UC Davis' Confucius Institute to Celebrate Chinese Culture

From UC Davis

The Confucius Institute at UC Davis combines signature strengths of UC Davis and China's Jiangnan University as world leaders in food and beverage science and technology, with the goal of promoting understanding of Chinese food and beverage culture.

The public is invited to attend the free opening ceremony featuring Chinese song and dance at the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts at 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 16.  A book signing with Yan will be held in the Mondavi Center's lobby at 7:30 p.m.

The institute will offer courses, lectures, workshops and other events on Chinese food and beverage, culture and language. Since 2004, the Hanban arm of the China's Ministry of Education has partnered with universities and other organizations to establish more than 400 institutes worldwide to promote understanding of Chinese culture.

The opening ceremony program will include performances of Chinese song and dance by award-winning students from Jiangnan University. Some 10 acts include "Jasmine Flower," a Chinese folksong known to the world; Tibetan dance; a dance representing young equestrians galloping on the grasslands of Mongolia; and a peacock dance from the Xishuangbanna homeland of the Dai people.

Admission to the opening ceremony is free; visitor parking is $8. Those planning to attend are encouraged to register at http://tinyurl.com/pu6lqk8.