A son brought his 90+ year old mother to the Ink & Unity calligraphy event in Chinatown last week. At the event, they told us that it’s been a long time since they’ve practiced calligraphy as a family. Today, we received this heartwarming message from him:
Sometimes it’s easy to overlook the individual impact in the chaos of activity, but messages like this one remind us of the meaningful changes that for individuals and families. Keep sharing these stories with us as it brightens our days!
To help us continue to create positive change individually and systemically with arts and culture in Chinatown, consider donating the Chinatown Together Cultural Fund so we can keep the work going and growing:
Rewaken the Chinese Unicorn in Chinatown (Apr 13)
It’s not a lion, it’s not a dragon, it’s the qilin 麒麟, the Chinese unicorn!
Chinatown’s qilins have been asleep for almost a decade in the attics of the neighbourhood, so we’re excited to announce a special performance and dance workshop to reawaken the qilins with the Vancouver Tsung Tsin Hakka Association 溫哥華客屬崇正會 at the Sun Yat Sen Courtyard on Saturday, April 13 at 3:30pm.
The qilins, also known as Chinese unicorns, are an integral part of the Hakka 客家 people’s traditional culture. The qilin dance is rare and unlike the Chinese lion and dragon dance. There’s currently a global movement to revive this 450-year-old Hakka tradition, including in Singapore.
At the event, you’ll get to see a qilin dance demonstration by a dance master and a new dance team composed of Chinatown community members, learn a bit about the history and culture, and then do the qilin dance yourself!
Everyone is welcome to this all-ages and multilingual event (English, Hakka, Cantonese and Mandarin). There will be snacks and beverages.
WHEN: Saturday, April 13 2024, 3:30pm - 5:30pm
WHERE: Dr. Sun Yat Sen Memorial Courtyard, 565 Columbia St
This event was made possible with the support of Vancouver Parks Board, the City of Vancouver, and generous community donors like you!
Upcoming Chinatown Events
Transgender Day of Visibility Film Screening of “Xiaodi” (Sat, Mar 30, 2:30pm, 312 Main St) Tickets here - UniCome Vancouver event
Reawaken the Chinese Unicorn: Hakka Qilin Dance Workshop with the Vancouver Tsung Tsin Hakka Association (Sat, Apr 13, 3:30pm, Sun Yat Sen Courtyard) - Chinatown Together event
Big Fight in Little Chinatown Film Screening with Vancouver Public Library (Mon, May 6, 5:30pm, Vancouver Public Library Central Branch) - Chinatown Together x VPL event