Schedule of Events

The 2011 Celebration of the Year of the Rabbit began with the great honor of hosting a performance/workshop by Ghaffar Pourazar. Mr. Pourazar is the Director of the International Center for Beijing Opera. In addition to providing an evening of fascinating insights and delightful singing and dancing, he conducted workshops at the local schools and Southern Oregon University. The New Year festivities in Jacksonville included a traditional parade, children’s activities, martial arts demonstrations, historical exhibits, and cooking demonstrations. Gregory Nokes, a noted reporter and writer talked about his best-selling book, Massacre in Hell’s Canyon. Paul Fong, a California legislator, and Ted Gong, a member of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance, reported on the status of legislation in which the US Government will formally apologize for the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. It was an eventful, exciting, and altogether auspicious beginning to the New Year.

8AM 5K RABBIT HOP RUN – an easy fun run on paved roadway: route includes portion of the ’Rails to Trails’ (Rogue Valley Railway: The Tea Kettle and Jacksonville Cannonball).
WHERE: Starts at Bigham Knoll Historic Renovation site (525 East E Street)
WHEN: Race begins at 8AM rain or shine. Registration required by Feb.1.

10:30AM LION and DRAGON DANCE PARADE – downtown Jacksonville When lions, dragons, drums, gongs and costumes and pageantry welcome the Year of the Rabbit.

12-1PM CHINESE COOKING DEMONSTRATION – McCully House JiaoZi (餃子), Chinese dumplings, is shaped like an ancient Chinese gold or silver ingot, they symbolize wealth. Traditionally the family gathers on New Year’s Eve to make dumplings. They may hide a coin in one of the dumplings. The person who finds the coin will likely have good fortune in the coming New Year. Demonstrators are Gang Zha, 查刚 and Xuan Guo, 郭璇, both are Chinese teachers for Confucius Classroom through St. Mary’s School.

2PM CHINESE FOLK MUSIC, DANCES AND MORE – Bigham Knoll Ballroom Songs, dances, Chinese costumes and fashion to regale you at this annual sellout variety event.  ELAN GUEST SUITES AND GALLERY

11:30AM-2PM Joy, Peace & Content – Currently exhibiting the landscape paintings by accomplished Taiwan artist Calvin Chow 周大中, who will demonstrate his skills and techniques in the traditional art Chinese ink brush painting. NAVERSEN ROOM, JACKSONVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY

11:30AM-12PM Local historian Larry Smith will speak about the Chinese Gold Mining in Jacksonville: weather permitting, he will continue his talk with the group at the nearby commemorative monument dedicated in 2001.

12PM-2PM Acupuncture Treatment – Practicing acupuncturist Owen Jurling wil set up treatment to relieve pain using needles; a healing art that has been practiced in China for over 4000 years.

12PM-2PM Chinese Calligraphy – 苏国营 John Guoying Su, from Zhengzhou University, who once taught Chinese language at St. Mary’s School, will demonstrate the styles of Chinese traditional Calligraphy: four treasures of study and chop-carving. REDMEN’S HALL

11:30AM-2PM Remembering 1882 – a museum exhibit about the Chinese Exclusion Act is on display throughout the day: a rare opportunity provided by courtesy of the Chinese Historical Society of America.

11:30AM-12:30PM 1882 Project – The ‘Chinese Exclusion Act’ was the only congressionally legislated law that the U.S. enacted that targeted a specific ethnicity of immigrant. Paul Fong, a California Assemblyperson and Ted Gong, a member of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance will report on the progress about the petition to the Federal government to acknowledge and apologize for the Act.

12:30PM-1PM What Grandmother told me about tea, herbs and melon seeds – Join us for a cup of tea and stories of Chinese medicine folklore. Presented by Mohkeed Wong and Ted Gong.

1PM-2PM The Confucian Writing Brush – this program demonstrates how the idea of xue (学), usually translated as to ‘learn’ or ‘study,’ connects all aspects of Chinese life. Robert Ross, Richard Cole and Hiromi Wallen will demonstrate the interconnection of Confucius’ philosophy with the art of calligraphy, and that of Chinese daoist swordsmanship. WARREN (MASONIC) LODGE

11:30AM-12PM Peter Britt and the Chinese – Living history presentation about America’s celebrated photographer and his relationship with the local Chinese community. Played by Robert Heltberg.

12PM-1PM Tai Chi for Everyday – a valuable health aspect of Chinese culture that aims at increasing people’s internal energy. St Mary’s School Ling Zheng 郑岭 (Coordinator of Confucius Classroom) and Peng Li 李鹏 (Chinese teacher) will teach you to increase your internal energy on a daily basis.

1PM-1:30PM Tai Chi – two person drill – This special ‘Yang Style’ martial arts form is demonstrated by teacher Nando Raynolds and his students. THE OLD CITY HALL

11:15AM-12PM Understanding the Year of the Rabbit – Ken Bendat, Chinese scholar and doctor of Chinese medicine gives a talk about the Chinese “qi” indications for the year – with amusing and insightful fortunes for each of the 12 animal signs.

12PM-1PM Feng Shui – Why should I care? – Presented by Feng Shui practitioner Sharon Baldoni who will present the history, science and reasons for how it works.

1PM-2PM In Search Of Gold Mountain: The Chinese Experience in 19th Century America – Local historian and author Margaret Laplante presents her new book. She will examine why the Chinese came, what part of China they were from, work that they did (beyond gold-mining and building railroads, their lifestyle and what happened to them. THE OLD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH – E.California Street and N.6th Street Upstairs – Sanctuary

12PM-1PM Massacre in Hells Canyon –Worst crime against Chinese in the American West in the 19th century and the crime never fully investigated. Former reporter and editor Greg Nokes for The Associated Press and The Oregonian presents his best-seller in its second printing.

1PM-2PM Massacre in Hells Canyon (Repeat of previous program.) Downstairs – Fellowship Hall

11:30AM-2PM Come by for a break at this Tea-house Pit-stop, courtesy of SOCCA, Exhibits courtesy of Ashland Railroad Museum, open to the public.

11:30AM-12PM Relax to Chinese Instrumental Music by the Who’s Hu Chinese Band.

12PM-12:45PM Men of Iron and Steel: Chinese Railroad Workers in the Siskiyou Mountains. An anecdotal history of Chinese railroad workers presented by Victoria Law.

1PM-1:45PM Seventy Thousand Firecrackers: The Story of Chinese New Year in Victorian Ashland – Presented by Victoria Law.

CHILDRENS ACTIVITIES

Games, Crafts, Fortune-telling, Origami and more 11:30AM – 3PM at the IOOF HALL and JACKSONVILLE CHILDRENS MUSEUM and DRAGON JUMPHOUSE. On the grounds in front of the HISTORIC COURT HOUSE (Formerly the Jacksonville Museum) BRITT GARDENSARCHEOLOGICAL DIG

11AM-3PM Archeologists and volunteers will be on site at the current dig at the Ivy House – one of Peter Britt’s buildings that he used as a “bank” for the “Celestials.” Join the informal discussion about the site, the dig, the project and Britt’s relationship with the Chinese. The site is under the auspices of the Jacksonville Booster Club. Watch for posted directional signs.

Thank You to Our 2011 Sponsors