China
When: 3rd Tuesday at 10.00 a.m. Vacancies.
Where: Zoom
See new China essay 15.11.2023
We are chiefly concerned with keeping abreast of developments in China and of UK-China relations. We are also studying Chinese culture and history as a backdrop to our discussions, which are very lively and informative. We feel a need to share this important knowledge and information with a wider audience, particularly at this time of heightened tension in relations, to increase understanding.
We thus invite more active participation by members in our Group and would encourage new members to join us.
Please contact the Group Leader, Barnaby Powell for further info: Barnaby.powell@gmail.com
The Chinese New Year of the Rabbit
Chinese New Year Greetings to all! Kong Xi Fa Cai! (Mandarin) or Kung Hei Fat Choi! (Cantonese).
In 2023, the Chinese lunar new year of the Rabbit falls on Sunday, January 22nd. The date is a moveable feast celebrated every year between the 21st January and the 20th February, culminating this year with the Lantern Festival on 5th February, when people traditionally display colourful lanterns. This means that Chinese the world over may enjoy a 7-day holiday from work similar to the Christmas break, enabling them to travel home in a mass exodus to spend time with family and relatives. Local festivities involve colourful Dragon and Lion dancing, the gifting of ‘Red Envelopes’ of cash to children and the copious consumption of delicious food and liquor.
According to legend, the Rabbit is one of 12 animals invited by the Emperor in c. 2300 B.C. to compete in the Great Race. As a result, the years are named in the order they finished the race – Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat (or Ram), Monkey, Rooster, Dog and Pig. The cunning Rat won because he hitched a ride on the Ox to cross a river. The Chinese zodiac or horoscope is derived from this legend and the 12-year cycle means that you can tell people’s age once you know their animal sign.
Portents for this year indicate that we are less likely to see rabbits pulled from hats in extraordinary reversals of fortune (as the global economy struggles to recover) and more emphasis on astronomy rather than astrology as the Space Race between China and the US continues apace.
The u3a China Group meets every 3rd Tuesday of the month to keep a keen eye on developments as they unfold and looks forward to welcoming new members.
If you are interested in joining this group, please use the email contact right.
This group, which started in October 2012, discusses the impact of China’s rise on the rest of the world and how it is likely to affect us. It is led by Barnaby Powell, who has written three books on the meaning of China with Alex Mackinnon.
The aims of the group are:-
To hasten understanding of China and its culture
To share information and research findings on China
To discuss and assess the effects of China’s influence and its balance of ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ power
‘2018 – China goes Critical’, their latest practitioner’s book, can be accessed as an Ebook on Amazon Kindle
(http:/www.amazon.co.uk/2018-China-goes-Critical-ebook/dp/B00D56X371) or by simply googling ‘Barnaby Powell China’ to access the site directly.
This book demonstrates the historical waves of chaos that continue to shape modern China – from Sun Yatsen’s revolution to the Bo Xilai affair – and considers the scale of challenges facing the new Communist Party leadership.