2021 - 2022 Schedule
Online Presentations
We dedicate this season to the memory of our dear Maihwa Frances Li, who passed away in June, 2021. Frances served actively on our First Saturday Programming Committee from 2001-2021.
Welcome to the continuation of our First Saturday PDX twentieth anniversary season, with our new collection of online programs! The season starts 2 October, 2021 running through 4 June, 2022 - come join us! Registration is required for each event; available on the Upcoming Presentation page.
The Portland Botanical Gardens, Ancient Buddhist Sculptures of the Lingyan Temple, The Search for Oregon's Early Chinese Residents, The Vision of a Classical Chinese Garden, Music of the Erhu, What Came Before the Dao De Ding and Celebrated Stories of Sichuan Shadow Theater are all part of this season's schedule.
The Portland Botanical Gardens, Ancient Buddhist Sculptures of the Lingyan Temple, The Search for Oregon's Early Chinese Residents, The Vision of a Classical Chinese Garden, Music of the Erhu, What Came Before the Dao De Ding and Celebrated Stories of Sichuan Shadow Theater are all part of this season's schedule.
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The Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project: Community Archeology, Public History, and the Search for Oregon's Early Chinese Residents
Chelsea Rose, MA, RPA 2 October, 2021 This talk will focus on the award winning Oregon Chinese Diaspora Project (OCDP), which is a multi-agency collaboration focused on research and education on Chinese heritage across the state. This research has shed light on the lives of Chinese immigrants in rural communities, and their instrumental role in the developing infrastructure and economies in Oregon. Further information and images here |
Connecting to our Natural World: The Portland Botanical Gardens
Sean Hogan, Co-founder & Board President, PBG
Kate Bodin, Executive Director, PBG
6 November, 2021
We explore the potential of the Portland Botanical Gardens in its planning stages. In PBG, visitors will "traverse Oregon" and "walk the world" as they navigate through multiple conservatories and outdoor spaces filled with plants from all over the world, including the Pacific Northwest, lowland tropics, deserts, alpine steppes, and many more regions.
Further information here
Video here
Sean Hogan, Co-founder & Board President, PBG
Kate Bodin, Executive Director, PBG
6 November, 2021
We explore the potential of the Portland Botanical Gardens in its planning stages. In PBG, visitors will "traverse Oregon" and "walk the world" as they navigate through multiple conservatories and outdoor spaces filled with plants from all over the world, including the Pacific Northwest, lowland tropics, deserts, alpine steppes, and many more regions.
Further information here
Video here
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Lan Su Chinese Garden: The Vision of a Classical Chinese Garden
Justin Blackwell, Curator of Horticulture 4 December, 2021 The Curator of Horticulture at Lan Su Chinese Garden, speaks about developing a maintenance strategy for the garden with focus on introducing and structuring maintenance practices, nutrient management, pruning using tradition and art as a guide, penjing, Chinese floral arts, and more. As the garden transitions from a young, new garden to a maturing garden, how will this affect what we do and the future of the plants at Lan Su? |
Re-visioning Chinese History, 900-1350: The New Look of Song and Yuan
Linda Walton Ph.D.
Professor Emerita of History, Portland State University
8 January, 2022
Contributions from archaeology and allied disciplines have dramatically revised our understanding of the traditional dynastic histories of both the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1260-1368). One prominent feature of this re-visioning is the far more influential role of powerful nomadic states and empires in shaping “Chinese” history, a role obscured in the past by reliance on written texts.
Further information here
Video here
Linda Walton Ph.D.
Professor Emerita of History, Portland State University
8 January, 2022
Contributions from archaeology and allied disciplines have dramatically revised our understanding of the traditional dynastic histories of both the Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1260-1368). One prominent feature of this re-visioning is the far more influential role of powerful nomadic states and empires in shaping “Chinese” history, a role obscured in the past by reliance on written texts.
Further information here
Video here
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Auspicious Seals and Chops
Dan Lucas 5 February, 2022 Seals have a long history in China, dating back to the 5th century BC, used as signatures on dynastic court documents, personal documents, contracts, and other official papers. They graced works of calligraphy and paintings while collectors of books and art often added their seals to works. The history of the Chinese seal script, including the various uses of seals and the materials, tools and design of the seals is covered, as well as how seals are being used in modern times, such as those found in Lan Su Chinese Garden - with a nod to the Xiling Seal Society in Hangzhou, China. |
Welcoming the Year of the Tiger 老虎, 4720
First Saturday PDX Tea House
First Saturday PDX Planning Committee
5 February, 2022
We invite you to join First Saturday PDX in our virtual tea house to welcome in the Lunar New Year 4720 with friends and share stories of Chinese New Year Customs and Food!.
Further information here
First Saturday PDX Tea House
First Saturday PDX Planning Committee
5 February, 2022
We invite you to join First Saturday PDX in our virtual tea house to welcome in the Lunar New Year 4720 with friends and share stories of Chinese New Year Customs and Food!.
Further information here
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The Erhu and Erhu Music
Jerry Lin, PhD 5 March, 2022 The Erhu is a two stringed bowed musical instrument, with a distinctly expressive and melodic sound. First appearing in China in the Tang Dynasty, it can be traced back to proto-Mongolic instruments. We listen to the lyrical music of the erhu, and hear about its history and place in musical tradition and the Chinese Orchestra. |
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Pictorial Naturalism and "Truth":
Contextualizing the Eleventh-century Luohan Sculptures of Lingyan Temple in China Rebecca Bieberly, PhD Art History, Portland State University 2 April, 2022 In mid-eleventh century China, an educated and arts-savvy public began to question the “truth” of pictorial naturalism. During those very same years, Lingyan Temple 靈巖寺 in Shandong province installed a sculptural set of nearly life-size and highly naturalistic sculptures of Buddhist monastic figures within its Qianfo Hall. Bringing together arts writings and monastic literature of the period, this talk reconsiders the roles of religious imagery within the arts discourse of premodern China. Further information here Video here |
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Celebrated Stories in Sichuan Shadow Theater
Mary Hirsch 7 May, 2022 Learn how tales of injustice, retribution, and reunion resonated widely in traditional China from over 1000 years ago have been adapted into our modern age. Through exploring convoluted plots and characterization we will consider what made these dramas so compelling in the repertoire of Sichuan shadow theater. Further information here Video here |
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The Daode Jing’s Forgotten Forebear: The Ancestral Cult
Ken Brashier 4 June, 2022 While there are literally thousands of translations of the Dao De Jing and multiple opinions of what the Dao is, Dr. Brashier will take us on an exploratory journey to look at the roots of the Dao and maintain that it arose from the earlier assumptions surrounding the ancestral cult of China. Further information here Video here |
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Our instructive program series has been developed with support by PSU’s Institute for Asian Studies, Northwest China Council and Lan Su Chinese Garden. It is free and open to the public.
Although we are currently in an online format, our regular monthly location (wheelchair friendly) is at the address below, click on it 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
Although we are currently in an online format, our regular monthly location (wheelchair friendly) is at the address below, click on it 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
