Make-up Assignments

[cgao]

If you need to miss a session (no more than three in the duration of the seminar), please let us know. You will need to make up each missed session. Please note that the four Saturdays count as two sessions each. If you miss a Saturday, you will need to submit two make-up assignments.

• Attend an event (lecture/meeting/discussion panel, etc.) that focuses on issues related to East Asia or visit a museum exhibition or performance relating to East Asia. The U.S.-China Institute offers at least one public event each month.
• Submit a 150-200 word summary of what you learned, and post it in this thread. 

Attached is a list of resources to help give you an idea of events/places to visit around Los Angeles.

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[Stella Castro]

Video –Gaming; Make-up Assignment for Session 1

It was very interesting to learn about the video gaming in China. I had no idea that it was so popular, and that many people enjoy and pass their free time on videos games. Here in the states, or at least Los Angeles, (where I am familiar with), the popularity of playing videos games, most of the kids/students/children would spend their extra and available time playing video games. Unlike years go where they would go and play outside, where the parents would buy bicycles, skateboards, Frisbees, and the kids would go out and play. However little by little the popularity of video games took over and now all if not most of the kids have X-boxes, Play stations, and video games they can play on the computer/s, I-pads, even on their telephones. Certainly, this is the time of the present, but as I was listening to the guest speaker, Ms. Lisa Hanson. Ms. HansonTalked about the popularity of the video gaming in China, it brought this all into a new view and perspective. In the lecture Ms. Lisa Hanson, talked about how they have video cafes, where the people go and congregate into them and play against each other, where it is cheaper to go to the video cafes and spent hours playing against other people in these type/s of places. The irony of these video gaming places is that the public would rather go to a place like, this and wait, for their turn to play against others rather than stay home and play against their brothers or sisters, friends, neighbors, etc. The parents would rather have their children go out and play rather than allowing them to stay home and play. Ms. Hanson, did state the fact that it is quite expensive to own the types of gaming systems that are in use at the video cafes, because one has to buy the games, the equipment, the computers/I-pads, etc, and then they have to have the space available to set up all the equipment that is needed, and as it is , the homes in China, are quite small , so there really is not enough space available to set up this type of gaming in one’s home/house.

An interesting thing that I learned from this lecture was that the people/public spends a lot of their money on these games to dress them up. They spend the money to make the figures/figurines, dress in style and accordingly to their part in the video games, for instance if a game is played where a person. Is a super hero, then the people pay for the outfit to fit the super hero character? Likewise if a figure id a villain, then the people pay the money to dress up the figure/character as a villain with dark clothing and the accessories to match the character.

Interestingly, E-sports was mentioned in this lecture ,and that is where people gamble on their favorite sports, of course to win money, but it is just the fact of the matter that the people are joining the virtual world of video gaming when they enter the world of gambling via video gaming.

Naturally, the video gaming big conglomerates/ enterprises, like Apple, Google, U-tube, all have a stance on this video  gaming successes, as they all put in their two-cents worth, and then they try to out-do each other with their schematic antics, rhyme and reason,  to outdo each other simply as a  way of monopolizing the gaming society.

What I learned from attending this lecture was how much China is into the video gaming world, and how much money the make from it, but also the number of people into video gaming. I always thought China was a poor country but from the statistics that were presented, China has a lot of money, or rather spends a lot of money particularly in the video gaming world/pastime of the/their country. However I am not amazed at the numbers, if I remember correctly, 24.5 million was spent on watching/gambling the last NBA final, (which was in 2017), that my friends, is a whole lot of money invested in video gaming.

[Stella Castro]

I visited The Ed Burns Japanese Garden @ CSULB as a make-up assignment for session two of this seminar. I was not glad that I missed session, two, but in a way it was a good thing that I did, otherwise I would not have had to make up an assignment , and for that reason  I would not of had to visit this garden. I would not even had I known this place existed, had I been present for session 2.

This garden is quite beautiful it is a very serene and peaceful location. It is quite small, none the less it is beautiful. This garden is located on the campus site of CSULB, which is also a place I have never been too.  Upon purchasing admission  you are handed a package of fish food to feed the koi, however because they give all the people visiting this garden the package of food, and visitors can feed the fish at their discretion, all the Koi are rather big and fat., which is understandable. I believe this fish are carp, as they resemble what carp fish looks like. Upon entering the garden right outside the entrance e are the infamous lion dogs, s soon as I saw these I thought this place was going to be worthy of the drive over. Walking into the garden a visitor right way can see and feel the peacefulness of this place. One sees the people feeding the fish or just sitting down and relaxing, enjoying the scenery, which is very green, and well maintained. Throughout the walkways, there are fixtures that to me resembled temples, shrines, pagodas, and combinations of these, with a space for a light inside, sort of a small window. As I walked around I wondered what they could be, and then it struck me that these fixtures were probably like night lights, and that at night they would turn them on to light up the place. But this notion baffled me as this pace closes at 4:00p.m., so who would be able to look at and admire this when the place is closed. Turns out these types of lanterns are Kasuga Lanterns, as I was told when I asked the person at the entrance. The Kasuga lanterns are lit on weddings, which many are held at this location. That is why this place is closed on Saturdays, to accommodate all the weddings here. Upon looking at the dictionary for a definition of Kasuga, a Kasuga lantern is to be lit on special occasions.  Now it all made sense and fell into perspective.

As I walked, I noticed the rocks, in this garden, and I remembered that the Japanese culture tends to have rocks in their gardens, and in their miniature bonsai replicas, but the Chinese culture does not.

This place also had two places where it looked like waterfalls, One of them was just water falling from the rocks, making it appear like a waterfall, and the other place was an actual waterfall, (at least in my perspective).  Further down the road, the walkway resembled a bridge, as if entering a sacred place, and then there it was, the Japanese home. Outside the home/house was the fountain of water where one is supposed to wash themselves before entering the home, once they are allowed and permitted to do so. Then there was the home. With its open space, which I am sure they do this for the public to view/see. However, here I noticed how often a Japanese home is mostly barren, that they have very little trinkets, knick/knacks and or decorations. The mats on the floors also revealed how the Japanese set up their furnishings, and what goes where, this was very interesting to see.

This garden also contained a rock garden, where all the small pebbles/rocks look as if they were raked. The decoration of the rocks resembles an S-shape.  I forget what this means, and there was no one around for me to ask this question of. T

This was a very nice place to visit. Here is additional information prior to visiting the Garden. There is a parking fee, I really can’t elaborate on the cost as I did not park at CSULB, and the entrance fee is $5.00, although if you are or become a member you get in for free. The admission prices vary according to age and if one is a student or a senior citizen.

I learned a little bit more of the Japanese culture just by visiting this site. I also learned that this place has special events from time to time and offers free movies, and lectured for the public. However it is best to become a member of the garden as when especial events arise the members get a discount off the ticketed prices. For instance an upcoming events are Mother’s and father’s day brunches,, in which members get a $10.00 dollar discount than non-members, and at times the parking is free to members, whereas, non-members still have to pay for parking. However, this rule applies differently according to the events/s.

[Donna Jamshidnejad]

I visited the USC Pacific Asia Museum to view the exhibit on China and Mexico on the free day (first Sunday). This exhibit begins with a large mural depicting artists and historical figures from China and Mexico. The art pieces are limited, but I found the videos in each room very interesting. Each video discusses the history of art in terms of China and Mexico. One that I found particularly interesting was the video on murals. The video discussed the use of murals in Chinese art being revamped after Mexican artists visited Shanghai, and Chinese artists visited Mexico (there was a mural movement in Mexico). I learned that much of the propaganda posters I use in class were actually parts of larger murals. I assumed they were posters such as those used in the west in the 20^th century. However, many of these images were painted across walls and buildings.

After visiting this exhibit, I visited the Silk Road room. This seemed catered towards children. They had a small bookshelf, floor pillows, and curtains to recreate an “exotic” Aladdin style image of the East. I found this depiction very problematic. However, they had a great display of maps for children and physical items traded along the Silk Road.

[Laura Gonzales]

The Japanese garden is located in Long Beach, it is hidden behind the parking lot of CSULB. There is a small fee to enter the garden but it was woth it. When I fist walked in I was blown away with this tucked away gem. I right away felt the zen in the atmosphere. The place is not large but it is filled with a lot of detail. There are small statues throught out the garden I noticed a buddah statue.  My kids right away went straight to the Koi pond. The fish are large and for a small fee one could feed the fish. There is a large pond that sits in the middle of the garden and bridges through out the pond. There are benches along the garden so that one could sit down and take on all the beauty. What I liked and found helpful were the docent carts the encourage visitors to ask questions and they are very friendly and more then happy to teach you about the garden. They have a mini tea house that I recognized very similar to the one in the Huntington. The tea house was decorated with origami.  They also had a rock garden of dry garden. It was raked in a wavy designed. It was a tranquil environment and definitely worth going to.

 

 

 

[Laura Gonzales]

The Japanese American National Museum located in the heart of Little Tokyo was worth attending. I was able to go on the metro and I saved $2.00. I also learned that they offered free admission on Thursdays from 5-8 pm. A touching exhibit was a crane on display that was made Sadako Sasaki a victim of the atomic bomb. Sadako got Leukemia as a result of the bomb. She was able to make a little over 1000 origami cranes before she passed away. What I enjoyed about the exhibit is what the crane represents, which is peace and hope. Another exhibit I felt was heart touching was the common ground exhibition. This exhibition focused on the history of Japanese Americans all through the WWII forced concentration camps. It was sad to see that many people lost their belongings, life savings, and homes. The exhibit has an original barrack on display along with pictures and artifacts. It shows how the people tried to keep their traditions alive while in the camp and tried to do the best they could in the horrible situation they found themselves in. You could spend hours in the museum reading about 1^st accounts of peoples experiences.

 

[Jonathan Tam]

The USC Pacific Asia Museum is located on 46 North Los Robles Avenue in Pasadena and houses works collected from Asia as well as the pacific islands. The facility boasts 15,0000 rare pieces of art an in 2013, the museum became part of the University of Southern California. In this post, I will be describing some of the aspects of the museum that I found most interesting as well as its value as an educator. The museum moves in a chronologic and geographic sequence from Pacific and South Asian art to Chinese and Japanese art. At the time that I visited, an exhibition on Ceramics was also featured as well as an interactive display of the Silk Road. The second Sunday of each month is free for all visitors and so you can really plan things in advance as a teacher before you go using those free visits.

 

The most interesting thing that I found at this museum was the deeper mythology and religion to some of the pieces. The seminar has touched on figures of mythology in the past, but there’s something about being in the presence of art that evokes the mythology much more. A piece that I spent a few minutes looking upon was the Guardian Figure (Nio). The figure was used to protect Buddhist temples with “wrathful faces” and “bulging muscles.” There was something incredibly terrifying to stand in front of it, and yet incredibly insightful to read about. There were similar protector pieces shared in Chinese art, such as Charger - a depiction of the “qilin,” which was a mythical protector in China. The Charger was created during the time of the Yuan Dynasty and represents emerging influence of Persia and Mongolian culture. These fantastical beasts convey the look towards higher powers to maintain the values of those time periods.

 

The temporary exhibit, Winds from Fusang, offers insights into the mural culture in Mexico as well as the emerging creation of Asian murals. Many Mexican muralists were invited to China in the late 20th century and something that the museum features for the very first time is a massive Asian mural.

 

The museum is pretty small, but breaking the museum into groups certainly makes it manageable. The art pieces feel in particular for older audiences, but exhibits like the Silk Road are almost specifically for children because they offer simple english explanations as well as hand-ons activities.

[Tanish Fortson]

On a random Sunday I decided to go to the Japanese Garden at Long Beach State University.  This place is such a hidden little gem. The cost is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and $2 for children ages 4-18. As I entered I noticed that the garden hosts events so I decided to get a few fliers on that. Enter into the actual garden is like going into a little nature oasis that is surrounded by beauty. In the summer the garden is full of color and greenery that showcase trees and shrubs. They have a deck for taking amazing pictures with the pond as your backdrop. The garden features Lion Dogs at the gate, which is meant to ward off spirits both good and evil. There is a dragon stone panel carving. According to Japanese legend, dragons represent prosperity, and control the wind and rain. The Koi feeding is very exciting. 

 

The Kasuga lantern and the snow-viewing lantern are just a few popular lanterns that you will see on your visit. The garden allows one to become a member and the cost depends on what type of membership you have. The benefits of being a member will allow for free tours, complimentary tea parties invitations, and discounts on programs and workshops. The Garden has a lot of upcoming events such as the member tea and tour, trimming of the black pines, Father’s Day barbecue, and summer Jazz picnic, which is an awesome opportunity for new learning experiences.  For me I fell in love with the scenery, the rocks, the temples and shrine like fixtures. I ended up booking this venue for my baby shower. I have not had the event as of yet but am very excited for my guest to see this beautiful oasis. 

[Donna Jamshidnejad]

I visited the Japanese Garden at Long Beach University. I had no idea that this garden was here, but I was in Long Beach and decided it would be convenient to work on a makeup assignment. The area has a small house, a rock garden, shrubs and trees, and plenty of koi. One highlight was being able to feed the fish. I’ve noticed that many public spaces with koi and wildlife do not allow people to feed the animals, but many families feed them human food which is very dangerous to their health. While we are probably overfeeding the koi, I was happy to see that the garden provides fish food. Similar to the Chinese garden at the Huntington, this garden is very peaceful. I did prefer this garden over the Japanese Garden in the Huntington Gardens. At the Huntington, we learned that much of the Japanese Garden was unrealistic and created by Americans. I am not sure about the history of the garden in Long Beach, but I wonder if it is more authentic.

[Liliana Reyes-Contreras]

As part of my make up assignment for missing session 2 I decided to go and revisit the Japanese American National Museum.  This museum is the largest museum in the country highlighting the experience of Japanese Americans and Japanese nationals in this country.  There are many exhibits dedicated to recounting the story of interment camps and the horrific conditions that many individuals of Japanese found themselves living in.  Some of the stories at the museum are from successful business owners who lost their businesses and their homes when they were sent away to interment camps.  It also explains the hopeful and positive nature of so many Japanese individuals who began to form full-blown communities in very difficult places.

 

One of my favorite exhibit’s at the museum was Sadako’s  Cranes.  Sadako was an artist who was born in Hiroshima and greatly influenced by the drop of the atomic bomb. His beautiful designs are on display and are truly captivating.

 

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