Bird Tracks in the Air - You’re Invited to The 7th Greater Van Asian Heritage Celebration 2021
During the COVID-19 pandemic, now, more than ever, is the good time to recognize how our communities have been shaped by many diverse cultures and to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Asian Canadians.
1.
The theme for Asian Heritage Month 2021 is "Recognition, Resilience, and Resolve".
Asian Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate the many inspirational Asian descents whose accomplishments have played a vital role in social, artistic and economic success in the municipal, provincial and federal levels.
Asian Heritage Month is dedicated to recognizing and deepening our understanding and appreciation of the resilience, perseverance and contributions of Asian Canadians.
Now, more than ever, we stand together, we demonstrate through our words and actions, we commit to build a truly racism-free society, and stay true to our shared values of respect, inclusion and diversity.
2.
With many residents born outside the country and the majority having connections to over 30 Asian cultural roots, Greater Vancouver is one of the most diverse communities in Canada.
Poetry is always one of the best carriers of culture. Hence, we invite you to join us for:
The 7th Greater Van Asian Heritage Celebration 2021
Bird Tracks in the Air
-Wang Anshi Poetry Appreciation
Zoom meeting:
Time: Friday, May 28, 2021 @7pm (Vancouver time)
Guest Speaker and Authors: Dr. Jan and Yvonne Walls
Hosts: Cici Liang, Aiying Li
As usual, as one of the WS Sharing Series, this small sized, casual event is conducted in both English and Chinese.
Space is limited, reserve yours at:
If you wish to read a poem from the book, please also submit at
I encourage everyone to take this opportunity to learn more about the most mature form of enlightenment revealed in Wang Anshi’s poetry, to experience the cornerstone of a mellow philosophy of life, to appreciate the diverse cultures, traditions and histories of Asia.
3.
Wang Anshi (1021-1086): was known as a prime minister, writer, one of the truly great poets of the Song dynasty, has always been known as an essayist, one of the “Eight Great Essayists of the Tang and Song Dynasties”, a master of the shorter verse forms, the eight-line regulated verse (Lǜshī) and the quatrain verse (Juéjù) form.
After his retirement from his comprehensive political, economic, educational, social and military reforms with the vision for a better China, the Taoistic and Buddhistic dimensions of his worldview were revealed through his poetry.
Wang was, perhaps even more than a committed Taoist, a serious Chan (Zen) Buddhist. His quest for enlightenment, his sympathy for people and animals who suffer, his request visits to Buddhist temples, his appreciative poems to Buddhist monks and his many poems in imitation of the Buddhist monk-poets Han Shan and Shi De, all show him to be a serious believer in Buddhist ideals.
Jan W. Walls: received his M.A. and Ph. D degrees from Indiana University in Chinese Language and Literature. He is a Professor Emeritus in the Humanities Department at Simon Fraser University, where he was Founding Director of the David Lam Centre for International Communication and Founding Director of the Asia-Canada Program.
In addition to teaching at Aichi University in Japan, the University of British Columbia and the University of Victoria in Canada, he also served as First Secretary for Cultural AND Scientific Affairs at the Canadian Embassy in Beijing and Founding Vice-President of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. He has published many English translations of Chinese literature, especially poetry.
Honorable Advisor for WS Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society.
Yvonne L. Walls: received her M.A. degree from the University of Washington in Comparative Literature and completed her Ph.D. program in Comparative Literature in Indiana University. She has taught at several universities, including the University of Washington, Indiana University and University of Minnesota in the United States and Aichi University in Japan.
In Canada, she has taught at the University of British Columbia, the University of Victoria, the Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific and Simon Fraser University. She was the Director of the Chinese Culture and Communication Program, David Lam Centre at Simon Fraser University. She is now devoted to writing and translating. She has published works both in Chinese and English and several works in Chinese and English and several works in translation.
Honorable Advisor for WS Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society.
Dr. Jan and Yvonne Walls' Joint Publications include:
Using Chinese (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009);
Cross-Cultural Perspectives: North America and China (Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2014)
4.
Book: If you want a copy of Bird Tracks in the Air (in English and Chinese), please check Amazon: https://www.amazon.ca/Bird-Tracks-Air-Selected-Chinese/dp/7510468108.
If you are not planing to purchase a book, but want to read a poem, please contact us for the poem you want to read: https://www.wsisc.com/contact.
5.
Sincere thanks to Dr. Mingfu Liu, who hosted a wonderful WS Sharing Series on April 30, 2021: I Wandered Lonely as A Cloud - William Wordsworth Poetry Appreciation.
An Outline of Analysis of
I Wandered Lonely as A Cloud by William Wordsworth
- By Mingfu Liu
"...I am a left brainer, you know what I mean, an idiot in creative art, but a good analyst (analyzing someone else’s work). The only reason I started to write poems is because I was pushed to a corner by a friend of mine. Now I enjoy, but recognize that writing poems is not an easy work.
Alas! It is too late to quit.
Today I would like to share with you the analysis of this great poem. When this poem was brought to my attention, my response is simply WOW! It has everything I tried to learn about metric poems in three years with only partial success, leaving me with many puzzles. This poem is my eye opener and my puzzle solver!
Now I will ask an English speaker to recite this great poem from my shared screen.
I Wandered Lonely as A Cloud William Wordsworth
I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o’er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze
...
6.
Video links of recent WS Sharing Series:
- Fine Chine Treasure Hunting: https://youtu.be/zdpPyJRqGog;
- Traditions of Lunar New Year: https://youtu.be/HBO2GGMwKLc;
- WSIMS Holiday Celebration and General Meeting 2020 (Excerpt): https://youtu.be/EyGy0C1kSz8;
- We Are All In This Together - The 6th Canada Multicultural Creative Festival 2020: https://youtu.be/diIbuH6g0Eo
7.
Photo Procedure: photos and videos may be taken to be used for promotional purposes by WSIMS. If you would prefer not to have you picture taken, please let us know: https://www.wsisc.com/contact.
All Participants: please don’t take screenshots and/or record any of our online programs and events. We've arranged people for taking photos and videos. Request your copy: https://www.wsisc.com/contact.
Contact us:
In English: https://www.wsisc.com/contact
In Chinese中文: https://www.wsisc.com/contact?lang=zh
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