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HAMILTON BRANCH NEWSLETTER – MARCH 2013

HAMILTON BRANCH ANNUAL PICNIC

Date: Sunday 24th March and starting at 11am

72373 gower road

Our picnic this year will be held on the Adam’s Dairy farm in Gower   Rd near Gordonton. The Adams Farm is supplier 72373 on Gower road and is some 3 kilometres from Gordonton. It will be signposted with yellow balloons.

We will meet at the farm homestead, and after a look at the Milking Parlour there will be a welcome and lunch at 12.45pm. This will extend to 2pm when we can have a close look at the cows on the feed lot, followed by milking at 3pm

Please bring food, to be shared amongst the group, and also eating utensils and cup, and folding chair if you wish. Some seating is provided, and tables for the food. Hot water is available, and a microwave for hot food.

Lunch will be next to the main house, and with a great view over the working farm.

It is suggested that you have walking shoes and a hat together with clothes suitable for the occasion.

As usual the Consulate have been invited and we are advised that the new Consul-General NIU Qingbao and his wife YUAN Jun and their daughter NIU Yimei, and Cultural Consul LONG Yanping will be in attendance and possibly other members from the Consulate. We also expect representatives from the Chinese Students Association of Waikato (CSAW), Chinese Students and Scholars Association , Chinese Golden Age Society and Waikato Chinese Association. Friends are invited. This very interesting day will be held wet or fine as we can picnic under cover if necessary.

 

 NZCFS HAMILTON BRANCH APRIL 2013 MEETINGRewi

Date and Time: Wednesday 24th April, 7.30 – 9.30pm

Venue: ‘Parents’ Place’, 87 Boundary Road

Title: The 2012 China ‘Birthday’ Tour – History, Celebrations and Environment

Presenters: Jenevere Foreman, Miles Barker

Abstract:

In August-September 2012 fifteen New Zealand-China Friendship Society (NZCFS) members journeyed by plane, train and bus across China from Kashi, Xinjiang province, in the north-west, through Gansu, Shaanxi and Hebei provinces to Beijing. The tour was a celebration of four historic ‘birthdays’: the 40th anniversary of NZ-China diplomatic relations (1972), the 60th anniversary of the founding of the first branch of the NZCFS (1952), the 70th anniversary of the Shandan Bailie School (1942), and the 125th anniversary of the birth of Rewi Alley (1897). Jenevere describes the celebrations, including official receptions at the ShandanBailieSchool and at the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (YOUXIE) in Beijing; meeting the current Kathleen Hall scholars in Lanzhou; and an intensely moving visit to Songjiazhuang, the Kathleen Hall village. Miles’s thoughts on visits to three agricultural co-operatives, combined with his observations along the whole route, prompt him to speculate about future environmental outcomes in China at large.

Please contact a Committee member if you would like a lift or to offer a lift to others to any of these events

 

CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION:

 The Ai Xin Society (Temple of the Goddess of Mercy) Hamilton held their 2013 Chinese New Year Celebration at 3 Jolly Street, Hamilton on 17 February with cultural performances and a vegetarian lunch. One of our members, Annette Wright, attended this function and reported it as being a very successful day of Chinese cultural performances and friendship, and has kindly provided us with some photos of the day

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Hamilton Chinese Sports 

Day 30 March 201309:00am – 04:00pm

Location: Porritt Stadium 

 

The Hamilton Chinese Sports Day (HCSD) is an annual event organised by the Rainbow Chinese Community Centre (RCCC). This event is one of the biggest community sporting events in Hamilton and has been running since 2009. It brings together a variety of Chinese clubs, organisations and individuals from all over Hamilton to compete and interact with other ethnic participants, in a one-day sports and gala festival. The first HCSD was a large scale track and field programme held at Porritt Stadium in 2009, and attracted more than 1000 local attendees. Sports items included running, sprint relays, long jump, tug of war, children’s soccer, and elderly tabloid sports; the second and third HCSD were themed community sporting events. Table tennis and soccer were the main activities in 2010 and 2011, and Touch Rugby was the main item of 2012 ,while other items included tug of war, senior tabloid sports (e.g. steeple chase), parent-child activities.(e.g. three-legged race) and cultural performances. HCSD is not only a connecting tie of local Chinese migrants, but also an interaction platform between them and other ethnic groups. Under the atmosphere of “Healthy, Joy and Friendship”, a community animation illustrates its beauty—all participants, no matter where they are from, can enjoy, play and communicate with each other with open mind and hearty laughter!  

 

“DISCOVERING CHINESE OPERA: Melody, Masks and Melodrama:

 Meeting held 20 February 2013. The performances and explanations offered by Helena’s parents, WANG Daizhong and FU Huiying were enthusiastically welcomed by a very large audience. Bian lian “magic face changing” in its traditional Sichuan Opera form is rather rare, and it was a treat to see it performed by an old master.”

mask

For Photos and video from this meeting  Click  http://youtu.be/iG6eN1KiKUk

For more info on Chinese Opera Click :   http://youtu.be/Kx3GN4CEom4

 

CHANGE OF DEPUTY CONSUL GENERAL AUCKLAND:

11 march change of dep con gen akl         11 march change of dep con gen akl group

 Jenevere, Miao and Ian were kindly invited to attend the Cocktail Reception hosted by Consul General NIU Qingbao on 11 March 2013 for Completion of Post of LI Yongchuan and Assumption of Post of Mrs TANG Wenjuan. Our old friend Mr Li  is retiring and we wish him and his wife a long and happy retirement.

 

CHINESE NEW YEAR CELEBRATION:

The Hamilton Chinese Golden Age Society celebrated with a lively concert at the Celebrating Age Centre on 20 February 2013. Members of our society were invited to attend and Annette Wright has provided us with some photos showing some of the varied performances.

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‘China First Kiss’ stirs controversy

first kiss

A Chinese website recently inscribed a statue inspired by a national first-grade cultural relic on its candidate list of “10 Ugliest Sculptures in China”, which aroused a heated discussion among the public about whether the sculpture, named “China First Kiss”, is ugly or a beautiful work of art carrying traditional culture. Experts said that the controversy reflects the public’s lack of understanding of traditional Chinese culture.
Previously, the Ya’an Museum in Sichuan province had told the public that “China First Kiss” was inspired by the high relief on the walls of an ancient stone coffin dating back to the Eastern Han dynasty. The stone coffin is a national first-grade cultural relic.
Many netizens consider it unfair to label the statue as “ugly”. An Internet user under the screen name “A Fish Yearning for Water” said that the website should consider not only the appearance of a sculpture, but also its cultural content. “The romance lasting thousands of years should not be negated rashly”.

Yang Chao, a sculptor and a master of arts and crafts in Sichuan province, was surprised by the inscription of “China First Kiss” on the candidate list of “ugly sculptures”. In his eyes, the relief that inspired the sculpture reflects the ideal way of life of Sichuan residents in the Han dynasty, and is a natural form of artistic expression. “The kiss thousands of years ago is worth remembering,” Yang said. As for the controversy about the ugliness of “China First Kiss”, Li Mingquan, deputy head of the Sichuan Academy of Social Sciences, said that the most important thing for a work of art should be its cultural content rather than the form of expression. “The sculpture shows a young Eastern Han couple’s breaking the chains of feudalism. Not all love-themed sculptures are ugly”.As for the reason behind the controversy, Li said that it reflects people’s lack of understanding of traditional Chinese culture. If the public had basic understanding of the history and culture regarding the statue, or the city told the public about the history of the sculpture from the beginning, there would be no controversy at all.

“We are in part to blame for the controversy about the sculpture”, said Li Bingzhong, curator of the Ya’an Museum. Ya’an is rich in Han cultural heritage, including stone carvings from the Han dynasty, but the public knows little about that.
Li said that for a long time in the future, the Ya’an Museum will put in efforts to publicize local history and culture, so more people, particularly local residents, will know more about the stories behind the city.
“China First Kiss” was created in 2005, and has become a compelling cultural landscape in Ya’an after refurbishment.

 

THE  RESONANCE OF YIN AND YANG:

 Yao (CHEN XI Yao) provided us with another splendid performance in the Chinese Scholar’s Garden as part of the Hamilton Garden Arts Festival. These stunning performances in a perfect setting with perfect weather were great treats, but unfortunately capacity crowds did not take advantage of the chance. If we want to encourage local artists, then we have to support their concerts – I do not think anyone who attended was disappointed. Click : http://youtu.be/FaeFF-M2DTM

 

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ANNUAL HAMILTON LANTERN  FESTIVAL

lantern festival

was held in Garden Place on Saturday 2 March 2013 . Sponsored by SkyCity, Hamilton City Council and Chinese Associations’ the event was attended by over 1000 local residents. Special invited guests were the Consul General NIU Qingbao and his family, Mayor Julie Hardaker, also our local MP’s . The Lion Dance started the non stop entertainment from 6 – 9 .30 pm. To mention a few entertainers we watched , singers,a magician, dancers , Chinese martial arts exponents, singers performing excerpts from Chinese Opera, local boys and girls showing their skills dancing Hip Hop, and singing. Also a small orchestra playing traditional Chinese instruments

 

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TAURANGA BRANCH ANNUAL PICNICSunday 24 February 2013 the Tauranga branch held their annual picnic. The BBQ lunch was held at President John Hodgson’s garden that has broad sweeping views of Tauranga . The event was a mini United Nations gathering with Italians, French and Americans, gathering with branch members and local Chinese. Our so-President Jenevere attended the picnic, and commented “ I find these events are a good way to promote our branch and so I urge fellow members to attend when these are mentioned in our newsletters”.

 

 

 A change to the menu

blue frog restaurant

 Big helpings are on offer catering to western tastes in China It’s a mouth-watering prospect for any entrepreneur, but despite an apparent increasing desire for Western food across China, foreign caterers and restaurateurs are finding it hard to satisfy demand. In a food and beverage industry worth more than 2 trillion yuan ($317.4 billion, 241 billion euros) annually, Western cuisine – which ranges from American hamburgers to French foie gras – makes up a tiny portion, with revenue of around 3 percent of that figure.  But in the past four years, the number of foreign restaurants in China’s capital has more than doubled, from 2,000 to more than 5,000.  That trend has been evident across the country, Xu Meng, secretary-general of the Beijing Western Food Association, says. “For the past three years, Beijing alone has seen more than 400 new foreign restaurants opened each year,” she says.

 

 

China‘s sex ratio at birth declines 4 years in a row

babys

BEIJING, March 5  China registered a sex ratio at birth of 117.7 boys for every 100 girls in 2012, marking the fourth year of decline, the People’s Daily reported on Tuesday, citing figures from the National Population and Family Planning Commission (NPFPC).
A normal ratio should stand at 103 to 107 boys for every 100 girls, considering the discrepancy in mortality rates between the two genders.

The decline is a reflection of China’s successful efforts to curb an imbalance in the ratio, which reached a record high of 121.2 boys for every 100 girls in 2004, the NPFPC said, adding that the imbalance remains problematic.
The figures for the previous three years were 119.45 in 2009, 117.94 in 2010 and 117.78 in 2011.

Boys are traditionally preferred over girls in China. The sex ratio at birth has hovered at a high level since fetal ultrasound exams became common in China in the 1980s. The one-child policy has further complicated the issue.


   


 

Notice of holding of the New Zealand China Friendship Society Annual General Meeting

is given for Sunday 26 May at 8.30am at University of Canterbury, Ilam Road, Ilam, Christchurch

 

 


 

                 

 

 Hamilton Branch Office holders and Committee following our Branch AGM on 20 February 2013

The retirement from the committee of long serving members Meryl Lanting and Muriel Adams is recorded with gratitude and regret.

Co-Presidents: Jenevere Foreman and Miao FAN

Vice Presidents: Peter Vautier and Harry van den Berg

Honorary Vice President: Stan Boyle

Secretary: Ian Howat

Treasurer: Diane Lanting,

Committee: Miles Barker, Helen WANG, Shihou PAN

 

New Zealand Chinese Association Hamilton Branch (Waikato Chinese Association – WCA) – 75thAnniversary and Chinese New Year Celebration

This very special occasion celebrating the founding of the Waikato Chinese Association, was held on Saturday February 23rd. It was attended by over 120 guests, Among the official guests were the retiring Deputy Consul General LI Yongchuan the incoming Deputy Consul General Mrs TANG Wenjuan, and Cultural Consul LONG Yanping from the Chinese Consulate General in Auckland, Presidents from other NZ Chinese Association Branches , local MPs Tim Macindoe and Sue Moroney, and Miao FAN, Co President of the Hamilton NZCF Branch. Harry and Stan represented our Branch along with Co President Miao.

A delicious banquet was followed by some wonderful entertainment featuring modern dance from Daisy and Martin LIM, songs from Daisy and Wayne LIM, items from classical guitarist Chong FENG, and finally Yao (Xiyao) CHEN playing the Guzheng. A most enjoyable evening.

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