Event: Field Trip- Cultural Inheritors of Japan

In late March, the cherry blossom season, Prof. Sidney Cheung led a group of 20 students to Nagoya, Japan to learn about the preservation of traditional Japanese culture, in particular, the role of cultural inheritors. Our student Allie Kwong shares her experiences during the trip.

於三月二十九日至四月五日，二十位人類學同學跟隨張展鴻教授到日本名古屋進行田野考察，主題爲文化傳承。旅程中，同學參觀了有四百年歷史的名古屋城和德川博物館，參與了香道的活動及欣賞了日本傳統戲劇狂言，其中香道的示範及狂言最令同學印象深刻。兩個活動皆於香道志野流的家元蜂谷先生家中舉行。在考察前，人類學系曾邀請蜂谷先生來港介紹香道，這次在名古屋，同學更深入地了解香道的歷史和作法。大家在作香道的特別房間一起欣賞香的味道，並互相分享感受。對同學來說，這是一次十分有趣、以嗅覺爲主導的體驗。其後蜂谷先生分享了他作爲這種傳統藝術繼承人的矛盾和創新精神。這次活動中，蜂谷先生也解釋了日本房間的佈局，人與大自然和季節的連繫。狂言對同學亦是嶄新的體驗。當天幾位名古屋大學的同學亦一起參與。狂言師生動有趣的解說令同學十分投入，示範完畢候同學皆覺意猶未盡。

              Mr. Hachiya demonstrates kodo and shows the agargwood inherited by his family.

三月尾四月初正是櫻花盛開之時，處處是好風光，同學們紛紛趁自由時間賞櫻！這次考察令同學更了解文化遺產如名古屋城的保育及傳統技藝的傳承，亦對日本加深了認識，獲益良多。同學將於暑假時以傳承人爲題，各自再進行考察。 

Kyogen demonstration

                                                    (Photo: 劉嘉雯)                            Noh Mask (Photo: 劉嘉雯)
                               

Students appreciate cherry blossom and cherry flower ice cream

Group photo in front of Mr. Hachiya's home

Information on 2013 Summer Schools in China

Below is information on some summer school programs in humanities and social sciences in China taking place in the summer of 2013. All of these programs recruit students from Hong Kong.


2013 ICSCC-Fudan University Summer Program on Buddhism and Chinese Religions
复旦中华文明国际研修班第一期 “佛教与中国文化”
English: http://www.douban.com/group/topic/39194386/
Chinese: http://www.douban.com/group/topic/39238846/

Summer 2013 China Multigenerational Panel Dataset Workshop at SJTU
上海交通大学2013年中国多代人口数据库暑期学校
http://camerondcampbell.me/blog/2013/04/summer-2013-china-multigenerational-panel-dataset-class-at-sjtu-english-announcement/




第五届（2013年）云南大学民族学/人类学研究生暑期田野调查学校:全球化与人口流动
http://www.douban.com/group/topic/39244606/

2013年中山大学海域的社会与文化研究生暑期学校
http://www.cnanthropology.com/article-961-1.html

新史料·新方法：中国当代史档案研读班招生启事（上海交通大学历史系）
http://history.sjtu.edu.cn/show.asp?id=240

吉首大学第一届两岸三地中国西南民族学与历史学研究生研习营
http://www.douban.com/group/topic/37871766/

Publication: Anthropological Detective Novel

《神功戲殺人事件》, a detective novel with anthropological elements written by our alumnus Joe Tsui (徐焯賢), was recently voted second in the 10 Best Books for School Children Reading (小學生書叢榜十本好書獎項).

Joe Tsui, now a writer and an editor, did both his undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in our department. His M.Phil thesis is about Cantonese opera troupe organization, which is the inspiration of the recent book. He makes use of cultural knowledge of local traditions such as religious festivals, Cantonese opera, family and lineage, as well as symbolisms such as five colors for different elements. His aim is to apply anthropological perspectives to his work and to promote the subject among young people.