Just received the thank-you letter from Japan and glad to know Shoko is back home safely. She gave an impressive presentation last Friday. When I dropped her off at YVR, I had a Canadian style hug.
Glad to learn about the library operation in Japan and the program at Tsukuba. I think that their program is more forward-looking and intercultural. They sent the students to various countries as interns. A graduate student from Tsukuba requested an interview over Skype.
This morning, all my mind was on the visa issue in Guangzhou and how to hang the panels in the Auditorium. Asian Studies’ pancake breakfast was in there and changed the setting and feeling of the room. The folks’ warm greetings stopped my worries on the exhibition. What a great opportunity meeting new colleagues! Dr. Lin from Taiwan shared her views towards Academia Sinica. The new Chinese Language Program Director, Dr. Wang Qian, is young, sweet and energetic. She questioned me about services for her students right away. Too bad, I had three meetings scheduled, and didn’t have chance to chat with lots of people.
Ran over to IAR with the paper plate. Happy for our History Ph.Ds who received global offers. Their research questions are still fresh in my mind…Tim is not only supporting the exhibit, but also helping with developing the collection. Late for the meeting with Trish, and need to follow up with Sheryl on the CCR donation, need to schedule another meeting in IAR. Wonder if my answer to her translated literary works has left anything out.
Interrupted by visiting scholars half way through the letter to Canadian Embassy in Beijing. My paper in Chinese Classics & Culture lead them here. Phoebe thought they were my friends. Let them browsing the stacks while I brought some rare items out of the vault. They were shocked to see 18th Century’s books on open shelves. A New York Prof who is teaching in Hong Kong just emailed me for Deng Zhimo’s Chan Yin Gao. Wrapping up within 45 minutes and had a quick stop at the Digital Initiatives, thanked all folks there for the testing with Asian rare books.
Prof. Rea’s new student was waiting in Asia, answered her questions and realized the seniors have been helping the new comers like her. Good for you, guys! Some one is making my life easier. This post is getting too long, and emails are still rushing in…
Receiving several questions on Chinese databases. Our graduate students are very confused. They would assume if a serial title is covered, all its issues and full-text articles would be available. When we ran into so many unavailable ones this week, I could sense the frustration from our students, but the vendors could easily say “NO”. 郁闷！
On another hand, if our ILL lends so many articles out, could they help bring some in? What really frustrates me is these databases don’t give page numbers, so the ILL online form wouldn’t take the requests. Will need help from Mr. Winter, and alert users on the information pages.
The campus is so quiet on this rainy Monday, as if I could hear the petals falling off the magnolia trees by IKBLC. Solving a mystery of a series with messy bib records as soon as I walked into the library, turned out it’s a call-back set from Surrey storage. This reminds me several recent reference requests, the Three-year Plan and a new in-depth research season.
Just confirmed with Katherine on new Forestry students’ orientation in July, still owe Bronwen the DigitalProjectApproval forms this week, and would love to develop my online course when Caroline is here to help.
Dr. Cheng, Prof. Gu and Patrick are still waiting for my part. More urgent research tasks are our book charpter for SCSL and the PPT for WCILCOS conferecne, although I don’t understand why we need to submit the PPT, since our whole papers are already on files. With this much workload, not sure if I can get away for Shangri La and Guilin this summer, although I miss the harmonious beauty in these two places.
Professor Kellee Tsai from Johns Hopkins was invited to Political Science as a distinguished speaker. Lots of my friends attended Johns Hopkins Nanjing Centre. Prof. Tsai’s talk was held in Buchanan Penthouse in the unusually warm and bright Friday afternoon. She compared migration and diaspora capital flows in China and India, which she thinks should be incorporated into explainations of development. Prof. Tsai proposed to reconsider conventional capital in the two countries. She used the stats of 56 millions of Chinese residing in 120 countries and regions, which is pretty close to the Chinese official number–45 millions in the past 30 years, just difference time span. She explained that the number is more general and diasporas more refers to network. She made a joke of herself as not networked, alone and from New Jersey.
I wasn’t suprised to see many familiar faces at the talk. Reference requests from PolSci are increasing, and now with a list of new book purchasing request. I can’t wait to read Prof’s Tsai’s two most cited books in her field. Hope to see her new book soon.
Really exited reading Benjamin’s final paper and receiving more in-depth research questions. Glad to receive the rare items from UCSD, U of Chicago and China for Jonnathan, Noa and Gary. Cherry blossoms are late this year, so are the final weeks.
Unlike the common question on Chinese immigrants, I was helping a Ph.D candidate to track down emigration statistics from the People’s Republic of China from 1949 to 1989 and to date. A new government sponsored research report Conducted by Xiamen U happens to be released, but only on 1970 to 2008: “从上世纪７０年代到２００７－２００８年间，从中国前往世界各地的移民超过１０００万人。其中，来自港澳台地区的约１６０－１７０万，来自中国大陆约８００多万。前往发达国家的中国新移民近７００万，前往发展中国家的有３００多万。 “Another study estimates that a total of 45 million Chinese have emigrated in the last 30 years. It’s an estimate probably because it’s more difficult for the government to track emigrants than immigrants.
It’s funny that both studies are sponsored by the same government agency (qiaoban). The new study conducted by Xiamen U. is probably more accurate. I met Dr. Zhang at last fall’s conference in Xiamen, and she is coming to WCILCOS this May. I can learn more details of the survey from her in person. Interesting topic. I imagine the number of emigrants prior to the open door policy is probably very tiny (not to count the millions who went to Taiwan in 1948 and 1949).
This reminds me an earlier reference request on China’s emigration policy in 1956. Quite some people were allowed to leave the country unexpectively then.
Reference requests rushed in last week. Asian Studies’ new year party attracted many people. I could only stood at the back for a short time. A white student asked for some ghost stories from Ming so he could compare with Liao Zhai. I just assumed he wanted English translation, until he confirmed that he really wanted to read the original scripts from China. I am glad to see the growth of non-heritage students at the party and the library.
Worked on Saturday and still receiving “happy New year” greetings in Engling-Cantonese and other languages. One Chinese student complained about hearing “kung hei fat choy” so often this time of the year, and it shouldn’t be considered as typical Chinese new year greetings. Sigh, what can I say?
Hard to believe that our students want to perform Peking Opera in English. Translated scripts, costumes, make-up, lots for them to learn before they can put up a show, but they are keen on real Jingju. Our traditional script translations are too old, but we do have a few. Thanks to Ye Ding’s personal experience and referral. Dr. Elizebath Wichman-Walzac, Chair of Theater Department of University of Hawaii, seems to be the pioneer in performing Jingju in English in North America. From 1985 onwards, she translated, directed and performed one Jingju play every four years. The famous ones such as Phoenix Returns to Nest (the script was published), Jade Hall of Spring, Judge Bao, The Yang Family Generals, etc. She directed remarkable performances. Wonder if she has published her script translations.
A’Huang has already connected me to the History Institute. She was busy training that day, so Lao Liu took me to Mr. Yuan, who generously showed me the unique item, a hand-written copy from early Qing.
CASS has my Childhood friends and Wuhan U buddies. The hyper-exciting chat can never end, all my needs in Beijing are their prioritized responsibility.
They travel and spend their vacation time together, their kids can also play together. I envy them and hope they can bring me this kind of group activities to Vancouver some time soon.
Since CASS libraries have so much treasures, I’d come back many times in the future. They promised me that they won’t change jobs and will retire in their current positions. One-day reunion is too short, we promised to meet again when I return from Taipei. Yeah, I will have my book royalties then.
Prof. Rea just requested the newly released Chinese movies. How do we get them if they are not legally on DVD yet? I know lots of people have seen them online, but I am not supposed to refer him to do the same thing, or can I? I am sure more and more students only see movies with PPS, that’s why our DVD collection is not moving much.