Happening Saturday, Dec 9 — Don’t miss the 20th anniversary public talk by the sculptor of the monument Arthur Shu Ren Cheng (程樹人) about the creation of the Chinatown Memorial Monument. It’s Arthur’s first public talk about his work, which will feature never-been-seen-before private archives of the process.
Unveiled on November 2, 2003, this significant monument honours the sacrifices of Chinese Canadian railway workers and WWII soldiers. Situated at Chinatown Memorial Square, it stands as the sole monument of its kind in Canada, representing the rich history, contributions, and sacrifices of the Chinese Canadian community.
Arthur will delve into the story and process behind the creation of the monument, featuring his private archive. Following the talk, engage in a panel discussion with local Chinatown community members who played a crucial role in bringing this monument to life.
Date: Saturday, December 9, 2023
Time: Doors open at 1:30pm, Start at 2pm to 4pm PST
Location: Chinese Cultural Centre Exhibition Hall, Enter at 555 Columbia St.
The talk and panel discussion will be offered in English, Mandarin, and Cantonese. Light refreshments will be served.
This event is co-hosted by the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC (CCHSBC) and Chinatown Together.
Chinatown Winter Solstice Pre-Event: Tong Yuen Making Workshop (Sat, Dec 16)
Join us as we learn to make tong yuen (sweet dumplings) from William Liu from Kam Wai Dim Sum 金 威 點 心 on Saturday, December 16th from 6:30 to 8:30 pm! Event is free!
Everyone is welcome and tong yuen making instructions will be provided by William Liu from Kam Wai Dim Sum 金 威 點 心! In preparation for our Winter Solstice (Dongzhi) Festival*, we’ll be preparing tong yuen for our fellow community members, with enough for you to try your creations, and bring a few home to show off to your family and friends.
*Come back to Chinatown on the next day on Sunday, December 17th, to make lanterns and illuminate the Chinatown Memorial plaza with us, enjoy the tong yuen alongside fellow community members, and listen to our local Vancouver Chinese Choir!
Food preparation supplies will be provided for you to make tong yuen. The event is for all ages and is a great opportunity to bond as a community!
Come illuminate the plaza with lanterns with us, eat some sweet tong yuen (soup dumplings), and enjoy some Chinese choir music on Sunday, December 17th from 3:30 to 5:30 pm! Event is free!
Everyone is welcome and lantern-making instructions will be provided by @lucky.munyi and @the.good.imp! In theme with winter solstice, we’ll be making and decorating the plaza with lanterns, enjoying tong yuen prepared by your fellow community members* and William Liu from Kam Wai Dim Sum 金 威 點 心, and listening to the harmonies of our local Vancouver Chinese Choir.
*If you’re interested in learning to and helping make tong yuen, join us on the evening of Saturday, December 16 for our pre-event tong yuen making workshop led by Kam Wai Dim Sum 金 威 點 心’s William Liu!
We’ll be creating the jar lanterns and paper bag lanterns inspired by the Secret Lantern Society, and welcome our Vancouver Chinese Choir with warmth and glow as they sing for us.
Crafting supplies will be provided while you create your own lanterns to decorate the plaza and take home. There will be tong yuen served for you to enjoy while you craft. The event is for all ages and is a great opportunity to bond as a community!
Interpretation for instructions will be provided in Cantonese and Mandarin.
Please note that this will be located outdoors at the Chinatown Memorial Plaza on the NE corner of Columbia and Keefer Streets.
Will you help us keep events free & accessible in Chinatown?
Hosting community events like the memorial lecture and winter solstice take a lot of financial resources. At Chinatown Together events, we don’t charge for events so everyone can participate. Will you help us continue to make these events free and accessible for everyone by making a donation to the community events fund? Make a donation here.
Chinatown Stories Pre-Order and Launch Party (Sat, Dec 9)
Our friend at Chinatown Today is launching Chinatown Stories Volume 5: The Bridges Between Us on SATURDAY, DEC 9, 2023 from 2:00-4:00PM PST! Bridges are markers of the gaps dividing us, yet enable us to connect anyway. They can be built, they can be burnt, and they are critical crossing points in our journeys. What shape do the bridges between us take? Where will these bridges lead us next?
This free launch party will be your first chance to look at Chinatown Stories Volume 5, featuring some of the key contributors to the volume who will share their pieces as well as their interpretation of the bridges in our lives and communities.
Pre-order your Chinatown Stories publication before the launch and get a special promo discount!
Collective Quit Weaving in Chinatown (Sat, Dec 16)
Our friends at Yarrow is hosting a collective quit making event on Sat, Dec 16 12pm-4pm!
Baijia bei is a Northern Chinese patchwork tradition that incorporates 100 squares of cloth, representing good wishes, new life and dreams of a better life, together into one quilt.
Come down on December 16th to Memorial Plaza and design some squares for our community quilt. All are invited to help contribute to this quilt. Each person will design their own patches and our seamstresses will sew everyone’s squares of cloth together to create one beautiful tapestry.