The Chinese Culture Connection is a relatively new club among the student organizations of The Ohio State University. Although inactive during the 2004–05 school year, CCC has been an established student organization for around ten years. It was decided by the Department of East Asian Languages and Literature (DEALL) to revive CCC to meet the needs and interests of students interested in Chinese language and culture. Following its first meeting with DEALL, the Chinese Culture Connection has grown to become one of the most prominent student organizations on campus.
Our strong adherence to our mission statement is our club's most valuable asset—especially as it pertains to choosing events and programs to offer to the student body. Our mission statement is broad: promote the study of Chinese language and culture throughout OSU. By offering a variety of events featuring different aspects of Chinese culture, we fulfill our mission statement and share Chinese culture with the public and the student body.
With two general meetings every month, CCC offers a wide array of programs to fulfill many different interests. For our first meetings, we usually host free public showings of recent hits of Chinese cinema Kung Fu Hustle and The Myth. For our second meetings, we invite speakers to come share their knowledge of Chinese culture. In January 2005, the OSU China Oriental Folk Dance Team performed a traditional dance for Xinjiang Province and afterwards held an incredible teaching workshop. In February 2005, Dr. David Staley from the Department of History gave an excellent talk about the massacre of Nanking, the horrific event that inspired Iris Chang's controversial best-selling book, The Rape of Nanking. In May 2005, Dr. David Wang from the local acupuncture school lectured about acupuncture and other traditional Chinese medical practices, and then gave a demonstration. We've also been hosting "Chinese Corner" weekly in Hagerty Hall's Crane Cafe. Here, people interested in practicing their spoken Chinese can do so in a casual environment. Finally, we host occasional social events, such as our hotpot social held in November and a Lantern Festival party held in February for Chinese New Years.
All of our meetings have seen high attendance rates and we've been extremely pleased with the diversity of people who have come. By gearing our activities to a broad audience and offering a wide variety of educational and social activities that celebrate the rich Chinese culture, CCC is unique compared to other Chinese or Asian student organizations on campus. Anybody can attend our meetings, programs, and events—the only criterion are a curiosity to learn and to have fun! The wealth of resources dealing with Chinese culture, arts, and history in Columbus and OSU is astounding. We will continue to increase the awareness of Chinese culture by bringing it to the OSU community.
Chinese Culture Connection
Winter Quarter 2006