first time to take HSK test, it stands for Hanyu  Shuiping Kaoshi or Chinese Proficiency test for non-native speakers. I just got a fair score in this exam. My score is 31/40. My classmates got a high score, and some even got a near perfect score, only one mistake. I was heartbroken because I scored low, but that's not a reason for me to give up. Anyway, I'm glad that I was able to finish the course and get another certificate in Chinese language study. My first certificate was when I studied Basic Chinese at Languages Internationale in Katipunan, Quezon City during my college days. 

    I was a former ESL (English as Second Language) teacher to Koreans. Compared with the Korean language, Chinese language is not that easy to learn, it can be in fact quite challenging. Mandarin has four tones and from what I read Chinese characters are over 80,000 but not all of them are used today. In the year 2000 that was my first attempt to study Chinese. Even if my family/relatives think its useless to study Chinese I was really persistent. When I was in my junior and senior year in college, I took Basic Mandarin I and Basic Mandarin II as my foreign language. After 14 years, finally I finished another Chinese language course in Confucius Institute based in Ateneo de Manila University.

   Confucius Institute has three headquarters or branches here in the Philippines. Aside from Ateneo de Manila, it is also found in Angeles University Foundation and Bulacan State University. Confucius Institute has helped a lot of people from all over the world who wants to study Chinese, as well as learning more about Chinese language and culture. As you can see, Confucius Institute was named after the great Chinese philosopher, Kong Fu Zi (Master Kong). My blog 'quotes', one of Confucius famous saying about learning and teaching. The mission of Confucius Institute is to promote and teach Chinese culture and language all over the globe. This is also one way to promote harmonious relationship with the two countries. 

    It is really surprising that Chinese language enthusiasts have increased in number now. When I was in college Chinese studies was seen as unimportant by some of my classmates. I was amazed at the foresight of my former college university (Centro Escolar University) to replace their Foreign Language which was Spanish, to Mandarin. They say that in the coming years China will be a real super power and studying the Chinese language has really its advantage. I think, if Spain has their Instituto Cervantes and Germany has their Goethe Institut, and France has their Alliance Francaise, China has Confucius Institute! I'm proud to have studied in this institute.

  So to all Chinese studies language and enthusiasts like me, if you want to study Chinese as a hobby or to further develop your skill and knowledge with regards to Chinese culture then check out Confucius Institute at Ateneo de Manila, (they also have a Makati branch) and if your are in the province (Pampanga and Bulacan), check out the other two universities offering Chinese language. Like what my former Chinese teacher always says to me 加油 jia you! (cheer or encouragement in Chinese mandarin) it means go!go!go! or go for it!

Book Review: The Chinese Language It's History and Current Usage

   I saw this book while browsing at a local bookstore. When I saw it, I knew immediately that I got to have it. So the next day after work, I rushed to the mall and went straight to the bookstore and yes! The book was still there, waiting for me. 

   I'm studying Basic Chinese 2 at Confucius Institute and I have been trying to learn Chinese since I was in highschool, a friend of mine even gave me a Chinese phrasebook assuming that I'll be able to use it when I travel to China in the future. 

  Chinese language is a very challenging language to learn. As mentioned in the book Chinese language is the putonghua, it is the common and national (official) language of China. The sentence structure differs from the English language, and it is also tonal. Mandarin has four tones. Like the Philippines, China is comprised of different dialects. Mandarin is a Northern dialect. Filipino-Chinese speak Fookien (Hokkien) since a large number of Filipino-Chinese came from Fujian province in China. In Hong Kong, the dialect that is widely used is Cantonese.

  This book was written by Dr. Daniel Kane. It is not unusual for Caucasians to be good or even an expert in the Chinese language. In fact foreigners studying the Chinese language, their numbers are increasing even more. For Chinese language learners, and for those who are Chinese studies enthusiast this book is indispensable. This book is divided into six chapters. It talks about the Chinese language, the characters, history and dialect, grammar, pronunciation, and suggested books for reading.

   To those who want to study the Chinese language, and want to learn more of its history and origin, then this book is for you.