University of Richmond celebrates 10th annual ChinaFest Feb. 12-15

February 6, 2015

This year marks the 10th anniversary of ChinaFest, an annual Richmond festival that promotes better understanding and goodwill between the United States and China. ChinaFest includes a wide variety of celebrated films and lectures by noted scholars, which are free and open to the public.

The festival begins Feb. 12 at 7 p.m. with “Slow, Simple & Selfless: What America and Contemporary China Can Learn From the Chinese Tradition,” a lecture by Robert Daly, director of the Kissinger Institute on China and the U.S. at the Woodrow Wilson Center. Daly will share his unique insight gained from a 30-year career engaging with China.

The festival also includes ChinaFest Film Weekend, which is part of the University’s International Film Series. The community is invited to the screenings of these five acclaimed and significant Chinese films:

  • “Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” on Feb. 13 at 3 p.m.
  • “The Mad Detective” on Feb. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
  • “Romance of the Western Chamber” on Feb. 14 at 10:30 a.m.
  • “Echoes of the Rainbow” on Feb. 14 at 1 p.m.
  • “Bodyguards and Assassins” on Feb. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

All films will be shown in original languages with English subtitles in the Robins School of Business, Queally Hall, Ukrop Auditorium. Jessica Chan, a UR assistant professor of Chinese studies, will provide commentary and lead Q & A sessions following “Romance of the Western Chamber” and “Echoes of the Rainbow.”

On the last day of the festival, Feb. 15, noted collector of Qing Dynasty textiles, Franklin B. Propert, will lead a collector’s talk and tea reception at 1:30 p.m. in the Lora Robins Gallery of Design from Nature. Propert will discuss Chinese textiles, including an example from his own collection on display at the museum.

ChinaFest is co-sponsored by the University of Richmond Office of International Education and the non-profit organization The Rose Group for Cross-Cultural Understanding.

For more information on ChinaFest visit international.richmond.edu.

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