Sunday, August 30, 2009
20 November 1908
20 November 1908 - Ten Chinese were charged at the Auckland Police Court "that on Sunday, October 18, at Avondale, they did work at their trade of market gardening." The men were not doing ordinary gardening, but pulling carrots for supplying a ship next morning. They admitted that there had been a technical breach. Sergeant Hendry, who appeared for the prosecution, said that at Avondale there were European as well as Chinese gardeners, and the former were in the habit of working six days per week and the latter seven days per week. The Chinese had previously been cautioned, and he submitted that the Court should "show these aliens that they must comply with the laws of the Dominion." The Bench fined each defendant £1, and costs 13s - "Papers Past Hawera & Normanby Star"
Saturday, August 15, 2009
More on Chinese Winemakers in NZ
More on Chinese Winemakers in NZ
Received an email from Raymond Chan, a New Zealand-born Chinese and wine judge, wine retailer and wine palate extraordinaire. Raymond has been juding wines in New Zealand since 1989.
"We have a family story when we first started getting interested in wine in the late 1970s. Then, Totara SYC was of course highly respected for its white wines – Riesling Sylvaner and Chenin Blanc especially sought after, being medal winners. My Dad said that one of the Thames family came to our family living in Dunedin, asking if he could board with us while studying at university, our family names being the same, and that our families came from the same area of China. Dad, and our family not having the room turned him away. So our vinous journey could have possibly had an earlier start!"
Raymond also said, "Don’t forget Albert Chan". Albert Chan was the younger son of Stanley Young Chan and sometime after his primary and high school education in Thames he went to Australia to study at Roseworthy. He became Chief Winemaker at Lindemans in 1983 and went on to become one of Australia's most respected white wine winemakers. Albert met an early and tragic death, but his memory lives on with the Albert Chan Memorial Trophy for Best White Wine of the Show, presented at the Sydney Royal Show each year.
Received an email from Raymond Chan, a New Zealand-born Chinese and wine judge, wine retailer and wine palate extraordinaire. Raymond has been juding wines in New Zealand since 1989.
"We have a family story when we first started getting interested in wine in the late 1970s. Then, Totara SYC was of course highly respected for its white wines – Riesling Sylvaner and Chenin Blanc especially sought after, being medal winners. My Dad said that one of the Thames family came to our family living in Dunedin, asking if he could board with us while studying at university, our family names being the same, and that our families came from the same area of China. Dad, and our family not having the room turned him away. So our vinous journey could have possibly had an earlier start!"
Raymond also said, "Don’t forget Albert Chan". Albert Chan was the younger son of Stanley Young Chan and sometime after his primary and high school education in Thames he went to Australia to study at Roseworthy. He became Chief Winemaker at Lindemans in 1983 and went on to become one of Australia's most respected white wine winemakers. Albert met an early and tragic death, but his memory lives on with the Albert Chan Memorial Trophy for Best White Wine of the Show, presented at the Sydney Royal Show each year.
Who was really NZ's first Chinese winemaker?
Who was really NZ's first Chinese winemaker?
Followed a newslink today that took me to an article about New Zealand's first Chinese winemaker. According to the article at the Indian Wine Portal, his name is Johnny Leung - and he is alive and kicking and working at Twilight Vineyard* in Clevedon.
"New Zealand's first Chinese winemaker - that ain't right," I thought. "There have been Chinese winemakers in New Zealand before him".
One who had a lot of media attention is CP Lin - not so much because he is Chinese, but because he is blind. For a long time CP was winemaker at Mountford in Waipara but he is now making wine in the Hunter Valley in Australia.
There is also Johnny's name sake, Edward Leung, whose wines bear the label, Ma Maison.
But the one that immediately sprang to mind is Stanley Young Chan. His initials were part of the name of his winery, Totara Vineyards SYC, at Totara, between Kopu and Thames (click for map) in the Waikato. We called into the winery many times on summer holiday trips to the Coromandel Peninsula, not only for wine but for his famous Totara Kiwifruit Liquer. The winery buildings, winery shop and vineyard are still there. Cuisine magazine lists Gilbert Chan as the current winemaker.
But a quick search tells me that Stanley wasn't the first either. That honour goes to Joe Ah Chan (Chan Hock Joe), who, according to the Dictionary of New Zealand Bibliography, was not only the first Chinese winemaker in New Zealand to make wine, but quite probably the first in the Southern Hemisphere.
Joe (1882 - 1959) arrived in New Zealand around 1905, working in Wellington selling fruit and vegetables. He returned to China for a short time in 1916 but came back to in New Zealand in 1917 to settle in Matamata. In 1925 Chan began to grow grapes at Totara near Thames, the first Chinese New Zealander to do so, and in 1929 he produced his first batch of wine. He was reputed to be the first Chinese wine-maker in the Southern Hemisphere. In 1950 the vineyard was sold to a distant cousin, Stanley Young Chan, who changed the name to Totara Vineyards SYC.
The Encyclopedia of New Zealand records the first man from China arriving in Nelson in 1842. By the late 1860's Chinese were working the Otago goldfields. There have waves of Chinese immigration ever since. Many new Chinese immigrants arrived from 1987 onwards but there are also Chinese New Zealanders who parents and possibly grandparents were born here. So if you know any other Chinese winemakers in New Zealand, please email me.
*Actually the Twilight Vineyards website doesn't make the claim that Johnny is the first Chinese winemaker in NZ. Perhaps an over-exuberant reporter simply got the facts wrong.
http://www.wineoftheweek.com/blog/blog200906.htm#20090629
Followed a newslink today that took me to an article about New Zealand's first Chinese winemaker. According to the article at the Indian Wine Portal, his name is Johnny Leung - and he is alive and kicking and working at Twilight Vineyard* in Clevedon.
"New Zealand's first Chinese winemaker - that ain't right," I thought. "There have been Chinese winemakers in New Zealand before him".
One who had a lot of media attention is CP Lin - not so much because he is Chinese, but because he is blind. For a long time CP was winemaker at Mountford in Waipara but he is now making wine in the Hunter Valley in Australia.
There is also Johnny's name sake, Edward Leung, whose wines bear the label, Ma Maison.
But the one that immediately sprang to mind is Stanley Young Chan. His initials were part of the name of his winery, Totara Vineyards SYC, at Totara, between Kopu and Thames (click for map) in the Waikato. We called into the winery many times on summer holiday trips to the Coromandel Peninsula, not only for wine but for his famous Totara Kiwifruit Liquer. The winery buildings, winery shop and vineyard are still there. Cuisine magazine lists Gilbert Chan as the current winemaker.
But a quick search tells me that Stanley wasn't the first either. That honour goes to Joe Ah Chan (Chan Hock Joe), who, according to the Dictionary of New Zealand Bibliography, was not only the first Chinese winemaker in New Zealand to make wine, but quite probably the first in the Southern Hemisphere.
Joe (1882 - 1959) arrived in New Zealand around 1905, working in Wellington selling fruit and vegetables. He returned to China for a short time in 1916 but came back to in New Zealand in 1917 to settle in Matamata. In 1925 Chan began to grow grapes at Totara near Thames, the first Chinese New Zealander to do so, and in 1929 he produced his first batch of wine. He was reputed to be the first Chinese wine-maker in the Southern Hemisphere. In 1950 the vineyard was sold to a distant cousin, Stanley Young Chan, who changed the name to Totara Vineyards SYC.
The Encyclopedia of New Zealand records the first man from China arriving in Nelson in 1842. By the late 1860's Chinese were working the Otago goldfields. There have waves of Chinese immigration ever since. Many new Chinese immigrants arrived from 1987 onwards but there are also Chinese New Zealanders who parents and possibly grandparents were born here. So if you know any other Chinese winemakers in New Zealand, please email me.
*Actually the Twilight Vineyards website doesn't make the claim that Johnny is the first Chinese winemaker in NZ. Perhaps an over-exuberant reporter simply got the facts wrong.
http://www.wineoftheweek.com/blog/blog200906.htm#20090629
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Dragons rose and bananas soared at conference
Dragons rose and bananas soared at a conference celebrating the past, present and future of Chinese in New Zealand and overseas.
The fourth Going Bananas conference, entitled Rising Dragons, Soaring Bananas (www.goingbananas.org.nz), was held over the weekend of Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July and saw scholars and artists from around the country and as far afield as Russia, Hong Kong, and the US discussing the role of the Chinese throughout the globe.
Vote Yes for Children in the 2009 referendum
3.60% p.a. On-Call: Apply Online
New Zealand Chinese Association Auckland Inc chairman Kai Luey was sure the last conference in 2007 would be the final one but a strong demand proved otherwise.
The conference itself has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2005. From one room at AUT to three at the University of Auckland’s Business School with over 40 international speakers and, as always, a host of local stories from a New Zealand perspective.
Stories from high-flying bananas such as real estate mogul Don Ha, commercial entrepreneur Rodney Wong and former kiwi Olympian Robyn Wong inspired and amused an audience happy to witness success within the Chinese community.
The conference no doubt celebrated the Chinese, but also raised questions about the difficulties of being Chinese in New Zealand today.
Questions about whether to teach your child their native tongue in a time when China is becoming increasingly important within New Zealand and on the global stage and the growing economic importance of Chinese business were prominent throughout the weekend.
The latter question was answered in a presentation by Professor Paul Spoonley on the back of a recent Asia NZ Foundation report about Chinese businesses in Auckland.
Among the findings, the report found a lack of attention given to this area of Auckland’s economy in the Royal Commission’s report on Auckland governance.
These businesses are becoming a major source of interest as Chinese immigrant communities play an important role in business innovation, entrepreneurial activities and international trade.
Once again the conference challenged perceptions of what it means to be Chinese and, according to Professor Manying Ip, was an opportunity for the community to reflect on “where we’re positioned in society, in politics and in history”.
As for the next conference, Mr Luey was reluctant to repeat history saying another one may not be ruled out.
Scoop was a media sponsor of the Rising Dragons, Soaring Bananas International Conference. Friday, 31 July 2009, 9:59 am
Press Release: Simon Wong
28/07/09
By Simon Wong
The fourth Going Bananas conference, entitled Rising Dragons, Soaring Bananas (www.goingbananas.org.nz), was held over the weekend of Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July and saw scholars and artists from around the country and as far afield as Russia, Hong Kong, and the US discussing the role of the Chinese throughout the globe.
Vote Yes for Children in the 2009 referendum
3.60% p.a. On-Call: Apply Online
New Zealand Chinese Association Auckland Inc chairman Kai Luey was sure the last conference in 2007 would be the final one but a strong demand proved otherwise.
The conference itself has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2005. From one room at AUT to three at the University of Auckland’s Business School with over 40 international speakers and, as always, a host of local stories from a New Zealand perspective.
Stories from high-flying bananas such as real estate mogul Don Ha, commercial entrepreneur Rodney Wong and former kiwi Olympian Robyn Wong inspired and amused an audience happy to witness success within the Chinese community.
The conference no doubt celebrated the Chinese, but also raised questions about the difficulties of being Chinese in New Zealand today.
Questions about whether to teach your child their native tongue in a time when China is becoming increasingly important within New Zealand and on the global stage and the growing economic importance of Chinese business were prominent throughout the weekend.
The latter question was answered in a presentation by Professor Paul Spoonley on the back of a recent Asia NZ Foundation report about Chinese businesses in Auckland.
Among the findings, the report found a lack of attention given to this area of Auckland’s economy in the Royal Commission’s report on Auckland governance.
These businesses are becoming a major source of interest as Chinese immigrant communities play an important role in business innovation, entrepreneurial activities and international trade.
Once again the conference challenged perceptions of what it means to be Chinese and, according to Professor Manying Ip, was an opportunity for the community to reflect on “where we’re positioned in society, in politics and in history”.
As for the next conference, Mr Luey was reluctant to repeat history saying another one may not be ruled out.
Scoop was a media sponsor of the Rising Dragons, Soaring Bananas International Conference. Friday, 31 July 2009, 9:59 am
Press Release: Simon Wong
28/07/09
By Simon Wong
Rising Dragons, Soaring Bananas
I was intrigued by the soaring bananas but quite afraid to ask.
Since when could a banana even think about getting airborne?
One of the first speakers at the Rising Dragons, Soaring Bananas conference soon answered the question in my head.
The aforementioned fruit was a derogatory term for someone who was 'yellow' on the outside, but 'white' on the inside, often applied to Chinese by people both within and outside the community.
Hence the clever title of the conference - surely the best way to defuse a potential insult is to embrace it?
As a forum it aimed to "celebrate the journeys, stories and identities of leading local and overseas born Chinese personalities".
Across the weekend there was a huge variety of sessions to attend from the standard "Yellow Peril - Early Chinese In New Zealand" and "Cracking The Glass Ceiling" to the unexpected like "The Unique History Of Chinese In Cuba" and "Chinese Immigrants In Equatorial Guinea".
Advertisement
There was even the slightly bizarre "Chinese Culture And Dental Behaviour In Wellington" and "Manipulating Loyalty - Chinese Americans And Taiwan's Canned Mushroom Export".
There was plenty of inspiration to be had over the weekend, but it was always accompanied by a fair degree of sadness.
On the periphery
A fifth generation Chinese New Zealander told of a tough childhood where she always felt an outsider, completely on the periphery of all things 'Kiwi'.
At the age of 23 she visited China for the first time and felt an immense sense of pride in her ancestral home and culture.
But the feeling of social dislocation and isolation remained, as she couldn't speak Mandarin and struggled to relate to her relatives.
This appeared to be a common thread that ran through the entire conference.
People who felt too Asian to be a 'real' Kiwi and far too European to ever feel accepted as a local in China.
But such dissonance, confusion and isolation can produce remarkable drive and resilience as was epitomised in some of the tales.
Prominent public lawyer Mai Chen told of arriving in 1970's Christchurch along with her three other sisters.
The marching quartet caused a car crash on the very first day, so astounded was the male driver at the novel sight of these Asian faces.
Years of struggle
Chen spoke of years of struggle, desperate to fit in despite knowing she probably never would.
It was only when she stopped trying to be like everybody else, and started to see her ethnicity as a potential strength that she began an incredible journey that now has her as one of the most well-known legal faces in New Zealand.
This was a story with a happy ending, but Chen was quick to dispense lavish doses of realism into her presentation.
She reminded the audience that their ethnicity will continue to be a disadvantage in New Zealand and they will have to work harder, be better and more persistent than everybody else if they want to succeed.
Real estate mogul Don Ha shared his classic rags to riches tale, delivered with an engaging personal style.
He came to New Zealand (from Vietnam, via China) as a 12-year-old in 1980 and spent the first few months in a Refugee camp.
The young Don had an amazing work ethic and a real entrepreneurial streak.
Noticing a local liking for Watercress he collected it from a nearby creek and sold it by the bunch to a nearby New World. When the Council cleaned out his supply he began a lawn mowing round, later taught Karate (elevating 35 people to Black belt level) before going to work in the family bakery.
Tiring of the 72-hour weeks, he got a start in Real Estate and was soon the top salesperson at the branch, before opening his own company which quickly began to dominate the local market and now employs 100 agents.
Ha seems to constantly be looking for new challenges - recently he bought a $2 million racehorse "to see what it felt like" - while also being aware there would be a major publicity payoff.
He is constantly striving to improve and sees potential in everybody to be better, happier and more successful.
To sign off he broke a roof tile with his bare hands which certainly added some real punch to his 'nothing is impossible' message.
Self-awareness
Across the weekend the level of self-awareness, and willingness for self-analysis by the various delegates was quite pronounced.
The speakers told of constantly questioning who they are, who they should be and who they would be.
It is a fight that the vast majority of Kiwis never have to contemplate but one wonders if we are poorer for not having embarked on such a crusade.
There was a sense, through the pain, confusion and struggle, that the Chinese are richer for the journey.
There is no doubt that as a race they have developed an incredible resilience and an ability to thrive, to survive and to flourish in communities in every corner of the globe.
While it is common to reflect on your culture and national values when living overseas it is hard to envisage Anglo-Saxon Kiwis anywhere managing this level of introspective honesty and self awareness - at least without the help of alcohol!
At one point it was seriously debated as to whether Chinese in New Zealand should be doing more to gain an understanding of Te Reo Maori - as well as English and Chinese.
Surely this is not a realistic question until somewhere close to the majority of Maori and Pakeha exhibit a propensity to learn Maori.
But the willingness to think outside the square, to question and to challenge accepted wisdom was an overriding theme of this conference where Dragons roared and Bananas definitely soared.
Published: 6:31PM Thursday August 06, 2009 by tvnz.co.nz's Michael Burgess
Source: ONE News http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/rising-dragons-soaring-bananas-2891142#
Since when could a banana even think about getting airborne?
One of the first speakers at the Rising Dragons, Soaring Bananas conference soon answered the question in my head.
The aforementioned fruit was a derogatory term for someone who was 'yellow' on the outside, but 'white' on the inside, often applied to Chinese by people both within and outside the community.
Hence the clever title of the conference - surely the best way to defuse a potential insult is to embrace it?
As a forum it aimed to "celebrate the journeys, stories and identities of leading local and overseas born Chinese personalities".
Across the weekend there was a huge variety of sessions to attend from the standard "Yellow Peril - Early Chinese In New Zealand" and "Cracking The Glass Ceiling" to the unexpected like "The Unique History Of Chinese In Cuba" and "Chinese Immigrants In Equatorial Guinea".
Advertisement
There was even the slightly bizarre "Chinese Culture And Dental Behaviour In Wellington" and "Manipulating Loyalty - Chinese Americans And Taiwan's Canned Mushroom Export".
There was plenty of inspiration to be had over the weekend, but it was always accompanied by a fair degree of sadness.
On the periphery
A fifth generation Chinese New Zealander told of a tough childhood where she always felt an outsider, completely on the periphery of all things 'Kiwi'.
At the age of 23 she visited China for the first time and felt an immense sense of pride in her ancestral home and culture.
But the feeling of social dislocation and isolation remained, as she couldn't speak Mandarin and struggled to relate to her relatives.
This appeared to be a common thread that ran through the entire conference.
People who felt too Asian to be a 'real' Kiwi and far too European to ever feel accepted as a local in China.
But such dissonance, confusion and isolation can produce remarkable drive and resilience as was epitomised in some of the tales.
Prominent public lawyer Mai Chen told of arriving in 1970's Christchurch along with her three other sisters.
The marching quartet caused a car crash on the very first day, so astounded was the male driver at the novel sight of these Asian faces.
Years of struggle
Chen spoke of years of struggle, desperate to fit in despite knowing she probably never would.
It was only when she stopped trying to be like everybody else, and started to see her ethnicity as a potential strength that she began an incredible journey that now has her as one of the most well-known legal faces in New Zealand.
This was a story with a happy ending, but Chen was quick to dispense lavish doses of realism into her presentation.
She reminded the audience that their ethnicity will continue to be a disadvantage in New Zealand and they will have to work harder, be better and more persistent than everybody else if they want to succeed.
Real estate mogul Don Ha shared his classic rags to riches tale, delivered with an engaging personal style.
He came to New Zealand (from Vietnam, via China) as a 12-year-old in 1980 and spent the first few months in a Refugee camp.
The young Don had an amazing work ethic and a real entrepreneurial streak.
Noticing a local liking for Watercress he collected it from a nearby creek and sold it by the bunch to a nearby New World. When the Council cleaned out his supply he began a lawn mowing round, later taught Karate (elevating 35 people to Black belt level) before going to work in the family bakery.
Tiring of the 72-hour weeks, he got a start in Real Estate and was soon the top salesperson at the branch, before opening his own company which quickly began to dominate the local market and now employs 100 agents.
Ha seems to constantly be looking for new challenges - recently he bought a $2 million racehorse "to see what it felt like" - while also being aware there would be a major publicity payoff.
He is constantly striving to improve and sees potential in everybody to be better, happier and more successful.
To sign off he broke a roof tile with his bare hands which certainly added some real punch to his 'nothing is impossible' message.
Self-awareness
Across the weekend the level of self-awareness, and willingness for self-analysis by the various delegates was quite pronounced.
The speakers told of constantly questioning who they are, who they should be and who they would be.
It is a fight that the vast majority of Kiwis never have to contemplate but one wonders if we are poorer for not having embarked on such a crusade.
There was a sense, through the pain, confusion and struggle, that the Chinese are richer for the journey.
There is no doubt that as a race they have developed an incredible resilience and an ability to thrive, to survive and to flourish in communities in every corner of the globe.
While it is common to reflect on your culture and national values when living overseas it is hard to envisage Anglo-Saxon Kiwis anywhere managing this level of introspective honesty and self awareness - at least without the help of alcohol!
At one point it was seriously debated as to whether Chinese in New Zealand should be doing more to gain an understanding of Te Reo Maori - as well as English and Chinese.
Surely this is not a realistic question until somewhere close to the majority of Maori and Pakeha exhibit a propensity to learn Maori.
But the willingness to think outside the square, to question and to challenge accepted wisdom was an overriding theme of this conference where Dragons roared and Bananas definitely soared.
Published: 6:31PM Thursday August 06, 2009 by tvnz.co.nz's Michael Burgess
Source: ONE News http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/rising-dragons-soaring-bananas-2891142#
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Ching Ming April 5 2009 - Wellington Tung Jung Assn
A picture of the Tung Jung Memorial at Karori Cemetery in Wellington where we congregate for the Ching Ming and Chung Yeung festivals. In the 1950's, the Tung Jung Association bought about 50 grave sites near this memorial for the use of their members. This memorial was erected in their honour in 1965 as it was far more practical to congregate in one place to pay homage than to go from grave to grave!
I have all the names of the TJ members who are buried near here but all
names are only in English spelling.
The Makara location has been in use since the 1980's as Karori is fully
occupied!!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
"Ellis Island" reopens February 15, 2009
Our "Ellis Island" reopens February 15, 2009, after more than three years of restoration and preservation work.
You might find their website of great interest and might be moved to donate to help further restore the site.
On this page of their website are three YouTube interviews of men who were detained on Angel Island when they first came to America many years ago.
http://www.aiisf.org/?option=com_content&view=article&id=85:detainee-stories&catid=64:about-articles&Itemid=85
You might find their website of great interest and might be moved to donate to help further restore the site.
On this page of their website are three YouTube interviews of men who were detained on Angel Island when they first came to America many years ago.
http://www.aiisf.org/?option=com_content&view=article&id=85:detainee-stories&catid=64:about-articles&Itemid=85
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Year of Ox welcomed
East And Bays Courier | Wednesday, 14 January 2009
The Auckland Chinese Community Centre is holding its Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day to welcome in the Year of the Ox.
The event is on Saturday from 9.30am to 3.30pm in halls one and two at the ASB Showgrounds, 217 Greenlane West.
Prime Minister John Key will open the annual celebration at 10am.
There will be special acts by a troupe of folk art performers, traditional Chinese dances and songs.
A modern Chinese pop band will perform and there will be demonstrations of martial arts, tai chi, lion dances, hip hop dance and diabolo tricks.
More than 200 stalls will be selling traditional and exotic Chinese hot delicacies.
Arts and crafts will be for sale and there will be free games and rides for children.
No admission charge.
The Auckland Chinese Community Centre is holding its Chinese New Year Festival and Market Day to welcome in the Year of the Ox.
The event is on Saturday from 9.30am to 3.30pm in halls one and two at the ASB Showgrounds, 217 Greenlane West.
Prime Minister John Key will open the annual celebration at 10am.
There will be special acts by a troupe of folk art performers, traditional Chinese dances and songs.
A modern Chinese pop band will perform and there will be demonstrations of martial arts, tai chi, lion dances, hip hop dance and diabolo tricks.
More than 200 stalls will be selling traditional and exotic Chinese hot delicacies.
Arts and crafts will be for sale and there will be free games and rides for children.
No admission charge.
Handwriting more than a work of art
Years of hard work and skill are behind every brush stroke made by Chinese calligrapher Jingzhi Zhu.
Ms Zhu, who also goes by the name Julie, will be demonstrating her art at the Chinese New Year Festival in Greenlane tomorrow.
The city-based artist started doing calligraphy in China when she was seven years old with her father’s encouragement.
"My father was my very first teacher, he loved it very much."
He taught her for a year, before sending her to a professional calligraphy class.
From there, she studied under several famous calligraphy artists in China.
"I made huge progress and entered many national and international competitions and won many gold and silver medals."
Her work has been exhibited overseas and she is about to have her first solo show at the Corban Estate Arts Centre in west Auckland, which opens on Thursday and runs until March 1.
Ms Zhu moved to New Zealand two years ago to study a master’s programme at Auckland University, where she also teaches Chinese language and hopes in the future to also teach English.
At first it was hard to integrate her love of calligraphy with her new life because many people don’t know what Chinese calligraphy is.
"These days, many young people don’t like it. They think it is really boring because you have to practise every day and many have lost interest.
"Luckily I found the New Zealand Chinese Calligraphers Association and joined."
Members meet once a month and exchange ideas about the way they practise calligraphy.
Ms Zhu’s work has been shown at the Aotea Centre as part of a group exhibition and last year she was offered the chance to demonstrate her art at the Chinese New Year Festival.
She translated people’s names into Chinese and wrote them in calligraphy or wrote blessing words like "longevity" and "lucky" on special red paper.
Her art was so popular, she ran out of red paper and her friends had to dash out and buy more.
This year she is stocking up on paper before tomorrow’s festival.
For the new year, she writes special couplets for people to hang on their doors, welcoming the year and the good luck it brings.
Ms Zhu is going to visit her family in China next week to write their couplets.
The festival also includes a dragon dance, a troupe of performers from Hebei in China, Chinese pop group Lulu and the Puppets, and demonstrations of various martial arts.
Organiser Kai Luey says up to 20,000 people are expected to attend the event, which has attractions for all ages.
The free festival will be held tomorrow at the ASB Showgrounds from 9.30am to 3.30pm
By JANIE SMITH - Central Leader | Friday, 16 January 2009.
Ms Zhu, who also goes by the name Julie, will be demonstrating her art at the Chinese New Year Festival in Greenlane tomorrow.
The city-based artist started doing calligraphy in China when she was seven years old with her father’s encouragement.
"My father was my very first teacher, he loved it very much."
He taught her for a year, before sending her to a professional calligraphy class.
From there, she studied under several famous calligraphy artists in China.
"I made huge progress and entered many national and international competitions and won many gold and silver medals."
Her work has been exhibited overseas and she is about to have her first solo show at the Corban Estate Arts Centre in west Auckland, which opens on Thursday and runs until March 1.
Ms Zhu moved to New Zealand two years ago to study a master’s programme at Auckland University, where she also teaches Chinese language and hopes in the future to also teach English.
At first it was hard to integrate her love of calligraphy with her new life because many people don’t know what Chinese calligraphy is.
"These days, many young people don’t like it. They think it is really boring because you have to practise every day and many have lost interest.
"Luckily I found the New Zealand Chinese Calligraphers Association and joined."
Members meet once a month and exchange ideas about the way they practise calligraphy.
Ms Zhu’s work has been shown at the Aotea Centre as part of a group exhibition and last year she was offered the chance to demonstrate her art at the Chinese New Year Festival.
She translated people’s names into Chinese and wrote them in calligraphy or wrote blessing words like "longevity" and "lucky" on special red paper.
Her art was so popular, she ran out of red paper and her friends had to dash out and buy more.
This year she is stocking up on paper before tomorrow’s festival.
For the new year, she writes special couplets for people to hang on their doors, welcoming the year and the good luck it brings.
Ms Zhu is going to visit her family in China next week to write their couplets.
The festival also includes a dragon dance, a troupe of performers from Hebei in China, Chinese pop group Lulu and the Puppets, and demonstrations of various martial arts.
Organiser Kai Luey says up to 20,000 people are expected to attend the event, which has attractions for all ages.
The free festival will be held tomorrow at the ASB Showgrounds from 9.30am to 3.30pm
By JANIE SMITH - Central Leader | Friday, 16 January 2009.
Gung Hay Fat Choy!
The Lunar New Year dates from 2600 BC, when the Emperor Huang Ti introduced the first cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
Because of cyclical lunar dating, the first day of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February. On the Chinese calendar, 2009 is Lunar Year 4706-4707.
On the Western calendar, the start of the New Year falls on Monday, January 26, 2009 — The Year of the Ox. If you were born in 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985 or 1997 - you were born under the sign of the ox.
Because of cyclical lunar dating, the first day of the year can fall anywhere between late January and the middle of February. On the Chinese calendar, 2009 is Lunar Year 4706-4707.
On the Western calendar, the start of the New Year falls on Monday, January 26, 2009 — The Year of the Ox. If you were born in 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985 or 1997 - you were born under the sign of the ox.
2009 - The Year of the Ox. HAPPY NEW YEAR
The second animal who arrived was the serious, enduring and hard-working Ox.The coming 2009 year of the earth Ox also called 2009 year of the Bull or Buffalo is around the corner. It looks like we've got honest, candid and open natured year ahead. As you might guess, coming 2009 year of the earth Ox is dependable, calm and modest.
The ox person is not extravagant, and the thought of living off credit cards or being in debt makes him/her nervous. The possibility of taking a serious risk could cause the ox person many sleepless nights. These people are truthful and sincere, and the idea of wheeling and dealing in a competitive world is distasteful to them. It would be right to mention that people born in the ox years are rarely driven by the prospect of financial gain. These people are always welcome because of their honesty and patience. They have many friends, who appreciate the fact that the ox people are rather introverted and wary of new trends, although every now and then they can be encouraged to try something new. It is important to remember that the ox people are sociable and relaxed when they feel secure, but occasionally a dark cloud looms over such person and he/she takes on the worries of the world and tries to find solutions.
The ox person is not extravagant, and the thought of living off credit cards or being in debt makes him/her nervous. The possibility of taking a serious risk could cause the ox person many sleepless nights. These people are truthful and sincere, and the idea of wheeling and dealing in a competitive world is distasteful to them. It would be right to mention that people born in the ox years are rarely driven by the prospect of financial gain. These people are always welcome because of their honesty and patience. They have many friends, who appreciate the fact that the ox people are rather introverted and wary of new trends, although every now and then they can be encouraged to try something new. It is important to remember that the ox people are sociable and relaxed when they feel secure, but occasionally a dark cloud looms over such person and he/she takes on the worries of the world and tries to find solutions.
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