FIRST SATURDAY PDX
  • Upcoming Presentation 4 June, 2022
  • Welcome to First Saturday PDX
  • Current Season 2021 - 2022
    • Quick Preview of Season 2021 - 2022
    • Season Schedule 2021 - 2022
    • The Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project, 2 October 2021
    • Connecting to our Natural World: The Portland Botanical Gardens, 6 November 2021
    • Lan Su Chinese Garden: ​The Vision of a Classical Chinese Garden, 4 December 2021
    • ​Re-visioning ​Chinese History, ​900-1350: ​The New Look of Song and Yuan, 8 January, 2022
    • Chinese New Year 2022/ Year of the Tiger 4720, 5 February, 2022
    • Auspicious Seals and Chops, 5 February 2022
    • The Erhu and Erhu Music, 5 March, 2022
    • Pictorial Naturalism and "Truth": Contextualizing the Eleventh-century Luohan Sculptures of Lingyan Temple in China, 2 April, 2022
    • Celebrated Stories in Sichuan Shadow Theater,7 May, 2022
  • THE FIRST 20 YEARS
  • PAST SEASONS & PROGRAMS
    • Past Seasons & Program Highlights >
      • 2020 - 2021 Season >
        • Quick Preview of Season 2020 - 2021
        • Season Schedule 2020 - 2021
        • Collecting Under Socialism: Philately in 1950s China, 12 September, 2020
        • Myriad Treasures: Celebrating the Reinstallation of the Soreng Gallery of Chinese Art Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, 3 October, 2020
        • The Real Mulan? Tales of a Female Rebel in 18th century China 7 November, 2020
        • Spice it Up! ​How the Chile Pepper Flavored Chinese Culture 5 December, 2020
        • A Century of Collecting Chinese Painting at Oberlin College 9 January, 2021 ​
        • Chinese New Year 2021/ Year of the Ox 4719
        • Artistic Exchange Between China and Europe in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries 6 March, 2021
        • The Scholar’s Retreat: Loss and Resilience in the Chinese Landscape and Garden 3 April 2021
        • Simmering, Whisking, Steeping: Methods for Preparing and Consuming Tea in Premodern China
        • Silk and Sericulture: Beauty Inspired by a Social Contract
      • 2019 - 2020 Season >
        • Quick Preview of Season 2019 - 2020
        • Season Schedule 2019 - 2020
        • Mawangdui: The Tomb of China’s Sleeping Beauty, 7 December 2019
        • Field Notes from Sichuan: Learning To Be a Foreigner, 5 October 2019
        • In Search of Korean Liberation in China, 2 November 2019
        • From an Architect's Perspective: 3, 5, 7, 9 Column Halls: Status and Hierarchy in a Confucius Society, 7 December 2019
        • China Under the Covers - ​A Bookbinder’s Journey to the Roots of Books 11 January, 2020
        • Lunar New Year Lunch, 1 February, 2020
        • Early Phonetic Rendering Schemes for Chinese Characters, 7 March 2020
        • The Garden of Elk Rock at Bishop's Close, 4 April 2020
      • 2018 - 2019 Season >
        • Quick Preview of Season 2018 - 2019
        • Season Schedule 2018 - 2019
        • Notable Women of Portland, 8 September 2018
        • Mooncakes: A Hallmark of Tradition of the Mid-Autumn Festival, 6 October 2018
        • Music: A Universal Language for Healing and Touching the Soul, 3 November 2018
        • China: In the Pursuit of Happiness, 1 December 2019
        • Babur's Gardens: An Illustrated Introduction, 5 January 2019
        • Chinese New Year Lunch 2 February, 2019
        • Living with Penjing: Three Dimensional Poetry, 2 March 2019
        • Discovering the Intellectual and Sensory Essences of Chinese Literati Gardens, 6 April 2019
        • Sino-Japanese Cultural Connections in the Yuan Dynasty, 4 May 2019 ​​
      • 2017 - 2018 Season >
        • Quick Preview of Season 2017 - 2018
        • Season Schedule 2017 - 2018
        • Developing Patronage: Chinese and Asian Pacific Heritage, 9 September 2017
        • Every Plant Has a Story to Tell: Bamboo, 7 October 2017
        • Wonders to Enjoy: Chinese Snuff Bottles, 4 November 2017
        • Sichuan Shadow Theater: Messages from Hell Courts, 2 December 2017
        • Legacy of the Qing Manchu Culture: The Sibe of Northwest China, 6 January 2018
        • Chinese New Year Brunch, 3 February 2018
        • Classical Tradition: Ancient Musical Instruments of China, 3 March 2018
        • Ancient Traders of the Silk Road: The Uyghur People of Xinjiang, 7 April 2018
        • "Poetic Exposition on Heaven and Earth": A Third-Century Chinese Verse on How the Cosmos Began, 28 April 2018
        • Word Play: The Art of Xu Bing, 2 June 2018
      • 2016 - 2017 Season >
        • Quick Preview of Season 2016 - 2017
        • Season Schedule 2016 - 2017
        • Contemporary Chinese Society: A View from the Films of Zhang Yimou, 6 May 2017
        • Chinese New Year Brunch, 4 February 2017
        • The Uyghurs: History of a People at the Center of Asia, Part 1, 4 March 2017
        • Creating a Tea Aesthetic ​in Tang Verse, 3 June 2017
      • 2015 - 2016 Season >
        • Season Schedule 2015 - 2016
        • Guzheng and Erhu: A Dialog Between the Strings, 2 April 2016
      • 2014 - 2015 Season >
        • Season Schedule 2014 - 2015
      • 2013 - 2014 Season
      • 2012 - 2013 Season
      • 2011 - 2012 Season
      • 2010 - 2011 Season
      • 2009 - 2010 Season
      • 2008 - 2009 Season
      • 2007 - 2008 Season
      • 2006 - 2007 Season
      • 2005 - 2006 Season
  • Videos
  • Partners
  • Join our Email List
  • Contact Us
  • Volunteer
  • Zoom!
  • Stop Asian Hate Resources/ Oregon Rises Above Hate, May 14
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​2015-2016 Schedule 
       

Journey to the East



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Welcome Back to First Saturday PDX Brunch
Szechuan Chef Restaurant

First Saturday PDX Planning Committee
September 12, 2015      11:30 - 1:30 pm​

A gathering for friends of First Saturday PDX to visit and break bread around tables over Szechuan food while we introduce our new website and preview the program lineup for the new season September 2015 to June 2016.

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Elegant Graffiti: Art of Public Writing in Traditional China
Dr. Lei Xue, Art History, Oregon State University
October 3, 2015      9:30 - 11:00 am 

Graffiti usually refers to illicit marks that confront and contradict the ordered and ordering space of institutionalized life.  To the contrary, writings on public space in traditional China have often  been seen as not only a way to demonstrate mastery of  calligraphy,  the most revered art,  but  also to reassure the status of the cultural and  political elite. With a focus on Jiaoshan, a  famous  island in the Yangzi River where  hundreds of inscriptions accumulated from the sixth to twentieth  century,  Dr. Xue’s research traces the origin of these elegant graffiti and discusses their significance in Chinese visual/literary culture. 
 


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The Construction of Portland Lansu Chinese Garden: 
​A DVD Presentation 

John Williams, Construction Management
November 7, 2015      9:30 - 11:00 am

In recognition of the 15th anniversary of the Chinese Garden, we will take a look back in time to see how the Garden was constructed beginning in 1998 by craftsmen from Suzhou, China, melding together traditional Chinese tools and methodologies with seismic, handicapped access and building codes of Portland and Oregon. 

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Block Printing: Advancing Knowledge, Literacy and Culture
Donald Jenkins, Curator of Asian Art Emeritus, Portland Art Museum
December 5, 2015      9:30 - 11:00 am


Printing is one of the great inventions of ancient China, which has a long history and far-reaching impact.  Among the most globally significant innovations of the Tang (618–906) and Song (960–1279) dynasties were the inventions of woodblock printing and moveable type, enabling widespread publishing of a variety of texts, and the dissemination of knowledge, literacy and artistic inspiration.  This technology eventually spread to Korea, Japan, Vietnam and Europe.  Ukiyo-e, a type of Japanese woodblock art print is a prominent example of woodblock printing most familiar to the West and has been showcased at the Portland Art Museum and other museums across the nation and world.  Our lecture by Donald Jenkins will provide a historical perspective of this technology with its origins in Asia and a China focus, including commonalities and differences between Chinese and Japanese prints.  We will learn about the basic process of how woodblock prints are made; how they have been used and how they developed over time and spread to other countries. 


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Investigating the Buried Mirror Mystery: How Should We Look at Early Chinese Artifacts?
Dr. Kenneth Brashier, Religion and Humanities, Reed College
January 9,  2016      9:30 - 11:00 am

In a 2000 year old burial remain, an archaeologist uncovers a round bronze mirror which has been carefully positioned near the head of a Han Dynasty corpse.  Why is it here?  Why does every corpse in this tomb have a mirror in the same position?  Why is it the same in other Han burials across China?  



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What Does Popular Chinese Shadow Theater Tell Us?
Mary Hirsch
February 6, 2016      9:30 - 11:00 am​


Shadow Theater is a unique form of puppetry and a type of regional opera which has delighted rural and urban audiences throughout China, particularly during festivals and celebrations such as the Chinese lunar New Year.  Familiar stories were depicted by itinerant shadow theater troupes.  
Come enjoy Independent Scholar, Mary Hirsch’s historical introduction to this animated spectacle in miniature.  Learn about its distinctive characteristics, which include highly visible and brightly colored, translucent rawhide puppets, spectacular transformations between human and supernatural forms, and a diverse  repertoire from Buddhist and Daoist legends. See how the Monkey King figures into several plays, including productions where flowering plants and temple courtyards emulate  special places, not unlike Portland’s own Chinese Garden.


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Penjing: The Living Art of Time, Space and "Place"
Mark Vossbrink

March 5, 2016      9:30 - 11:00 am 

This will be a lecture and a hands-on demonstration about the meditative vibrancy of penjing through rocks, sand, and plants in the creation of miniature landscapes which focuses on “place.”  This arrangement can be a floating world within a world enabling viewers to experience an eternal moment like a zen Buddhist awakening.  Because a river is a Literati metaphor for eternity in Asian art, you will observe the composition of a riverscape by penjing master Mark Vossbrink.  Come experience the hidden energy and transformative power of penjing. 

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Guzheng and Erhu:  A Dialog Between the Strings
Dr. Jerry Lin and Emily Deng
April 2, 2016     9:30 - 11:00 am

China has a rich heritage of music extending back over 7,000 years from Han Chinese and the many ethnic minorities.  Confucius taught that a correct form of music is important for the cultivation and refinement of the individual and could bring harmony to nature.  Taoists believe music calms the heart and purifies the mind.  Virtuosos Emily Deng with a plucked and struck string on the Guzheng, and Dr Jerry Lin with a bowed string on the Erhu, will perform solos and duets from popular classical Chinese music of  various regions of China.  Come experience the haunting and beautiful sounds of the Guzheng and Erhu.  

More details and images from this presentation here:
www.firstsaturdaypdx.com/guzheng-and-erhu-a-dialog-between-the-strings.html


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Beyond A Scenic Spot:  The Making and Remaking of West Lake 
Dr. Desmond Cheung, History, Portland State University

May 7, 2016      9:30 - 11:00 am

Hangzhou’s West Lake has been one of the most celebrated scenic spots in China for centuries and many famous poets write of its beauty.  Moreover, it was an important source of water for the local area and city residents have regularly encroached upon its shoreline.  Dr. Desmond Cheung will examine how in 1508, during the Ming Dynasty, a local official restored West Lake at great expense and against much opposition, thereby revealing both the lake’s continued importance and ongoing challenges to its survival.​

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The Ginkgo:  A Living Fossil
Martin Nicholson, Curator, Hoyt Arboretum
June 4, 2016      9:30 - 11:00 am


Join our nature walk guided by the Curator of Hoyt Arboretum  to discover and focus on Hoyt’s collection of Ginkgo trees.  Along the White Pine trail, we will observe and learn about   many other tree species, including the wild, “scary” Monkey-Puzzle tree and the ancient Bristlecone Pine.


Our educational program series has been developed in collaboration with PSU’s Institute for Asian Studies, and is free of charge and open to the public.​  

View our regular monthly location by clicking on the address below for directions:  
Portland State University, Academic & Student Recreation Ctr (ASRC),  Room 230
1800 SW 6th Ave, Portland OR 97201

Excellent MAX and bus transportation is right by the venue; plan your Trimet trip HERE.   There is also a nearby parking structure at SW 6th and Harrison with an entrance on 6th Avenue is also available.
View PSU Parking info:  

https://www.pdx.edu/transportation/hourly-visitor-parking​​​
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​​First Saturday PDX 
​​(Monthly onsite meeting location)
Portland State University,
Academic & Student Rec. Ctr  (ASRC),  Rm 230 
1800 SW
 6th Ave, Portland OR 97201
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​© 2014 - 2022  First Saturday PDX
  • Upcoming Presentation 4 June, 2022
  • Welcome to First Saturday PDX
  • Current Season 2021 - 2022
    • Quick Preview of Season 2021 - 2022
    • Season Schedule 2021 - 2022
    • The Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project, 2 October 2021
    • Connecting to our Natural World: The Portland Botanical Gardens, 6 November 2021
    • Lan Su Chinese Garden: ​The Vision of a Classical Chinese Garden, 4 December 2021
    • ​Re-visioning ​Chinese History, ​900-1350: ​The New Look of Song and Yuan, 8 January, 2022
    • Chinese New Year 2022/ Year of the Tiger 4720, 5 February, 2022
    • Auspicious Seals and Chops, 5 February 2022
    • The Erhu and Erhu Music, 5 March, 2022
    • Pictorial Naturalism and "Truth": Contextualizing the Eleventh-century Luohan Sculptures of Lingyan Temple in China, 2 April, 2022
    • Celebrated Stories in Sichuan Shadow Theater,7 May, 2022
  • THE FIRST 20 YEARS
  • PAST SEASONS & PROGRAMS
    • Past Seasons & Program Highlights >
      • 2020 - 2021 Season >
        • Quick Preview of Season 2020 - 2021
        • Season Schedule 2020 - 2021
        • Collecting Under Socialism: Philately in 1950s China, 12 September, 2020
        • Myriad Treasures: Celebrating the Reinstallation of the Soreng Gallery of Chinese Art Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, 3 October, 2020
        • The Real Mulan? Tales of a Female Rebel in 18th century China 7 November, 2020
        • Spice it Up! ​How the Chile Pepper Flavored Chinese Culture 5 December, 2020
        • A Century of Collecting Chinese Painting at Oberlin College 9 January, 2021 ​
        • Chinese New Year 2021/ Year of the Ox 4719
        • Artistic Exchange Between China and Europe in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries 6 March, 2021
        • The Scholar’s Retreat: Loss and Resilience in the Chinese Landscape and Garden 3 April 2021
        • Simmering, Whisking, Steeping: Methods for Preparing and Consuming Tea in Premodern China
        • Silk and Sericulture: Beauty Inspired by a Social Contract
      • 2019 - 2020 Season >
        • Quick Preview of Season 2019 - 2020
        • Season Schedule 2019 - 2020
        • Mawangdui: The Tomb of China’s Sleeping Beauty, 7 December 2019
        • Field Notes from Sichuan: Learning To Be a Foreigner, 5 October 2019
        • In Search of Korean Liberation in China, 2 November 2019
        • From an Architect's Perspective: 3, 5, 7, 9 Column Halls: Status and Hierarchy in a Confucius Society, 7 December 2019
        • China Under the Covers - ​A Bookbinder’s Journey to the Roots of Books 11 January, 2020
        • Lunar New Year Lunch, 1 February, 2020
        • Early Phonetic Rendering Schemes for Chinese Characters, 7 March 2020
        • The Garden of Elk Rock at Bishop's Close, 4 April 2020
      • 2018 - 2019 Season >
        • Quick Preview of Season 2018 - 2019
        • Season Schedule 2018 - 2019
        • Notable Women of Portland, 8 September 2018
        • Mooncakes: A Hallmark of Tradition of the Mid-Autumn Festival, 6 October 2018
        • Music: A Universal Language for Healing and Touching the Soul, 3 November 2018
        • China: In the Pursuit of Happiness, 1 December 2019
        • Babur's Gardens: An Illustrated Introduction, 5 January 2019
        • Chinese New Year Lunch 2 February, 2019
        • Living with Penjing: Three Dimensional Poetry, 2 March 2019
        • Discovering the Intellectual and Sensory Essences of Chinese Literati Gardens, 6 April 2019
        • Sino-Japanese Cultural Connections in the Yuan Dynasty, 4 May 2019 ​​
      • 2017 - 2018 Season >
        • Quick Preview of Season 2017 - 2018
        • Season Schedule 2017 - 2018
        • Developing Patronage: Chinese and Asian Pacific Heritage, 9 September 2017
        • Every Plant Has a Story to Tell: Bamboo, 7 October 2017
        • Wonders to Enjoy: Chinese Snuff Bottles, 4 November 2017
        • Sichuan Shadow Theater: Messages from Hell Courts, 2 December 2017
        • Legacy of the Qing Manchu Culture: The Sibe of Northwest China, 6 January 2018
        • Chinese New Year Brunch, 3 February 2018
        • Classical Tradition: Ancient Musical Instruments of China, 3 March 2018
        • Ancient Traders of the Silk Road: The Uyghur People of Xinjiang, 7 April 2018
        • "Poetic Exposition on Heaven and Earth": A Third-Century Chinese Verse on How the Cosmos Began, 28 April 2018
        • Word Play: The Art of Xu Bing, 2 June 2018
      • 2016 - 2017 Season >
        • Quick Preview of Season 2016 - 2017
        • Season Schedule 2016 - 2017
        • Contemporary Chinese Society: A View from the Films of Zhang Yimou, 6 May 2017
        • Chinese New Year Brunch, 4 February 2017
        • The Uyghurs: History of a People at the Center of Asia, Part 1, 4 March 2017
        • Creating a Tea Aesthetic ​in Tang Verse, 3 June 2017
      • 2015 - 2016 Season >
        • Season Schedule 2015 - 2016
        • Guzheng and Erhu: A Dialog Between the Strings, 2 April 2016
      • 2014 - 2015 Season >
        • Season Schedule 2014 - 2015
      • 2013 - 2014 Season
      • 2012 - 2013 Season
      • 2011 - 2012 Season
      • 2010 - 2011 Season
      • 2009 - 2010 Season
      • 2008 - 2009 Season
      • 2007 - 2008 Season
      • 2006 - 2007 Season
      • 2005 - 2006 Season
  • Videos
  • Partners
  • Join our Email List
  • Contact Us
  • Volunteer
  • Zoom!
  • Stop Asian Hate Resources/ Oregon Rises Above Hate, May 14