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An aggregation of UBC Library blogs that highlight the Library’s collections, services, spaces and events.

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Reading at the Seed Library: Food Systems

By epederso on February 27, 2025

Blog written by Rachael Huegerich 
February 27, 2024

Where does our food come from? Food systems include all parts of the process, from growing to caring to sharing to eating. Check out related materials for children and teachers at the seed library display at the Education Library. You can find the seed library just past the reference desk—or learn more about UBC Library’s seed lending libraries here. Feel free to “borrow” some seeds, or some of the books on display now.

 

The sockeye mother
By Hetxw’ms Gyetxw (Brett D. Huson) ; illustrated by Natasha Donovan

QL638.S2 H87 2017

To the Gitxsan people of Northwestern British Columbia, the sockeye salmon is more than just a source of food. Over its life cycle, it nourishes the very land and forests that the Skeena River runs through and where the Gitxsan make their home. The Sockeye Mother explores how the animals, water, soil, and seasons are all intertwined.

 

To market, to market
By Nikki McClure

HD9005 .M173 2011

An introduction to the concept of and products found at a farmer’s market, including how some of the foods and other items are actually produced.

 

Berry song
By Michaela Goade

PZ7.1.G614 Be 2022

As a young Tlingit girl collects wild berries over the seasons, she sings with her Grandmother as she learns to speak to the land and listen when the land speaks back.

 

Dumplings for Lili
By Melissa Iwai

PZ7.I9528 Du 2021

Lili loves to cook little dumplings called baos with her grandmother, but when cabbage is needed, Lili races up and down the stairs of her grandmother’s apartment building to find the ingredient and help the other grandmothers borrow ingredients for different dumplings, from Jamaican meat patties and Italian ravioli to Lebanese fatayer and more.

 

Summer Supper
By Rubin Pfeffer ; pictures by Mike Austin

PZ7.1.P5152 Sm 2018

Follow the creation of a family meal from the farm to the picnic table on a warm sunny day. Told entirely in words beginning with S, this lively book will help children appreciate where their food comes from.

 

If you want to visit a sea garden
By Kay Weisman; illustrated by Roy Henry Vickers

SH373 .W45 2020

A non-fiction picture book about sea gardens, also known as clam gardens, which have been found all along the Pacific northwest coast. Some of them are at least 2000 years old. Created by Indigenous peoples to provide a reliable food source, a number of these gardens are being restored today.

 

Let’s eat!: sustainable food for a hungry planet
By Kimberley Veness

S494.5.S86 V464 2017

Let’s Eat uncovers the secret lives of our groceries, exploring alternative–and sometimes bizarre–farm technology and touring gardens up high on corporate rooftops and down low in military-style bunkers beneath city streets. Packed with interesting and sometimes startling facts on agriculture around the world, Let’s Eat reveals everything from the size of the biggest farm in the world to how many pesticides are in a single grape to which insect people prefer to eat.

 

Eat up!: an infographic exploration of food
By Antonia Banyard & Paula Ayer; art by Belle Wuthrich

TX355 .B36 2017

Written for middle-grade readers, Eat Up! is a colorful infographic look at the many surprising and fascinating facts about food.

 

Posted in Featured, New in the Library, Slideshow | Read More | No Comments

Space Fantasy: Nagaoka Shūsei’s Contributions to Afrofuturist Visual Culture – Virtual Exhibit & Visiting Guide

By phchow on February 25, 2025

February 12, 2025 to April 30, 2025
Asian Library Upper Level, Asian Centre
1871 West Mall, UBC Vancouver 

Overview 

Earth, Wind & Fire. 1977. All ’N All. CBS-Sony 25AP 830. (Gatefold album, 24 inches x 12 inches)

“In a single painting, the history of mankind, human beliefs, and human technology were all depicted. The bird’s eye view composition was so powerful that it seemed almost demonic, and the insect’s eye view was more precise than a photograph, filled with a reality beyond reality. The colors were nothing short of amazing. Every hue shimmered, faded, spurted, congealed, and shattered in every realm of color that the human eye can perceive.”  

— Watanabe Kiyoshi, “Interview with Nagaoka Shūsei: Looking Ahead to the 21st Century” (1985) 

 

 

The Asian Library exhibit “Space Fantasy: Nagaoka Shūsei ‘s Contributions to Afrofuturist Visual Culture” showcases the visionary universe of the diasporic Japanese illustrator Nagaoka Shūsei through album covers, interviews, artworks, and books highlighting his legacy in Japan. This exhibit notably includes the first known example of Afrofuturistic artwork attributed to Nagaoka.

This exhibit is curated by Dr. Nathan Hesselink from the UBC School of Music, whose recent publication in The Journal of American Culture, sharing the same title as this display, provides an analysis of Nagaoka Shūsei’s life, career, legacy, and artistic collaboration with the band Earth, Wind & Fire. This initiative originated from a conversation between Dr. Hesselink and the Asian Library Head, Dr. Shirin Eshghi Furuzawa. Tomoko Kitayama Yen, the Japanese Studies Librarian, is the project lead.

We offer our gratitude to the many UBC Library employees who have graciously contributed to the exhibit:

  • David Haskins (Music, Art & Architecture Library) and Milan Simić (Koerner Library) for acquiring relevant titles for their collections.
  • Stephanie Savage (Digital Programs & Services) for her expert guidance on important compliance matters.
  • Aleteia Greenwood (Associate University Librarian, Research & Scholarship) for her support in order to stream music from the albums on display.
  • Phoebe Chan and Anna Moorhouse (Library Communications & Marketing) for providing professional photography and other communication-related support.
  • Phoebe Chow (Asian Library) for web support, along with a wealth of exhibit-related expertise.
  • Asian Library Student Librarians, Mizuki Giffin, who masterfully created the outstanding virtual exhibit, and Austin Miner, who carefully wrote and recorded the thorough audio guides.

This display will run from mid-February to late April on the Asian Library’s Upper Level. On Wednesday, February 26, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the library will stream music from the albums on display. This precedes a talk by Dr. Hesselink hosted from 12:30-2:00pm where he will speak at-length about his recent research and publication. Finally, starting at 2:30pm, Dr. Hesselink will provide a guided tour of the display. These events are free and open to all. For more information on Dr. Hesselink’s lecture, please see here.

For those unable to attend on February 26th, the following virtual exhibit and visiting guide will provide images and further resources from our display. All text included in this virtual exhibit’s subpages were provided by Dr. Hesselink.

Nagaoka Shūsei Biography

Nagaoka Shūsei (長岡秀星; 1936-2015) was a celebrated Japanese artist, illustrator, and author. He is best known for his contributions to record cover art, including artists such as the Carpenters, Deep Purple, Earth, Wind & Fire, Electric Light Orchestra, Giorgio Moroder, Jefferson Starship, Parlet, Rose Royce, Shalamar, and Stanley Turrentine. His paintings have been featured in numerous magazines, gallery exhibitions, and science expos, and a series of space shuttle structural drawings are now housed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Born in Nagasaki, Japan, Nagaoka demonstrated a proclivity and talent for drawing from an early age. After a brief stint at art college in Tokyo and working for a number of commercial publishers and advertisers, he moved in 1970 to Los Angeles, California. Nagaoka remained in the United States until 2004, when he returned to Japan.

West Cover (Weekend Supplement of the Los Angeles Times) (10.5 inches x 13 inches)

Nagaoka Shūsei’s first illustration job after arriving in Los Angeles was for the Los Angeles Times. The theme given to him was the future of LA’s airfield; the striking image featuring a futuristic supersonic jet came out August 9, 1970 and was titled “Bringing in Tomorrow at Los Angeles International.”

Further reading:


Japanese resources (access through UBC):

UBC Library collections:

Extemal resources:

What is Afrofuturism?

This exhibition celebrates Nagaoka’s contributions to Afrofuturist visual culture. We can define such images as follows:

This type of artwork visually represents an intersection of African diasporic themes, twentieth-century technoculture, and futuristic liberation.*

Complementary perspectives add the importance of reclaiming and re-imagining history:

By envisioning a history unimpeded by the restrictions of racism, Afrofuturism provides an alternative pathway for African American artistry and creativity.^

Central to such artistic endeavours was the special relationship Nagaoka nurtured and maintained throughout his life with Earth, Wind & Fire’s founder, Maurice White. In combination with the lyrics, themes, costumes, choreography, and music, Nagaoka’s art would complete White’s vision for his band. This exhibition pays special attention to Nagaoka’s Afrofuturist record covers for Earth, Wind & Fire.

*Antoine Haywood, “Cover Art: A Reflection on Afrofuturistic Album Covers, Funk Music, and Black American Identity Formation” (2021)

^Kevin M. Strait, “Introduction,” in Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures, ed. Kevin M. Strait and Kinshasha Holman Conwill (2023)

Further reading:


Japanese resources:

UBC Library collections:

Extemal resources:

Case One

West Cover (Weekend Supplement of the Los Angeles Times) (10.5 inches x 13 inches)

Front page of Nagaoka Playboy interview (8 inches x 11 inches). Nagaoka Shūsei. 1982. “Nagaoka Shusei: Playboy Interview” (長岡秀星: プレイボーイ・インタビュー). Playboy Japan Edition (March) 81: 37–39, 41, 43, 45–46, 48, 50, 52.

 

Case Two

Image caption: Electric Light Orchestra. 1977. Out of the Blue. Jet Records JT-LA823-L2. (Gatefold album, 24 inches x 12 inches)

The seventh studio album by the massively successful English band, Nagaoka transformed ELO’s newly designed logo—created the year before by the English artist John Kosh—into a space station, complete with a shuttle docking and astronauts on tethers. The inside cover revealed its interior, with more astronauts, floating orbs, and complex computer panels. The album art led to Nagaoka becoming an underground legend on the West Coast amidst the rock music crowd.

 

 

 

 

Case Three

Earth, Wind & Fire. 1977. All ’N All. CBS-Sony 25AP 830. (Gatefold album, 24 inches x 12 inches)

All ’N All was Earth, Wind & Fire’s eighth studio album and represents the first collaboration between Nagaoka Shūsei and Maurice White. The outside gatefold cover is one of the most famous pieces of twentieth-century Afrofuturist art and features a stylized re-creation of the Great Temple at the village of Abu Simbel, seamlessly transitioning into a space age with futuristic buildings and rocket ships launching. Nagaoka titled this painting Taiyōshin (太陽神), or “Sun God”; the original measures 52.5 x 195.7 cm, a single panel that includes both the outer and inner covers.

 

 

“In a single painting, the history of mankind, human beliefs, and human technology were all depicted. The bird’s eye view composition was so powerful that it seemed almost demonic, and the insect’s eye view was more precise than a photograph, filled with a reality beyond reality. The colors were nothing short of amazing. Every hue shimmered, faded, spurted, congealed, and shattered in every realm of color that the human eye can perceive.”  

— Watanabe Kiyoshi, “Interview with Nagaoka Shūsei: Looking Ahead to the 21st Century” (1985) 

 

Case Four

Earth, Wind & Fire. 1978. “Space Fantasy” (宇宙のフアンタジー). CBS/Sony 06SP 211. (7 inches x 7 inches)

The second track from All ’N All, this Japanese release of the single featured an altered title: “Fantasy” (the original title) has been changed to “Space Fantasy.” The front cover art was also unique to the Japanese release: the entire outer gatefold from All ’N All has been printed as a single illustration, with extra space and stars added above the pyramid and space station.

 

 

 

 

Nagaoka Shūsei. 2020. Space Fantasy: In Search of a Transparent Universe (Space Fantasy—透明な宇宙を求めて). Tokyo: Art Obsession. (33 inches x 8.5 inches)

In 2020, five years after Nagaoka’s passing, his estate organized the largest public exhibition of his work featuring 80 of his most famous paintings. Running from December 8 to December 27 at Tokyo’s Daikanyama Hillside Forum, the accompanying exhibition book featured a paper obi dustjacket that displayed the entire four-panel painting of “Sun God” (Taiyōshin), or the cover to All ’N All.

 

 

 

 

 

Case Five

Earth, Wind & Fire. 1979. I Am. CBS-Sony 25AP 1400. (Gatefold album, 24 inches x 12 inches)

I Am was Earth, Wind & Fire’s ninth studio album and the third to be illustrated by Nagaoka Shūsei.  Measuring 100.8 x 54.0 cm, Nagaoka titled this painting Mokushiroku (黙示録), or “Revelation.” The centre image features a bright light akin to a star, surrounded by what appears to be a series of concentric metallic rings. In the middle of the light is the face of an old man and a human fetus; according to Nagaoka, “The star depicts the Creator and the unborn child, giving us a revelation of the new world.”

 

 

 


The thing that enchanted me about I Am was the artwork. The vast Nubian army, the Egyptian-themed landscape, the futuristic city on the horizon, and floating above it…four flying saucers. … These images were my introduction to this inspiring and aesthetically breathtaking universe. … There’s something about seeing Black people with robots and spaceships that makes me SOOOO happy! Probably because I spent my entire childhood watching white folks going to other planets, traveling through time, building androids or visiting aliens.

— Charles Conyers Jr., “My Life in Afrofuturism” (2018)

 

Case Six

Earth, Wind & Fire. 1981. Raise! CBS-Sony 25AP 2210. (Gatefold album, 24 inches x 12 inches)

Raise! was Earth, Wind & Fire’s eleventh studio album and the fourth to be illustrated by Nagaoka Shūsei. The outside gatefold cover features two Egyptian goddesses, one part stone and the other encased in a skyscraper-like sarcophagus. Nagaoka titled this painting Tenkūno megami (天空の女神), or “Sky Goddess.” It is a rare twentieth-century example of a futuristic female deity of African descent

 

 

 

 

The Raise! album cover is a visual portal that sets my imagination adrift. This album’s cover art now teleports me to a pool party at a distant interplanetary settlement of liberated Black people. Two-stepping and finger-snapping, everyone is united by a cosmic funk groove.

— Antoine Haywood, “Cover Art: A Reflection on Afrofuturistic Album Covers, Funk Music, and Black American Identity Formation” (2021)

 

Case Seven

Sun. 1979. Destination: Sun. Capitol Records ST-11941. (12 inches x 12 inches)

Sun was an R&B, soul, disco, and funk band that was formed in Dayton, Ohio. They were frequently seen on the American television show Soul Train. Destination: Sun was Sun’s fourth studio album.

 

 

 

 

 

Parlet. 1978. Pleasure Principle. Casablanca NBLP 7094 DJ. (12 inches x 12 inches)

Parlet was a female spinoff group from funk master George Clinton’s Parliament-Funkadelic formed by background vocalists Mallia Franklin, Jeanette Washington, and Debbie Wright. Pleasure Principle was their debut album; to the upper left one can see George Clinton staring down on his protégés through the glass.

 

 

 

 


Case Eight

The Sylvers. 1977. New Horizons. Capitol Records ST-11705. (Front cover, 12 inches x 12 inches)

The Sylvers were an American R&B family vocal group from Los Angeles, California. The family consisted of ten siblings, nine of whom performed in the band at any one time. New Horizons was their sixth studio album; its success led them to sign with Giorgio Moroder and Casablanca Records.

 

 

 

 

 

Maze. 1979. Inspiration. Capitol Records SW-11912. (Front cover, 12 inches x 12 inches)

Maze, also known as Maze Featuring Frankie Beverly, and Frankie Beverly & Maze, was an American R&B and soul group based in San Francisco, California. Inspiration is their third album and was believed to best capture the essence of the band’s live performances.

 

 

 

 

 

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Space Fantasy: Nagaoka Shusei’s Contributions to Afrofuturist Visual Culture Display

By phchow on February 19, 2025

The Asian Library exhibit Space Fantasy: Nagaoka Shusei’s Contributions to Afrofuturist Visual Culture showcases the visionary universe of the diasporic Japanese illustrator Nagaoka Shusei through album covers, interviews, artworks, and books highlighting his legacy in Japan. This exhibit, which notably includes the first known example of Afrofuturistic artwork attributed to Nagaoka, will run from February 12th to April 30th on the Upper Level of the Asian Library. A virtual exhibit, self-paced guide, and audio tour for this display will be made available on the Asian Library blog.

This exhibit is co-hosted with Dr. Nathan Hesselink from the UBC School of Music, whose recent publication in The Journal of American Culture sharing the same title as this display provides an analysis of Nagaoka Shūsei’s life, career, legacy, and artistic collaboration with the band Earth, Wind & Fire. The display also  incorporates contributions from Music, Art & Architecture Library and Koerner Library.

Join us on Wednesday, February 26th for these related events:

  • Music streaming from the albums on display: 10am-12:30pm, Asian Library Upper Floor
  • Talk by Dr. Nathan Hesselink: 12:30pm-2:00pm, Asian Centre Auditorium (lecture information here)
  • Guided display tour with Dr. Nathan Hesselink: 2:30pm, Asian Library Upper Floor (no registration required)

 

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Auto Dealership Industry Overview

By zannelle on February 18, 2025

Auto Dealership Industry Overview zannelle

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Exploring Tang Quatrains, Part 2: Poetry on History and Myths

By Tianyi Fei on February 18, 2025

What can poetry reveal about history, mythology, and cultural memory? In the Tang dynasty, poets not only expressed personal emotions but also engaged with historical events, folklore, and timeless legends.

In our previous blog post, we explored themes of frontier life, parting, and nostalgia in Tang quatrains (read Part 1 here). This week, we continue our journey through Tang poetry, focusing on quatrains that draw from historical narratives and mythological allusions. The Tang quatrains cited in this blog are from Tang shi jue ju lei xuan (唐詩絶句類選), a collection of Tang poetry available in our Chinese Rare Books Collection.

Tang shi jue ju lei xuan: si juan [volume 01]; 唐詩絶句類選: 四卷 [第一冊], The First Page of Poetry on History, page 55

Poetry on History

During the Tang dynasty, the ability to craft a well-formed poem was an essential skill for educated individuals, often used to mark personal milestones, comment on politics, or reflect on history. Some of these works endured beyond their original context and became literary classics. One representative poem in the theme of historical reflection is “Wuyi Lane” (烏衣巷) by Liu Yuxi.

The poem describes Wuyi Lane, a historic district in Nanjing. The name “Wuyi” (literally “black clothing”) has two possible origins. Some suggest that it refers to the black uniforms worn by soldiers stationed there during the Three Kingdoms period, while others believe it is named after the aristocratic Wang and Xie families, who lived in the area during the Eastern Jin dynasty and whose descendants dressed in dark-coloured robes. By the Tang dynasty, however, the once-thriving neighbourhood had fallen into decay, serving as a reminder of the fleeting nature of wealth and prestige.

Tang shi jue ju lei xuan: si juan [volume 01]; 唐詩絶句類選: 四卷 [第一冊], pages 60-61

劉禹錫 Liu Yuxi · 烏衣巷 Wuyi Lane

朱雀橋邊野草花，

Beside the Bridge of Birds rank grasses overgrow;

烏衣巷口夕陽斜。

O’er the Street of Mansions the setting sun hangs low.

舊時王謝堂前燕，

Swallows that skimmed by eaves painted in bygone days,

飛入尋常百姓家。

Are dipping now among the humble home’s doorways.

(Translated by Xu Yuanchong, a Chinese translator and professor at Peking University)

One of the poem’s most striking features is its subtle, indirect approach to historical reflection. Rather than explicitly lamenting the passage of time, Liu Yuxi employs a symbolic image: swallows, which once nested in the grand mansions of the Wang and Xie families, now find their homes in ordinary households. This simple yet evocative shift underscores the inevitable cycle of rise and decline in history.

Poetry on Myths

Tang poetry often draws upon mythology to express emotions or political allegories. Many well-known poems reference legends associated with traditional festivals, such as Chang’e’s flight to the moon during the Mid-Autumn Festival or the Cowherd and Weaver Girl’s reunion on the Magpie Bridge during the Qixi Festival. However, the following poem takes a different approach, expanding on the myth of King Mu of Zhou (周穆王).

Daoism (道教, Dao-jiao) flourished during the Tang dynasty, largely due to the imperial family’s patronage and support. It is important to distinguish Dao-jiao from Dao-jia (道家): while both are translated as “Daoism,” Dao-jia refers to the philosophical thoughts and teachings of Laozi and Zhuangzi, emphasizing harmony with nature and spiritual transcendence, whereas Dao-jiao is a religious tradition that includes the quest for eternal life. Chinese alchemy (煉丹術, lian-dan-shu) and the pursuit of immortality were central to Dao-jiao’s traditions. Over the 289-year reign of the Tang dynasty, five emperors are believed to have died from poisoning after consuming the “Pill of Immortality”.

The following poem references the Queen Mother of the West (西王母, Si Wang-mu), a revered goddess in Daoist mythology. In the legendary account found in Tale of King Mu, Son of Heaven (穆天子傳), King Mu (or Emperor Mu), the fifth ruler of the Western Zhou dynasty, dreamed of becoming an immortal. He was said to have received a grand banquet invitation at the celestial Jade Pool, hosted by the Queen Mother. The poem imagines the Queen Mother waiting in vain for his return, suggesting that King Mu has long since perished. This serves as a veiled critique of rulers’ futile obsession with immortality.

Tang shi jue ju lei xuan: si juan [volume 01]; 唐詩絶句類選: 四卷 [第一冊], pages 64-65

李商隱 Li Shang-yin · 瑤池 Jade Pool

瑤池阿母綺窗開，

The Mother of Heaven,

in her window by the Jade Pool,

黃竹歌聲動地哀。

Hears the Yellow Bamboo Song shaking the whole earth.

八駿日行三萬里，

Where is Emperor Mu, with his eight horses running

Ten thousand miles a day?

穆王何事不重來。

Why has he never come back?

(Translation in Tang Shi San Bai Shou (300 Tang Poems), University of Virginia Library, 1920)

Another version with more nuanced implications is available in Betty Tseng’s 2010 translation:

By the Marble Pond [1], wide open are the silk-screened windows of the Heaven Empress [2],
Audible on earth is the sound of nature singing the Yellow Bamboo verses.
Tales tell of eight steeds in historic Zhou that could ten thousand leagues gallop in a day,
Where is their master, the longevity pursuing Emperor Mu, who has never returned?

Notes: [1] Jade Pool; [2] Queen Mother of the West.

Like many classical Tang poems, this one employs subtle, indirect critique. However, the contrast between its two vivid images amplifies its emotional impact: the first line depicts the grandeur of the immortal realm, while the next evokes earthly sorrow and loss. A deeper interpretation suggests that the mention of the “Yellow Bamboo Song” alludes to suffering among the common people while their rulers indulge in the fantasy of immortality.

Through these two quatrains, we see how Tang poets wove history and mythology into their verses, creating layered expressions of critique and reflection. Both poems offer glimpses into the intellectual and cultural landscape of the Tang dynasty, where poetry was not only an art form but also a means of engaging with historical memory and ideological concerns.

As we continue exploring classical Chinese poetry, we invite you to delve deeper into the intersections of literature, history, and myth.

Thank you for reading!

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Kids Take Over UBC at Asian Library

By phchow on February 4, 2025

The Asian Library is excited to welcome you and your family to campus on Sunday, February 16, from 10 am to 4 pm! This year’s theme is “Bridge Across Time, Culture, and Seasons in Asia“, which is a collaboration between Asian Library, The Chung | Lind Gallery and the Nitobe Garden. Explore the magic at the three locations by connecting to Asian culture through activities and adventures at all sites. Asian Library will be offering a variety of crafts and games, and participants can also experience henna application and woodblock printing. At the Nitobe Memorial Garden, take in the peaceful sights, sounds and smells while connecting with nature. The Chung | Lind Gallery will also offer crafts as well as a zine-making workshop in collaboration with the Chinese Canadian Museum!

Tickets are now sold out, but you can register to the waitlist here!

Schedule for events at Asian Library and Asian Centre Auditorium (1871 West Mall)

Bridge across Time, Culture, and Seasons in Asia – Asian Language Storytimes (Ages 0+)
Join us for storytimes provided in Asian languages with English translations! Using picture books that are engaging for babies up through adults, enjoy stories selected by our librarians and guest storytellers.
10:10-10:30am  Mandarin Storytime
11:20-11:40am  Korean Storytime
11:40am-12pm  Kamishibai Japanese Paper Theatre
1:30-1:50pm  Language TBD
Bridge Across Time, Culture, and Seasons in Asia – Crafty Fun at Asian Library (Ages 2.5+)
10:15am-3:45pm Make beautiful creations related to Asia and Nitobe Gardens. Projects will include:

  • Creating bookmarks and postcards out of book covers and other recycled materials
  • Making origami animals and objects
  • Colouring projects related to Asian Centre & Nitobe Garden
Bridge Across Time, Culture, and Seasons in Asia – Asian Games for the Family (Ages 5+)
10:00am-4:00pm Can you figure out riddles hanging off the lanterns? Can you master the Asian card and board games selected to entertain and to challenge? Do you feel like jumping around and trying out sabangchigi (Korean hopscotch)? Enjoy a variety of different games from different regions of Asia. Games will rotate throughout the day.
Henna with Asian Library (Ages 2+)
2:00-3:30pm Henna artist Sumeet Grewal will be providing henna art on little hands at the Asian Centre auditorium. This will be a first come, first served activity with numbers distributed on site so that you can enjoy other Asian Library activities while you wait. Space is limited. Kids go first.

We acknowledge that the UBC Point Grey campus is situated on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam).

 

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New Books at the Asian Library (January 2025)

By phchow on February 4, 2025

B126 G942 2024
清代粤西诸子学研究 / 郭玉贤著 / 广州 : 暨南大学出版社, 2024

DS715 H86 2024
望长安 : 海外博物馆收藏的中国故事 / 霍宏伟著 / 北京市 : 生活, 读书, 新知三联书店, 2024

DS751.6 S78 Z436 2024
宽容与执拗 : 迂夫司马光和北宋政治 / 赵冬梅著 / 北京 : 中信出版社, 2024

DS777.15 L8 A4 2024
陆征祥往来书简 / 李学通主编 ; 中国社会科学院近代史研究所史料学研究室编 / 北京市 : 社会科学文献出版社, 2024.

DS797.28 D864 R668 2024
滿世界尋找敦煌 / 荣新江著 / 北京市 : 中华书局, 2024

GT2884 .X84 2023
酒图像里的近代中国 / 薛化松著 / 太原市 : 书海出版社, 2023

HB3654 A3 G85 2023
桂世勋文集 / 桂世勋著 / 北京市 : 人民出版社, 2023

HS310 Q2563 2024
中国秘密社会通史 / 秦宝琦著 / 北京 : 商务印书馆, 2024

JQ1511 F36 2024
明代国家权力结构及运行机制 / 方志远著 / 桂林 : 广西师范大学出版社, 2024

NA1540 Z579 2024
朱启钤与北京 / 朱延琦口述 ; 中国文物学会20世纪建筑遗产委员会编 / 杭州市 : 浙江摄影出版社, 2024

PL2301 F4528 2023
飞翔的旅驿 : 清末民初文学与文化 / 陈建华主编 / 北京 : 商务印书馆, 2023

PL2878 A456 A6 2024
梁晓声人生感悟 : 孤独是生命的常态 / 梁晓声著 / 沈阳市 : 万卷出版有限责任公司, 2024

PL2879 H774 A6 2024
刘醒龙自选集 : 两棵树上, 一棵树下 / 刘醒龙著 / 南昌市 : 百花洲文艺出版社, 2024

PL2931 A32 Q56 2024
秦岭人家 / 巴陇锋著 / 南昌市 : 百花洲文艺出版社, 2024

PL2933 E64667 Y8 2024
餘味 / 程晓琴著 / 西安 : 太白文艺出版社, 2024

PN5362 Y3638 2024
近代加拿大华文报刊文学研究 : 以《大汉公报》为中心 / 姚惠兰著 / 上海市 : 東方出版中心, 2024

PN6790 C63 L3629 2023
與貓貓的漫遊物語 / 圖文藍小間 / 香港 : 夢繪文創 dreamakers, 2023

Z845 C5 W455 2024
馆窥 : 我的图书馆之旅 / 韦力著 / 北京市 : 国家图书馆出版社, 2024

BL2225.3 C66 C535 2023
満洲国の双廟 : ラストエンペラー溥儀と日本 / 嵯峨井建 / 東京 : 芙蓉書房出版, 2023

DS750.82 F87 2024
ユーラシア東方の多極共存時代 : 大モンゴル以前 / 古松崇志著 / 名古屋 : 名古屋大学出版会, 2024

DS869 U35 U475 2024
上杉謙信 / 前嶋敏編著 / 東京 : 戎光祥出版, 2024

DS890 S895 2024
ある昭和軍人の記錄 : 情報官・鈴木庫三の步み / 鈴木庫三著 ; 佐藤卓己編著 / 東京 : 中央公論新社, 2024

HT653.J3 K86 2024
久邇宮家関係書簡集 : 近代皇族と家令の世界 / 上山和雄, 内山京子, 中澤惠子編 / 東京都文京区 : 吉川弘文館, 2024

HV1559 J3 K37 2024
語りの場からの学問創成 : 当事者、ケア、コミュニティ / 嶺重慎, 熊谷晋一郎, 村田淳, 安井絢子編 ; 京都大学学生総合支援機構協力 / 京都 : 京都大学学術出版会, 2024

ND1059.I79 J35 2024
若冲画賛 : 賛を読んで知る若冲画の秘密 / 門脇むつみ, 芳沢勝弘編 / 東京都中央区 : 朝日新聞出版, 2024

NK6784 A3 K985 2024
九州の刀剣図鑑 : 大典太・左文字・肥前忠吉・同田貫・波平 / 東京都渋谷区 : 株式会社ホビージャパン, 2024

PL726.2 H65 2024
言葉で繙く平安文学 / 保科恵著 / 東京都台東区 : 新典社, 2024

PL790 H43 S55 2024
歴史叙述としての平家物語 / 塩山貴奈著 / 東京 : 勉誠社, 2024

PL811 U8 Z885 2024
武者小路実篤文学の構造と同時代状況 / 瀧田浩著 / 東京都北区 : 文学通信, 2024

PL862 S86 S53 2024
「社会学」としての鶴見俊輔 : 「記号の社会学」の構想と意味の多元性 / 寺田征也 / 京都 : 晃洋書房, 2024

PL879.8 U73 K67 2024
コレクターズ・ハイ / 村雲菜月 / 東京 : 講談社, 2024

PL872.5 A38 A53 2024
あなたを待ついくつもの部屋 / 角田光代 / 東京 : 文藝春秋, 2024

PN1982.T345 T35 2024
高橋五山の総合的研究 : デザイン・絵雑誌・絵芝居 / 高橋洋子著 / 東京 : 風間書房, 2024

PN6095 J3 B86 2023
文豪のことば探し辞典 / 三省堂編修所編 / 東京 : 三省堂, 2023

PZ49.31 N353 Yn 2024
やさいのがっこう : なすびせんせいのおはなし / なかやみわさく / 東京都千代田区 : 白泉社, 2024

Z845 J3 H66 2024
本 かたちと文化 : 古典籍・近代文献の見方・楽しみ方 / 国文学研究資料館編 / 東京 : 勉誠社, 2024

BF335 .C525166 2024
ਅਟੌਮਿਕ ਹੈਬਿਟਸ : ਛੋਟੇ ਬਦਲਾਅ, ਅਸਧਾਰਨ ਨਤੀਜੇ : ਚੰਗੀਆਂ ਆਦਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵਿਕਸਿਤ ਕਰਨ ਅਤੇ ਮਾੜੀਆਂ ਆਦਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਛੱਡਣ ਦੇ ਸੌਖੇ ਅਤੇ ਸਿੱਧੇ ਤਰੀਕੇ / ਜੇਮਸ ਕਲੀਅਰ ; ਅਨੁਵਾਦ, ਹਰਜੋਤ / ਭੋਪਾਲ : ਮੰਜੁਲ ਪਬਲਿਸ਼ਿੰਗ ਹਾਊਸ, 2024

DS436 .C38 2024
राष्ट्रीय स्वयंसेवक संघ : अतीत और भविष्य / समीर चौगाँवकर / नयी दिल्ली : वाणी प्रकाशन, 2024

PK2098 M4485 A63 2024
अपने कुरूक्षेत्र में अकेला / अयोध्यानाथ मिश्र / नई दिल्ली : प्रभात प्रकाशन, 2024

PK2098.19 I64 A6 2024
रतिनिधि कहानियाँ / स्वदेश दीपक / नयी दिल्ली : वाणी प्रकाशन, 2024

PK2098.25 A3835 N55 2024
नीले फ़ीते का ज़हर : रोमांचाकारी थ्रिलर / लेखक, चंदर / दिल्ली : नीलम जासूस कार्यालय, 2024

PK2099.29 I818 A63 2024
अपराजिता : कुंती की गाथा / अंकुर मिश्रा / नई दिल्ली : प्रभात प्रकाशन, 2024

PK2099.34 N529 Q27 2024
क़िस्साग्राम / प्रभात रंजन / दिल्ली : राजपाल एण्ड सन्ज़, 2024

PK2651 K322 2024
ਅਪਸਰਾ / ਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਕੈਂਥ / Patiala, [Punjab, India]: The Kitab Art, 2024

PK2659 A44 D327 2020
ਦਸਤਾਵੇਜ਼ : (ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਾ-ਇਮਰੋਜ਼ ਦੇ ਖ਼ਤ) / ਇਮਰੋਜ਼ / ਦਿੱਲੀ : ਸ਼ਿਲਾਲੇਖ ਪਬਲੀਸ਼ਰਸ, 2020

PK2659 L64 J84 2023
ਜੁਗਨੂੰਆਂ ਦੇ ਅੰਗ ਸੰਗ / ਜਗਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ ਲੋਹਟਬੱਦੀ / ਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ : ਲਾਹੌਰ ਬੁੱਕ ਸ਼ਾਪ, 2023

PK2659 O84 L34 2024
ਲਹੂ ਭਿੱਜੀਆਂ ਦਾਸਤਾਂ : (ਕਾਹਣੀ-ਸੰਗ੍ਰਹਿ) / ਅਵਤਾਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਓਠੀ / ਲੁਧਿਆਣਾ : ਚੇਤਨਾ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਨ, 2024

PK2659 S363116 G37 2024
ਗਰੀਨ ਕਾਰਡ : ਨਾਵਲ / ਸਾਧੂ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੰਘਾ / Samana : Navrang Publications, 2024

PN3352 P7 G65 2024
ਸਾਹਿਤ ਸੰਜੀਵਨੀ / ਜੰਗ ਬਹਾਦੁਰ ਗੋਇਲ / ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ : ਸਿੰਘ ਬ੍ਰਦਰਜ਼, ਜਨਵਰੀ 2024

PS3537 T3234 P4166 2023
ਅਨਮੋਲ ਮੋਤੀ : ਨਾਵਲ / ਲੇਖਕ ਜੌਨ ਸਟੇਨਬੈਕ ; ਅਨੁਵਾਦਕ ਨਿਰਮਲਜੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ / ਜਲੰਧਰ : ਕੁਕਨੁਸ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸ਼ਨ, 2023

BJ1610 K54 2024
한국 의 여자 교육서 와 여성 교육 담론 변천 : 조선 시대 지식 사회 에서 여성 의 역할 과 근대 여자 교육 에 대한 인문학적 고찰 / 김 경남 지음 / 서울 특별시 : 경진 출판, 2024

D767.25.H6 A14 2024
1945년 미국 의 핵 무기 투하 의 책임 을 묻는 원폭 국제 민중 법정 제1차 국제 토론회 자료집 / 원폭 국제 민증 법정 실행 위원회, 평화 와 통일 을 여는 사람들 엮음 / 서울 특별시 : 나무 와 숲, 2024

DS913.27 S67 2024
역병 의 시대, 조선 지식인 의 삶 과 공부 / 송 수진 지음 / 서울시 : 역락, 2024

DS925 S457 S57 2024
서울 의 자서전 : 조선 의 눈 으로 걷다 / 신 병주 지음 / 경기도 파주시 : 글 항아리, 2024

FC106.K6 K56 2024
나 는 캐나다 의 한국인 응급 구조사 : 나 를 살리러 떠난 곳 에서 환자 를 살리며 깨달은 것 / 김 준일 지음 / 서울시 : 한겨레 엔, 2024

GV1703 K6 K57 2024
한국 무용사 / 김 매자 지음 / 서울시 : 지식 공작소, 2024

HX415.5 A6 K54 2024
간첩 이 ‘점령 한’ 대한 민국 : 주요 인사들 한 목소리 로 “문 재인 은 간첩 이다!” : 직파 간첩 P씨 의 증언 ‘김 대중 은 위장 간첩 이다!’ / 김 문수 / 인천 광역시 : 생각 하는 갈대, 2024

JZ5597 H353 2024
|한반도 평화 를 향한 다섯 가지 시선 / 구 양모 [and four others] (Korea Peace Study Group) / 서울 특별시 : 선인, 2024

ML410 Y85 P35 2024
나 는 윤 이상 이다 : 현대 남북한 과 동서양 의 화합 을 위해 헌신 한 삶 과 음악 / 박 선욱 지음 / 서울시 : 일송 북, 2024

PL941 Y57 2024
문학 방언 : 우리 말 의 곡진한 결, 방언 으로 쓴 문예 / 이 상규 지음 / 서울시 : 한국 문화사, 2024

PL958.7 K59496 2024
언어 와 혁명 : 혁명 이후 의 한국 문학 / 김 영찬 지음 / 서울시 : 강, 2024.

PL973.4 E38 A53 2024
안암동 블루스 / 고 형진 / 서울 특별시 : 고려 대학교 출판 문화원, 2024

PL991.62 T3 Z748 2024
구보 의 구보 : 박 태원 과 이 상, 1930 경성 모던 보이 : ‘소설가 구보 씨 의 일일’ 연재 90주년 기념 / 박 현수, 방 민호, 공 성수 [and two others] ; 사진 박 찬우 / 서울시 : 소전 서가, 2024

PL994.415 S95 Y8 2024
윤 동주 시 와 竹林 담시 노트 : 룡정 동산 하늘가 에 별무리 흐른다… / 김 승종 / 경기도 파주시 : 한국 학술 정보, 2024

PN2934 P349 2024
한국 현대 연극 과 현장성 의 미학 / 박 상은 / 서울시 : 역락, 2024

Posted in Carousel, Chinese language, Circulation, Collections, Japanese language, Korean language, New Books, South Asian language | Read More | No Comments

Winter weather closure

By cshriver on February 2, 2025

[Two women and a man holding walking sticks on snow]

[Two women and a man holding walking sticks on snow]. CC-PH-04319.

Due to winter weather conditions, the Rare Books and Special Collections and University Archives reading room will be closed on Monday, February 3. The reading room should reopen on Tuesday, February 4.

We apologize for any inconvenience and hope you are all staying safe and warm!

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Public Lecture on the Phantom Nitobe Garden (in Japanese)

By phchow on January 31, 2025

河原典史教授 (Professor Norifumi Kawahara), award-winning researcher and professor of human geography at the College of Letters at Japan’s Ritsumeikan University, will deliver a public lecture titled 幻の新渡戸庭園―『大陸日報』の分析から― (The Phantom Nitobe Garden: An Analysis of Tairiku Nippō). The lecture and discussion will be conducted in Japanese, with no live translation provided. However, a video recording with English subtitles will be made available at a later date.

About the Speaker:

Professor Norifumi Kawahara is a distinguished scholar in historical and cultural geography and modern Japanese migration studies. While his research spans various regions and industries, he has extensively studied the migration of fishermen from southwestern Japan to Canada, where they engaged in industries such as salmon fishing, whaling, and shipbuilding. He has also contributed to the film The Vancouver Asahi (2014). In recognition of his work, he has received several prestigious awards, including 地域漁業学会賞 (the Society Award from the Japan Regional Fisheries Society, 2021), 日本カナダ学会賞 (the Japanese Association for Canadian Studies Award, 2022), and 国際交通安全学会賞 (the International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences Award, 2023).

Public Lecture 幻の新渡戸庭園―『大陸日報』の分析から― (The Phantom Nitobe Garden: An Analysis of Tairiku Nippō)

Date: Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Time: 4:00 PM-5:30 PM
Language: 日本語 (Japanese)
Format: In person
Location: Asian Centre Room 604 (1871 West Mall, Vancouver)

Everyone is invited to attend this free event. Please register here to attend the lecture and to receive a video recording of the lecture with English subtitles.

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Chinese New Year and “the Chinese Lily.”

By Andrew R. Sandfort-Marchese on January 29, 2025

This blog post is a special edition of RBSC’s series spotlighting items in the Phil Lind Klondike Gold Rush Collection and the Wallace B. and Madeline H. Chung Collection.

Happy Lunar New Year from the Chung Lind Gallery and the whole UBC Rare Books and Special Collections team! We wish everyone safe, healthy, and an auspicious year of the wood snake.

Chinese New Year celebrations have been a part of BC’s history and culture for at least over 150 years, enlivening both big cities and small towns with the sound of firecrackers, the rainbow colors of parades, bright red decorations, and the scent of special foods wafting in the air. There are many traditions and customs that vary both from region to region in China, but also family to family. Of the many traditions brought by the older waves of migration (lo wah kieu 老華僑), the visiting of flower markets (花市) and the cultivation of special lucky plants in the heart of the winter was and is cherished. One of the most prized plants was the Chinese Lily (水仙花), which is actually not a lily at all! This plant will be the topic of our celebratory blog today.

New Year’s Day in San Francisco’s Chinatown. 1881. Theodore Wores, artist. Oil paint on canvas. Collection of Oakland Museum of California. Gift of Dr. A. Jess Shenon.

Known by many names, including the bunch-flowered daffodil, Chinese sacred lily, cream narcissus, and joss flower, Narcissus Tazetta was brought to North America by Chinese workers during the California Gold Rush. The plant itself is native to the Mediterranean and was brought to China along the Silk Road before the Tang Dynasty.  The early Chinese migrants to North American called it Sui Sin Fa “Water Fairy Flower,” a name likely derived from the Greek myth of Narcissus, which gave the flower its English name. Bulbs of the beautiful, highly fragrant flower were grown in Zhangzhou 漳州 Fujian 福建 and exported to Chinese communities all around the world. From there, it can be found naturalized in the fields, abandoned gardens, and Chinese cemeteries wherever Chinese were found in North America and wherever climate permits.

Yuen Fong Co. Ltd. 元豐公司. Nov 1962. “元蘴公司 = Yuen Fong co. ltd.” Iss 18. Vancouver, BC. UBC RBSC Wallace B. and Madeline H Chung Collection. CC-TX-307-1. Pg.1

The flower was prized because of its tight bunches of blooms and strong scent that grew when planted in shallow dishes in late October-Early November; they would ideally bloom right as Chinese New Year began. Multiple blooms from one bulb also had symbolism of plenty and abundance. They decorated homes, businesses, altars, and even photo studios, where they were used as a lucky prop for portraits sent back home during the New Year celebrations.[i]

In this formal portrait, likely the son of a wealthy merchant, notice the Chinese lilies to the side.
Unknown Photographer. 1910. “Chinese Boy.” UBC RBSC Wallace B. and Madeline H Chung Collection. CC-PH-00269 doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.14288/1.0217964.

In BC, the flowers are found as early as the 1890s, though they most likely arrived earlier. In 1892, The Victoria Daily Times shared that the pet goat of a “well-known and justly popular saloon-keeper” had perished after eating a Chinese lily bulb gifted to the family by an employee for the new year.[ii] During the Chinese New Year season, Chinese servants would demand (and receive) vacation time, Chinese societies and social clubs would gather for banquets, and family businesses would give out gifts to partners, customers, and friends. The flowers and bulbs of the lily were very popular, leading to the following quote:

“Genii of the Water: All those who have visited the Chinese during the New Year festivities have noticed the sweet-scented flowers of the Chinese water lily, shin sin fa, water sprite flower, or water genii flower, which the Chinese always have in full bloom at their New Year. These, with branches of almond blossoms, pomelos and oranges, artificial flowers of paper and tinsel, a Chinese dragon embroidered in gold on a silken cloth, form the principal decorations of the Chinese New Year’s table, while upon it are Chinese candies, sugared fruits, laichis (Chinese nuts), and watermelon seeds, all in a lacquered box, called tsun hop, or complete box. These confections, and tea, wine and tobacco, are offered to all callers.”[iii]

By 1902, the plant was so popular among the non-Chinese community that a full page spread about how best to raise them was published in the Vancouver Daily News Advertiser. Ads for the bulbs were found prominently printed in the November issues of Chinatown Vancouver import-export businesses up to the 1970s, including the ad with instructions below.

Yuen Fat Wah Jung Co. 元發公司. Nov 1954. “Yuen Fat Wah Jung co. = 元發公司” Vancouver, BC. UBC RBSC Wallace B. and Madeline H Chung Collection. CC-TX-307-26

We wish you all a happy new year!

花開富貴   瑞氣呈祥

Further Reading

Hodgeson, Larry. “The Little Bulb That Conquered China” November 8 2017, Laidback Gardener Blog. https://laidbackgardener.blog/2017/11/08/the-little-bulb-that-conquered-china/

Footnotes

[i] Adams, John D. Chinese Victoria: A Long and Difficult Journey. Victoria, BC: Discover the Past, 2022.

[ii] The Victoria Daily Times Feb 15 1892 Pg.5

[iii] Vancouver Daily World, March 23 1901, Pg.2

Posted in Chinese American History, Chinese Canadian History, Chinese New Year, Chung, Chung Lind Gallery, Collections, EarlyBC, Exhibitions, Frontpage Exhibition, Highlights, Immigration and Settlement, Plants | Read More | No Comments