UM publishes trilingual comic books to promote Chinese history and culture

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Two centres of the University of Macau (UM), namely the Centre for Chinese History and Culture (CCHC), and the Chinese-Portuguese Bilingual Teaching and Training Centre (CPC), have edited and published the Chinese History and Culture Comic Book Series, a series of books that present traditional Chinese myths, legends, and historical stories in Chinese, English, and Portuguese, with the aim of enhancing the understanding of Chinese culture among young people in Macao and Portuguese-speaking countries. In order to promote the comic books, the CPC visited Zheng Guanying Public School to organise activities, interacting with the students in the form of improvised comedy show, providing more students with the access to traditional Chinese culture, allowing them to know more about ancient myths and legends.

In 2018, the CCHC published two comic books in Portuguese, including Chang’e Flying to the Moon and Nu Wa Mending the Sky. In 2021, the CCHC and the CPC edited and published the Chinese History and Culture Comic Book Series, including Chang’e Flying to the Moon, Nu Wa Mending the Sky, and Jing Wei Filling the Sea, allowing youth from Macao and Portuguese-speaking countries to get to know the fun, wisdom and culture of Chinese ancient myths, to learn about Chinese history and culture, as well as allowing students in Macao to learn Portuguese through these easy to understand comic books.

In addition, the CPC organised a series of activities at Zheng Guanying Public School to promote the comic books. Apart from improvised comedy show, the CPC also invited the third grade students to improvise and illustrate the story of Chang’e Flying to the Moon. The CPC also organised a bilingual contest that revolved around Chinese and foreign myths and legends, traditional Chinese culture, and translation between Chinese and Portuguese words. Participating students say they enjoyed the event thoroughly and could not get enough of it. The principal of Zheng Guanying Public School, Chan Ka Man, pointed out that this activity fits the reading task currently arranged by the school for third grade students. It not only allows students to learn more about ancient myths and stories, but also stimulates students’ interest in reading and cultivates good reading habits.

Both centres are part of the Macao Base for Primary and Secondary Education in Humanities and Social Sciences, which aims to promote the development of humanities and social sciences education in Macao and to nurture young talent through a series of teaching and training programmes, in collaboration with educational institutions and primary and secondary schools in Macao.

The CCHC aims to strengthen the study of Chinese history and culture, to cultivate local talent dedicated to the dissemination and promotion of Chinese history and culture, to establish a high-level mechanism for the exchange of Chinese history and culture, to promote Chinese history and culture to the Macao community, especially the youth, and to promote the dissemination and influence of Chinese history and culture in Portuguese-speaking countries and regions, so as to enhance the awareness and understanding of Chinese history and culture in Macao and the international community.

Since its establishment in 2017, the CPC has been committed to developing long-and short-term partnerships with institutions in mainland China and Portuguese-speaking countries, establishing links in teacher training, focusing on the training of bilingual talent, conducting research in the areas of Portuguese teaching and Chinese and Portuguese culture, and promoting cross-cultural exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

Chinese History and Culture Comic Book Series

Improvised comedy show and bilingual quiz conducted in Chinese and Portuguese

Teachers and students of UM and Zheng Guanying Public School

Another link:

UM publishes trilingual comic books to promote Chinese history and culture [Communications Office, University of Macau]2021-07-09

2021 Exhibition of winning works of the New Year Calligraphy Competition in Hong Kong and Macau and Macau Region Award Ceremony was successfully held

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“2021 New Year Calligraphy Competition in Hong Kong and Macau”, organized by the Calligraphy Education Research Association of Macau and co-organized by the Centre for Chinese History and Culture (CCHC) at the University of Macau (UM), was held at the Exhibition and Multifunction Hall at the Cultural Building (E34-G016) at the UM  from 23 June to 30 June. Meanwhile, the award ceremony for this competition was held on 23 June in the E34 lobby. Winners attended the ceremony and received their certificates. The award presentation ceremony attracted more than a hundred students, teachers, and parents to participate.

Prof. Zhu Shoutong, the Director of the CCHC, quoted “national writing itself is art, which is remarkable” in his speech. Combined with the saying “respect the clothes first, then the people”, he added a little twist and pointed out that we shall “respect the words first, then the people”. This saying showed that calligraphy indeed brings an influence on people and society, and also indicated the relationship between calligraphy and Chinese culture and its importance. Finally, Prof. Zhu stated that Macao’s society pays great attention to calligraphy education. Not only schools but also many associations in the society also pay attention to the development of calligraphy in Macao and support the education and popularization of calligraphy through various activities.

With the aim of “enhancing teenagers’ interest and attainments in calligraphy”, the competition was divided into senior secondary school, junior secondary school, junior primary school, junior primary school, and open groups, with approximately 600 participants. This competition provided a chance for young people from Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macao to use calligraphy, the quintessence of Chinese culture, to write Spring Festival couplets in combination with traditional Spring Festival activities when Chinese New Year approached. This could help to show the Chinese cultural temperament of the young people of the three places, and promote the excellent Chinese culture at the same time.

Furthermore, it is hoped that young people will be encouraged to practice calligraphy frequently so that the calligraphy skills and the history of calligraphy in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Macao can become one of the ways of cultural exchanges among contemporary young people. Therefore, the winning works of calligraphy will be exhibited by means of traveling display, allowing young people and citizens of the three places to observe each other, so as to cultivate young people’s interest in Chinese calligraphy and enhance the artistic level of calligraphy writing, and also facilitate young calligraphers to enter the world.

Prof. Li Defeng, the Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Prof. Zhu Shoutong, the Director of the CCHC, Prof. Lam Iok Fong, the Director of the Centre for Macau Studies, Dr. Ng Lee Fan, the President of the Macau Collector Association, Dr. Hou Mok Tin, Ms. Lei Pou Tin, the Principal of  Escola Pui Tou, Mr. Wong Tak Chon, the Principal of Escola Tong Sin Tong, Mr. He Cheng, the Principal of Escola Kao Yip, representatives from Escola Xin Hua, Mr. Dean and Ms. Loi Kit Heong, the Directors of the Tiger Education, Mr. Ku Sio Wa and Mr.Chong Kam Seng, the Vice Presidents of the Associação Nacional dos Calígrafos de Macau, and Prof. Kung Bo Mei, the Chairman of the Calligraphy Education Research Association of Macau, participated in the award presentation ceremony.

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the University of Macau — Lecture by a Famous Teacher of Chinese History and Culture: Multicultural Study Activity in Macao — Father Matteo Ricci and Chinese Culture (2)

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On June 18, 2021, at 4:30 p.m., the Centre for Chinese History and Culture of the University of Macau held the second lecture on the theme of “Multicultural Study Activity in Macao — Father Matteo Ricci and Chinese Culture” through the online Zoom platform. Professor Ye Nong, the director of the Centre for Hong Kong and Macau History and Culture of the Jinan University and the Institute of Chinese Cultural and Historical Records of the Jinan University, was invited to give the lecture. Dozens of students from Colégio Mateus Ricci participated in this study activity. This activity mainly divided into three parts, including lecture, study and sharing.

In the last lecture on May 26, 2021, Professor Ye Nong shared his insights on multiculturalism, Macau and Matteo Ricci. The professor quoted Mr. Fei Xiaotong’s saying, “The beauty of each, the beauty of the beautiful, the beauty of the common, the world is the same”, to express his views on the multiculturalism of Macao.

In this lecture, Professor Ye Nong continued the last lecture and discussed the topics of cultural exchange between China and the West, such as Father Matteo Ricci’s missionary journey in China, his history with Macao, and the thoughts in his writings, allowing students to conduct research independently in their spare time. Through the interesting historical events in the Father’s life, the professor pointed out that the Father had made three contributions to the development of Chinese culture: “spreading European knowledge to China”, “introducing Chinese culture to Europe” and “establishing the Matteo Ricci’s Rule”. This allowed students to fully understand the role and influence of priests in the development of Chinese culture. Among them, “Matteo Ricci’s Rules” is a crucial contribution. It is an important way of cultural communication between China and the West, and it also influenced western missionaries to preach in China.

The Centre for Chinese History and Culture participated in the cultural exchange among students in Jiangsu

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As the leader of the team, Professor Zhu Shoutong, Director of the Centre for Chinese History and Culture, and more than 10 local college students from the University of Macau participated in the “Macau Jiangsu University Students Sunshine Growth 2021 Cultural Camp” from 5th June to 10th June 2021. They visited Nanjing University and the Jiangsu University and inspected various historical and cultural education bases in Nanjing and Zhenjiang. More than 30 leaders and celebrities, including Mr. Wu Hui, the Deputy Director of the Coordination Department of the Liaison Office of the Central Government, Ms. Liang Li, the former Director of Education and Youth Development Bureau of the Special Administrative Region Government, Mr. Cen Zhanping, the President of the Macau Jiangsu Friendship Association, and nearly 50 students from various universities and colleges in Macao participated in this meaningful activity. Mr. Cheong Hok Sam, the Section Head of the Student Resources Section of the University of Macau, also participated in this inspection.

 

Prof. Xue Jiabao of Yancheng Normal University gave a lecture at the Centre for Chinese History and Culture of the University of Macau

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On 26 May 2021, Prof. Xue Jiabao of Yancheng Normal University delivered a lecture on “British Desert Island Literature in the Visual Threshold of Chinese Culture” at the Centre for Chinese History and Culture (CCHC) of the University of Macau (UM). Prof. Li Defeng, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FAH) of UM, Prof. Lei Lai Cheng, Assistant Dean of the FAH of UM, Prof. Zhu Shoutong, Director of the Centre for Chinese History and Culture of UM, Prof. Chen Zhong, Deputy Director of the Confucius Institute, Prof. Zhang Yue and Prof. Wang Sihao of the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, and students attended the lecture. And the on-site lecture received an enthusiastic response.

 

University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences visited the Centre for Chinese History and Culture of the University of Macau

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Mr. Gao Xiang, the Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the Dean of the Chinese Academy of History, led a delegation to visit the University of Macau (UM) on 26 May 2021. The delegation was warmly received by the Rector of the UM, Prof. Song Yonghua. During the visit, the delegation visited the Centre for Chinese History and Culture (CCHC) of the University of Macau at Cultural Building.

 

Prof. Zhu Shoutong, Director of the CCHC, reported the work content of the centre to the delegation, mainly from the establishment of the centre, the working principle of the centre, and the five constructions in the centre (activity promotion centre, education and training centre, academic exchange centre, academic research centre, publicity and publication centre). And the centre has achieved fruitful results throughout the four years since it has been established. In the end, Prof. Zhu Shoutong summed it up with the sentence “the relationship between homogenization, homochromization, and also specialization and popularization”.

Prof. Lam Iok-fong, Director of the Centre for Macau Studies (CMS), also introduced the contents of work and the books published by the CMS. The centre’s mission is to promote interdisciplinary research in Macao. In different historical periods, Macao has adjusted its goals in response to the development. In recent years, China has put forward the “One Belt, One Road” initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area, and Macao has entered a new stage of history. The future of Macao has a closer relationship with national policies.

After the visit, the CCHC and the CASS exchanged souvenirs. In addition, the UM and CASS held an exchange ceremony for the cooperation agreement between the two universities in Cultural Building, confirming that UM and CASS will jointly implement the “Student Recommendation Enrollment Plan Agreement” and the “Student Exchange Agreement”.

In addition, the delegation from the CASS also visited the “Signature Wonders” exhibition organized by the CCHC and the library. Accompanied by the UM Rector, Prof. Song Yonghua, the University Librarian, Dr.. Wu Jianzhong, and the Director of the CCHC, Prof. Zhu Shoutong. Mr. Gao Xiang, the Dean of the Chinese Academy of History, showed great interest in the exhibition and evaluated highly of the value of the exhibits.

The 40th Anniversary of the University of Macau—Chinese Culture Exhibiting Activity: Huangmei Opera Art Appreciation

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Organized by the Centre for Chinese History and Culture (CCHC) of the University of Macau (UM), and co-organized by the On Fai Friendship Association of Macao, Anhui Huangmei Opera Theatre, and the Association of Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture of Macau, the 40th Anniversary of the University of Macau—Chinese Culture Exhibiting Activity: Huangmei Opera Art Appreciation was successfully held on 21 May, 2021, at the Theater of the E31 Student Activity Centre of the University of Macau.

Prof. Zhu Shoutong, Director of the CCHC of the UM, said in his speech that as one of the five major Chinese operas, Huangmei Opera is the quintessence of Chinese culture and an outstanding representative of China’s intangible cultural heritage. It originated from Huangmei Opera in Hubei Province, and it is now widely distributed in Anhui and Hubei provinces. To promote the excellent traditional Chinese culture as well as the cultural exchanges between Macau and Anhui, the CCHC, Anhui Huangmei Opera Theatre, and the Association of Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture of Macau jointly organized this activity. It is wished that this event could enhance the youth of Macao to feel and experience the charm of the excellent traditional Chinese opera culture through this experience.

Ms. Chan Chi Leng, the president of the Association of Excellent Traditional Chinese Culture of Macau, said in her speech that Huangmei Opera comes from the folks and enjoys both refined and popular tastes. It has impressed countless audiences with its rich flavor of life and fresh local flavor. Furthermore, it is hoped that, this event can help to encourage meeting with friends by means of literature, strengthen the cultural exchanges between Macao and Anhui, and jointly promote the construction of “One Base” in Macao.

This event was divided into two parts. The first part was an introduction to the culture of Huangmei Opera. Mr. Yao Entian, a national first-class performer and the head of the performance troupe of Huangmei Theatre in Anhui Province, and other performers from Huangmei Theatre introduced the culture of Huangmei Opera to the students.

The second part was the artistic appreciation of Huangmei Opera. Many performing artists had brought us a rich artistic and cultural feast of Huangmei Opera, such as “Couple Watching the Lanterns”, “Couple Returning the Home” and other classic works.

Staff from the Centre for Chinese History and Culture of the University of Macau visited the “National Security Education Exhibition”

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On 14 May, 2021, the Centre for Chinese History and Culture staff visited the “National Security Education Exhibition” jointly organized by the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR. The exhibition was held from 15 April to 16 May in the exhibition hall of the Commercial Cooperation Service Platform Complex between China and Portuguese-speaking Countries.

The exhibition was divided into four parts, including “National Security under major changes unseen in a century”, “Adhering to the overall national security concept to build a general security pattern”, “Maintain national security and ensure the stability of ‘One Country, Two System’” and “The responsibility of the people for national security”. The exhibition focused on the remarkable journey of the country and Macao over the past year, the national people’s concerted efforts to fight the epidemic, and the latest progress of the country and Macao in improving the national security system through refined text, over 400 pictures and nearly 20 videos.

Through this exhibition, the Centre for Chinese History and Culture staff have a better comprehension of national security and the responsibility of the citizens. Meanwhile, they have a deeper understanding of the wisdom and experience of the country in fighting the epidemic, witness the Chinese spirit in epidemic prevention and control, and see the latest progress of the country and Macao in improving the national security system.

Celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the University of Macau: FAH-CCHC Lecture Series: Studying Macao’s Diversified Culture: Mateus Ricci and Chinese Culture (1)

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Centre for Chinese History and Culture of University of Macau held a Zoom lecture on May 28th themed “Multicultural Study Activities in Macao──Father Matteo Ricci and Chinese Culture”. Professor Ye Nong, Director of the Research Centre for the History and Culture of Hong Kong and Macao of Jinan University was invited as the guest speaker. The lecture appealed to many students of Colegio Mateus Ricci to attend.

Professor Ye Nong shared his knowledge of cultural pluralism, Macau and Ricci. He pointed out that cultural pluralism refers to the process of social development in which a country or a nation inherits its own outstanding traditional culture and incorporates the outstanding traditional culture of other countries and nations, thereby achieving a harmonious social atmosphere. When expressing views on the diversity of cultures in Macao, Professor Ye Nong quoted Mr Fei Xiaotong’s saying: “Appreciate the culture of others as do to one’s own, and the world will become a harmonious whole.”

During the lecture, Professor Ye actively interacted with the students of Colegio Mateus Ricci, and the students also proposed many of their own insights.

Please refer to the Chinese Version for more details: 澳門大學四十週年校慶——中國歷史文化名師名校講座：澳門多元文化研習活動——利瑪竇神父與中華文化