China Center News

Winter 2000

Ambassodor Li Zhaoxing Visits Minnesota

Ambassador Li Zhaoxing spoke to more than 300 people over lunch on Tuesday, January 18, at the IDS Center in Minneapolis. Ambassador Li praised the strong friendship and growing understanding between the U.S. and China. He discussed the recent agreement to allow China's ascension to the World Trade Organization and the economic benefits that will bring both China and the U.S., specifically refer-ring to the advantages offered to Minnesota farmers with wheat and barley crops. He also acknowledged the often-problematic relationship between the U.S. and China, briefly identifying three areas of contention in U.S.-China relations: the U.S.-led NATO bombing of the embassy in Belgrade; recent statements of President Lee regarding "state-to-state" relations between China and Taiwan; and the Chinese govern-ment's handling of the Falun Gong movement. The Ambassador reaffirmed the positive impact of educational exchange. He said currently there are approximately 160,000 Chinese students in the United States and only 2,000 U.S. students in China. He noted that the University of Minnesota has the largest Chinese student population of any university campus in the United States. The Minnesota International Center, Northwest Airlines, and the China Center cosponsored the Ambassador's visit and public address.

The Artful Dragon

Celebrate the Year of the Dragon at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts on Sunday, February 13, from noon to 5:00 p.m. Visit the Museum's art galleries including the outstanding Chinese collection and beautiful Ming rooms. Learn about Chinese history and culture, design your own dragon robe in a studio art activity, and enjoy Chinese music and dance performances by local Chinese artists. You and your family can discover which animal in the Chinese zodiac corresponds to your birth year and learn more about the characteristics of people who share your zodiac sign. The China Center is a cooperative partner with the Minneapolis Institute of Arts and the Friendship Association of Chinese Students and Scholars in the programming of this special day.

Carlson School in China

In December 1999, PRC's Ministry of Education in Beijing approved a joint Executive MBA program between the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management and Zhongshan University's Lingnan (University) College. Since 1997 the Carlson School has been actively seeking an appropriate partner in China for developing a joint Executive MBA program. After considerable discussion, L(U)C of Zhongshan University in Guangzhou was chosen. L(U)C was named after Lingnan University, established in 1888 by American missionaries. In 1952, as a result of the reorganization of all universities in China, Lingnan University departments were incorporated into other universities, primarily Zhongshan University. In December 1987, Lingnan (University) College was established at Zhongshan University by China's State Education Commission.

L(U)C has made great progress since its establishment, graduating 8,000 students and becoming known for excellent research and training of students, and establishing awards for excellence in research and teaching. Professor Yuan Shu, President of L(U)C, is determined to make his institution ?into a top business school in the country, which is also well known internationally.? Since receiving permission from the Ministry of Education for the joint venture, both partners are now developing plans for approval of the joint Executive MBA program by their respective institutions. The program is expected to begin during the 2000-2001 academic year.

CLA Dean Attends Nankai's 80th Anniversary

Dean Steven Rosenstone of the College of Liberal Arts attended the 80th anniversary celebration of Nankai University on behalf of President Yudof and the University of Minnesota. Over 150 representatives from universities worldwide and approximately 10,000 alumni attended this important event.

Nankai University and the University of Minnesota have conducted fruitful exchanges of faculty, students, and scholars since 1979.

Fostering Forgiveness

From February 20 through March 13, master artists from China, Japan, Korea, and the United States will be in residence offering a wide range of community activities while concluding the final development of Forgiveness, a major new work co-commissioned and presented by the Walker Art Center in March. The music-dance-theatre piece examines a pain-filled 20th century of inter-Asian conflict marked by war and peace, unspeakable atrocities, the past dream of a united Asia, and the road to possible steps toward healing and reconciliation.

World Premiere: Forgiveness
Thursday – Saturday, March 9– 11

Residency Activities: Character In Asian Performance
Thursday, February 24, 7pm

Fireside Chat: Moving History
Friday, February 25, 7pm

Conversation with the Artists: The Journey to Forgiveness
Tuesday, February 29, 7pm

Movement Master Class
Wednesday, March 1, 7pm

Community Forum: The Future of the Past
Saturday, March 11, 1pm

For more information about location, time, and cost of these events, contact the Walker Art Center, Box Office/Tickets 612-375-7622.

Photo: Jack Vartoogian

Cheng to Speak on Three Gorges Dam Project

Last September, Dr. H. H. Cheng was invited to lead an agronomy delegation to visit China and "study specifically the impact of the Three Gorges Dam Project on the people, the agriculture, and the environment in Central China." Dr. Cheng and his group sailed down the Yangtze River through the Three Gorges and were able to tour the surrounding communities as well as speak with the chief engineer of the project. On February 23, Dr. Cheng will speak at the University of Minnesota to give an update on his impressions and report on his recent observations regarding the project. He will give his insights on the idea that, while "westerners were amazed by the unprecedented magnitude of this project or worried about the economic and social impact and environmental pollution problems, the Chinese tended to lament more about the loss of a scenic and cultural treasure." He hopes that a sharing of both the Western and the Chinese perspectives "may heighten our awarenss of the complexity of the issues and lead the debate to an examination of human values." We invite you to join us for the lecture on this fascinating topic.

Recent Delegation Visits to the University

In August, Professor Qi Wenhu of the Chinese Academy of Sciences led a delegation to the University, which met with faculty members from the College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences to discuss precision agriculture.

In September, the China Center enjoyed a visit from alumnus Arnold Chang, president of the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA) Taiwan Chapter. He came on behalf of the chapter to present President Yudof with an invitation to visit Taiwan and reconnect with students there.

Also in September, Assistant President Hao Ping of Peking University paid a visit to the University for research on how U.S. universities conduct fund raising. Assistant President Hao met with key staff members at the University Foundation and attended the Campaign Minnesota kickoff event at Coffman Memorial Union.

In November, President Xu Tongmo of Xi'an Jiaotong University (XJTU) led a delegation to the University to discuss ways to expand exchange agreements with the University of Minnesota. The delegation met with faculty members in the College of Biological Sciences, the Institute of Technology, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Graduate School. More than 25 graduate students and XJTU alumni turned out to welcome the delegation at breakfast.

Also in November, a visit by Deputy-Director General Ding-Xiaoliang of the Bureau of High Technology & Research Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences, was hosted by the China Center.

In December, Governor Cheng Andong of Shaanxi Province, a sister state of Minnesota, visited the University and met with President Yudof and faculty from the College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences, the College of Biological Sciences, and the Medical School. Shaanxi and Minnesota share many educational, economic, and cultural exchanges.

"Music in the Age of Confucius" Exhibition

The Freer-Sackler Gallery in Washington, D.C., is planning to host an exhibition to introduce six ancient Chinese flutes that have led researchers to some very interesting conclusions."Music in the Age of Confucius" will present the 8,000- to 9,000-year-old bone flutes, which researchers say are "the world's oldest complete, playable, multinote (with scales like do-re-mi) musical instruments."

The discovery of these instruments at a site in Jiahu in central Henan Province proves that the Chinese were capable of making actual instruments as early as the Neolithic period. Researchers have only just begun to explore the site at Jiahu, so far covering only 5 percent of the area, but have already uncovered numerous house foundations, cellars, pottery kilns, and thousands of artifacts of bone, pottery, stone, and other materials. Researchers have analyzed and played the most well-preserved of the flutes, and a recording of a flute playing the folk song"Xiao Bai Cai" ("Little Cabbag") can be heard at this address. Harrington, Spencer P.M. "Oldest Musical Instruments Still Play a Tune."

Happy New Year, Year of the Dragon

This Chinese lunar New Year — the Year of the Dragon — begins on February 5, 2000. The New Year's celebration is also known as the Spring Festival because it represents the earth coming back to life. Rituals associated with this time include wearing red or decorating one's home with red in order to ward off evil spirits. But the main focus of traditions is to start fresh and rid oneself of traces of bad luck by cleaning one's house thoroughly, repaying debts, cutting one's hair, and buying new clothes. Wishes at the start of the new year are for happiness, wealth, and longevity.

In Chinese culture, the dragon has not been seen as the fierce fire-breathing creature described in European mythology. Instead, dragons were believed to be water gods who rose to the skies each spring to make rain and then in autumn returned to their underwater homes in lakes, pools, rivers, or seas. Their task of providing rain was essential to good harvests and therefore to the well being of the people, so the dragon has always been honored, an emblem of royalty and a symbol of greatness. There was no greater honor than to have the dragon's name associated with one's own.

The year 2000 represents an angry dragon. This signifies a time to be cautious, because things are volatile, with a constant possibility of situations going either way. It is not a year for rash decisions! Angry dragons are also seen as supportive: it could be that some anger is justified, and there will be a righting of a wrong. If you were born in the year of the dragon, this will be a year of great potential for you, and a good year to learn.

China Center Moving to Humphrey Center

The China Center is moving to a new home in the Humphrey Center on February 21. Our new address will be 290 Humphrey Center, 301 19th Avenue S., Minneapolis, MN 55455. Phone and fax numbers will remain the same. Our new office will be located directly above International Student & Scholar Services.

The China Center's move, along with others, is part of a plan to move all of the Office of International Programs (OIP) offices to one area on the West Bank. The following moves will help create an international hub at the University: In January, the office of the OIP director moved to the 6th floor of Heller Hall. In October, the International Study and Travel Center relocated to 94 Blegen (from CMU). Later this semester, the Global Campus study abroad office and the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) will also move to Heller and Humphrey