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A Cultural Gathering Place Called Bamboo Grove Viewed 504 times
By: Daniel FelstedPublished for Logan, Utah (Area-Info.net May. 25, 2012)
I like to introduce my client Little Bloomsbury Foundation newest endeavor to promote cultural exchange.
By Dr. B. C. Sun, Executive Director, Little Bloomsbury Foundation
Some people have concerns about large imports from China and its impact on the economy. As an Economist and China Advisor, I would like to propose a free import and fun-filled summer event “Bamboo Grove: A Cultural Gathering of Movers & Shakers” to help offset our deficit in learning from other cultures as a way to mitigate the trade deficit. As a society, we tend to benchmark on our lifestyle (or the lack of disciplines thereof) within the U.S. alone, which can offer much comfort but little motivation to change. Little do we know how the way other cultures live may contribute to their global competitiveness. China is a great example of one of these cultures.
“Bamboo Grove” is a free import inspired by gatherings in Chinese cities where people assemble in open spaces to practice English with one another. Little Bloomsbury Foundation's 2012 Summer Community Service Presentation provides a great venue for citizens of all ages and backgrounds to come together to promote "a culture of learning from other cultures" by exploring anything and everything about China. We hope that the one-hour weekly summer event at Great Harvest
Bread will help further mutual understanding and friendship among people of different backgrounds and enhance our cultural awareness and competitiveness as a state and a nation.
STRUCTURE, HOSTS, & THEMES
Enthusiasts and observers alike are invited to visit www.littlebloomsbury.org where upcoming themes and the brief bios and post-event reflections of hosts of Bamboo Grove will be posted. The gathering is free and open to all ages, and is in support of The Cache Chamber of Commerce. It kicks off with an Opening Reception at 1 PM on Friday, June 1 at Great Harvest Bread, 55 W Center Street, Logan, featuring 10 Friday gatherings at the same time and place through August 3 and a Noon Chinese Concert at Logan Tabernacle on Friday, August 10.
Structure & Hosts: Two hosts, one of them an ethic Chinese, will facilitate the weekly gathering. Each host selects in advance a theme to facilitate a lively discussion with the audience. (The hosts
may choose a common or related theme(s) and may have come together before the event to make preparations.) Approximately 15 – 20 minutes in total are estimated for the structured part of the event. People are then free to mix and mingle.
Discussion Journaling: Hosts are encouraged to post at our blog over the weekend their timely reflections on the discussion and the implications of the learning observed in themselves and others on any aspect of education, business, and society.
Themes: Depending on their background and exposure, hosts may present on themes such as: (1) Architecture, feng shui (风水), and living arrangements, (2) Business and negotiation, (3) China and other civilizations (4) Cinema, (5) Cooking and recipes, (6) Customs and habits that help the Chinese thrive, (7) Family history, (8) Han and Chinese races, (9) “Home education” (家教), (10) Humanitarian work in China, (11) Languages, (12) Law and society, (13) “Music, chess, books, and paintings” or Qin qi shu hua (琴棋书画) as referred to collectively in Chinese, (14) (Performing arts, (15) Philosophy and strategy, (16) Social etiquette, and (17) Technology and innovation.
SYMBOLISM OF “BAMBOO GROVE” 竹林大会
The term “Bamboo Grove Gathering” or zhulin dahui (竹林大会) first appeared in Wang Yi’s contemporary novel Twin Dragons of Tang Dynasty ( 大唐双龙传). But bamboo grove as a gathering of movers and shakers began as early as 220 in the Wei-Jin Period (魏晋时期). Bamboo
symbolizes qi jie (气节) or moral and spiritual uprightness. The traditional Chinese ideal of living at bamboo groves in “deep mountains” (深山) symbolizes the pursuit of a life in the world but not of the world. This is also our aspiration as a learning community in the “deep mountains” of Utah.
Daniel C. Felsted is Marketing Director at The Image Foundry — IF | Marketing & Design, a customer service, employee retention, direct marketing, graphic design, social media & large format printing consultancy where we love to talk about our clients. danis@TheImageFoundry.biz.Read and comment on our self-education blog,
TheInternetDarkAges.blogspot.com or see us at
www.TheImageFoundry.biz. Follow on Goggle+Daniel Felsted
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