Co-Presidents

Walter Graff

Mary Warpeha

Vice President
Linda Mealey-Lohmann

Secretary
Linda Mealey-Lohmann

Treasurer
Wen Li

Membership
Glynis Hinschberger
Directors
Neil Bray
Joan Brzezinski
Greg Buteyn
Lawrence J. Coleman
Ted Farmer
Elaine Griebenow
Christopher S. Hang
Barbara J. Harrison
Glynis Hinschberger
Jennie Hsiao
Joyce Hsiao
Carole Hyder
Chun-Jo Liu
Mindy Ratner
Kit Spangler
Yue-him Tam
Margaret Wong
Chen Zhou
Guangbin (Ben) Zhou

_____________________

USCPFA-MN
P.O. Box 251002
Woodbury, MN 55125

uscpfa_mn@hotmail.com


US-China Peoples Friendship Association
Minnesota Chapter
美中人民友好協會明州分會
Celebrates the Year of the Dragon


ENTERTAINMENT

Mr. Cheng Liangsheng singing songs
in Chinese and English

Professor Yue-him Tam performing
on the erhu

BANQUET MENU:
Potstickers and Dan Dan noodles, Hot Sour soup, Cumin lamb, Fish with black bean sauce, Sesame beef, Kung Pao chicken, Shredded pork with Peking sauce, Honey crispy shrimp, Eggplant with spicy garlic sauce,
Sichuan green beans, Asparagus with fish filet, Sweet and sour lotus root, Mapo Tofu, Stir-fried pea tips,
Glutinous rice balls with black sesame paste



SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2012
5:00 Gathering 5:30 Dinner 7:00 Program

Grand Szechuan Restaurant
10602 France Avenue South, Bloomington
952-888-6507

COST: $25 members - $30 non-members - $13 under 12 - add $5 after January 31

RSVP: To reserve your space send guest names and check payable to USCPFA-MN

SEND TO: USCPFA-MN, c/o 10119 Portland Avenue So, Bloomington, MN 55420

FOR QUESTIONS: 612-692-7068 and wenli2@deloitte.com








HARBIN DELEGATION HOSTED
USCPFA was a partner in hosting a Minneapolis Sister City Harbin delegation of four the week of July 18, 2011. USCPFA leaders were Kit Spangler and Ben Zhou, Co-chairs of the Harbin Committee. Taking the lead in arranging an itinerary was Bill Deef and Yuko Myamoto of MEET MINNEAPOLIS. Also involved were Warren Vollmar from UCBC and Charles Lee of CABAM. Delegates from Harbin included:
Mr. Sun Yongwen, Vice Director of Harbin Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office
Mr. Ji Ping, Executive Director of Harbin Hanan Industrial City Investment Promotion Team
Mr. Chen Ligang, Vice Director of Harbin Industry and Information Technology Commission
Ms. Kai Li, Vice Division Chief of Harbin Foreign and Overseas Chinese Affairs Office
: The group had full days meeting local businesses interested in exploring business opportunities in Harbin. Governor Mark Dayton and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak met briefly with the delegates and encouraged increased interaction with an important city in our Minnesota Sister City network. A farewell dinner was hosted by USCPFA-MN at the home of Dr. Walter and Mary Warpeha. Mary and Margaret Wong prepared American versions of Chinese foods for the enjoyment of the people attending.

APPLY NOW!
USCPFA National Tour – October 14-25, 2011
China’s Heart and Heartland
Deadline extended


MORE INFORMATION, REQUIREMENTS AND APPLICATION CAN BE FOUND UNDER THE TOUR LINK OF WWW.USCPFA.ORG

China’s civilization began around the Yellow River, which flows between Shanxi & Shaanxi provinces in northern China. After visiting important cultural & historical sites in Beijing, travel by train to visit this heartland area and several of its UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

In the north of Shanxi near Datong, see two 1,500-year-old sites: the impressive Yungang Buddhist sculpture caves and Xuankong hanging temple, suspended on a sheer cliff-face of sacred Hengshan mountain.

In Taiyuan, see the Jinci Temple and the court ladies of the Song Dynasty (960-1279 AD). Because Taiyuan is sister city to Nashville, TN, we’ll also visit friends and meet city officials. Just south of Taiyuan, visit two sites with impressive Ming architecture—the Qiao Family Courtyard where Zhang Yimou filmed Raise the Red Lantern, and the town of Pingyao, where narrow lanes lined with houses are enclosed by an intact city wall, built in about 1370 AD.

Xian, in Shaanxi Province, was China’s capital for many dynasties, beginning with the first emperor, Qin ShiHuangdi, who unified China during his rule (246-210 BC). Visit the TerraCotta Army Museum, built over the pits of clay soldiers & horses that were to guard Emperor Qin’s tomb. See the Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 652 AD to house the Buddhist scriptures brought from India by Monk Xuanzang. (Xuanzang’s journey is immortalized in the epic Journey to the West, in which the Monkey King protects the travelers.) Another religion—Islam—came into China from Central Asia through Xian; visit the Muslim area near Xian’s city drum tower.

China is not only an ancient land and culture, but also a current home to 1.3 billion people, 20% of whom are younger than 15 years. Education and children are close to China’s heart. To learn about China’s education system, this tour will visit K-12 schools at all levels—primary, middle, and high school—plus a vocational school, a university that trains teachers, and an after-school enrichment program—the Children’s Palace.

This tour ends on China’s southeast coast, in fantastic Shanghai, a cultured pearl on the Huangpu River.

Questions? Contact Barbara Cobb, USCPFA National Tour Coordinator, by Email (Barbara.cobb@juno.com) or 615 833-9512 OR Mary Warpeha at uscpfa_mn@hotmail.com.

To apply for this tour, send completed application and $300 tour deposit (check payable to USCPFA National Tours) to: Barbara Cobb, USCPFA Tours Coordinator, 496 Ellenwood Drive, Nashville, TN 37211. (www.uscpfa.org)

China’s Heart and Heartland – October 14-25, 2011

USCPFA National Tour – www.uscpfa.org

Oct. 14 Fri Depart USA

Oct. 15 Sat Arrive Beijing. Exchange money at airport, upon arrival. On the way to the hotel, stop for photos at 2008 Olympic venues, if time permits. Hutong hotel: Beijing Courtel

Oct. 16 Sun Beijing: Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City. Temple of Heaven, & shop at Hongqiao Pearl Market. Evening: Walking tour of Wangfujing Night Market.

Oct. 17 Mon Beijing: In Dong Ba Village outside Beijing, visit Lantian Primary School for the children of migrant workers. Continue on to Mutianyu section of Great Wall (with roundtrip cable car). Welcome dinner hosted by Youxie.

Oct. 18 Tues Beijing-Datong: Visit Beijing Normal University to learn about teacher education & training. Afternoon train to Datong (K177 1:12/7:25pm)

Oct. 19 Wed Datong: Yungang Caves & Hanging Temple; drive or train to Pingyao.

Oct. 20 Thurs Pingyao-Taiyuan: Walking tour of Pingyao, a Ming walled town; visit Shuanglin Temple. Drive to Taiyuan, with a stop at Qiao Family Courtyard/Folk Museum. Dinner with officials or family.

Oct. 21 Fri Taiyuan: City tour. Visit a primary school & a middle/high school (Affiliated High School of Taiyuan). In the afternoon, visit Jinci Temple. Hot Pot dinner. Overnight train #2669 to Xian (9:50pm/7:46am).

Oct 22 Sat Xian: Arrive 7:46 am & have breakfast. Visit Emperor Qin tomb/ TerraCotta Army Museum (3 pits, bronze chariot hall, & circle-vision film), Shaanxi Provincial Museum, & Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Evening: Tang Dynasty show & dumpling dinner.

Oct 23 Sun Xian-Shanghai: City wall; Bell/Drum tower; walk & shop in Muslim area. Lunch at Muslim restaurant. Afternoon flight to Shanghai (2:00/4:05 pm).

Oct 24 Mon Shanghai: Visit Shanghai Cao Yang Vocational School. Tour Yuyuan, a classical garden; walk & shop in Old Town. Lunch with a local family. Afternoon: Free time to relax, explore, and/or shop. After dinner, cruise on the Huangpu River.

Oct. 25 Tues Shanghai-USA: Visit China Welfare Institute Children’s Palace (enrichment program). If time permits, visit the Shanghai Museum to learn about China’s history, culture, & ethnic minority peoples. In the afternoon, transfer to airport for flight to USA.

Itinerary is subject to change.

Tour cost: $1,050 plus airfare between home city & China.

This tour will be especially appropriate for teachers and others interested in China’s education system, and for those interested in Shanxi Province and its capital of Taiyuan, which is sister city to Nashville, TN.

Tour size: 6 passengers minimum, 9 maximum (plus 1 tour leader).

Questions? Contact Barbara Cobb, USCPFA National Tour Coordinator, by phone (615 833-9512) or by Email (Barbara.cobb@juno.com). To apply for this tour, send completed application and $300 tour deposit (check payable to USCPFA National Tours) to: Barbara Cobb, USCPFA Tours Coordinator, 496 Ellenwood Drive, Nashville, TN 37211. Apply by July 14, 2011. If fewer than 6 passengers apply by July 14, the tour will be reconsidered; if tour is cancelled, deposits will be refunded.

You might consider this unique tour because:

· All aspects of Chinese education system will be visited and introduced during the travels – giving the traveler a look at real people

· Beijing and Shanghai will be visited with standard tourist sites included

· The Sister relationships of Taiyuan (Nashville Sister City) and Xian (Capital of Minnesota’s Sister Province of Shaanxi) will offer extra opportunities for interaction with locals

· Excellent historic sites of the Terra Cotta Warriors and Tang Dynasty Park in Xian (as well as Western China Muslin culture and foods)

· Visit to the ancient restored town of Pingyao – which was a major banking center on the northern Silk Road and a rural home of a banker – 300 rooms to wander in the countryside

· Tour size is limited to 10 with a minimum of 6 persons

· The price is right with traveler costs being airfare (around @$1200) + $1050 (which includes visa purchase, tips and gratuities)

Mary Warpeha, Co-President of the Minnesota Chapter will be leading the tour along with one local and one national staff person from the China Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries. It is targeted to educators, but others will be accepted.

4th Annual Minneapolis Sister Cities Day,
Sunday, July 17th
at Nicollet Island Pavilion
from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

Meet Minneapolis, in cooperation with the City of Minneapolis and USCPFA-Minnesota is pleased to announce the 4th Annual Minneapolis Sister Cities Day, Sunday, July 17th at Nicollet Island Pavilion from 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Once again, the event is free to the public with the purpose of furthering cultural understanding and greater awareness through entertainment, activities and information about each of the ten Minneapolis Sister Cities.

For more information check out: www.facebook.com/minneapolissistercities

DRAGON FESTIVAL 2011

July 9 & 10, 2011
http://www.dragonfestival.org/
Lake Phalen Park in St. Paul, Minnesota, comes alive with two days of colorful, traditional dances and music to showcase the performance arts of Asia. Dances from the ceremonial to the theatrical and are as varied as the colours on the performers' authentic costumes!
Each Asian country has its own indelible sound even though the instruments are rather similar. From the mesmerizing sound of the Chinese flute to the energetic Taiko drumming, Asian music with its pentatonic melody sounds exotic.

do.® walk DRAGON FESTIVAL 2011: http://www.dragonfestival.org/

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota supports 2nd Annual 5K Walk Around Lake Phalen

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota developed the do. Campaign to remind all Minnesotans that moderate-intensity physical activity for just 30 minutes on most — preferably all — days of the week will help them live longer, healthier lives. Together with unhealthy eating, physical inactivity is the second-leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States. It’s directly related to conditions including heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, colon cancer and osteoporosis.

That is why Blue Cross is proud to support the second annual walk around Lake Phalen as part of the 2011 Dragon Boat Festival. Participating in the walk is a great way to get started on grooving your body every day to improve your overall health. Join us again for this beautiful walk around the lake. All proceeds will go the Dragon Boat race.

do. is a registered mark of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.

Date & Time:

Saturday, July 9, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.

Location: Phalen Park, 1600 Phalen Drive Saint Paul, MN 55116

Course: One lap around Lake Phalen (3.2 miles)

Registration: see Dragon Festival website

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW

Dear Community Members,

The Antiques Roadshow will be at the Minneapolis Convention Centre on July 9 (from 8am-5pm). The Council has been given 12 sets of two tickets to share with the community.

The Antiques Roadshow is a very popular show on public television. The show brings antiques experts to communities throughout the country to meet with every day people and to see or “value” their antiques, heirlooms, or family keepsakes.

Is it fake or is it real? This is a wonderful opportunity for the community to bring the “treasurers” they’ve always wondered about to experts to get assessed. This is also a wonderful opportunity for the community to get into the fun and excitement of an Antiques Roadshow and to be on national television.

We have spoken to the coordinators to let them know people might show up from the Asian community so they are prepared to assess antiques that come from all parts of the world.

How to get the tickets: Priority will be given to people who have an item and they are willing and will be able to bring to the Antiques Roadshow. Tickets will be given out case by case until they are all given away preferably before July 1st, this upcoming Friday. Once you’ve been selected, we will contact you and mail you your tickets. We would ask that these tickets are gifts and are not re-sold in any way. Please email me your name and contact information along with a brief description of your item or you can call me at 651-757-1740. You can talk to me or Pa Yang, my assistant.

Thank you and I look forward to your emails and call. Let’s bring on the show!

Kao Ly Ilean Herm Executive Director

Council on Asian-Pacific Minnesotans

658 Cedar Street, Suite 160

St. Paul, Minnesota 55155

651-757-1740 | 651-297-8735 fax

www.capm.state.mn.us <http://www.capm.state.mn.us/>

kao.ly.her@state.mn.us

<http://capmn.wordpress.com/> Get our most recent news and updates at the CAPM Blog: http://capmn.wordpress.com/

"100 Years of Chinese American History in Minnesota"

Photo Exhibition Preview
Admission: Free
Sunday May 1st., 12:00 - 5:00 p.m.
St. Paul Landmark Center
Photo Exhibition Preview (12:00 - 5:00 p.m.)
Carnival (12:00 - 5:00 p.m.)
Pan Asia Festival (12:00 - 3:00 p.m.)
"100 Year Journey" Chinese Music Concert (3:00 - 5:00 p.m.)

Official Opening Ceremony
Admission: Free
Wed. May 4th, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
St. Paul Landmark Center
Opening ceremony and ribbon cutting; hors d’oeuvre will be served.

Minnesota Sister Cities International Annual Conference

Saturday, April 30; 7:30 A - 4:00 P
Keynote speaker: Mary Jean Eisenhower
Where: Hilton Garden Inn, Shoreview
Cost: $35 per person (includes lunch and continental breakfast
For more information or to register:
Contact Dolores Strand at dpstrand@usfamily.net or 763.571.1709

The Map and Music of Matteo Ricci


A multi-media performance to reanimate the pivotal cultural exchange
between Italian Jesuits and Chinese literati in 17th-century China.
Saturday, April 9, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. Campus Club, Coffman Memorial Union, 300 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
Seating is limited. Reserve free tickets by sending an email with your name and the number of tickets you request to confucius@umn.edu.
This collaborative project program combines music and dramatic readings, visually framed by a projected digitized version of the world map that Matteo Ricci created and presented to the Wanli Emperor. Professor Ann Waltner, Director of the Institute for Advanced Study and Professor of History, University of Minnesota, discusses the fascinating text of Ricci’s map. ¡Sacabuche! performs Italian and Chinese music from Ricci’s time, and new music composed for ¡Sacabuche! by Chinese composer Huang Ruo. Featuring Stanley Richie (Baroque violin) and Wendy Gillespie (viol da gamba).

April Board Meeting
Monday, April 11, 2011 6:00 (buffet dinner in the meeting room)
to be held at Ruth Dayton Stricker Campus Center
at 1600 Grand Avenue, St. Paul in room 214.
Http://www.macalester.edu/abot/maps/ #25 on map

US - China Peoples Friendship Association
Minnesota Chapter
美中人民友好協會明州分會
Celebrating the Year of the Rabbit 兔

USCPFA-MN hosted its annual Chinese New Year Banquet on February 12 at the Peking Garden Restaurant in St. Paul. There was a record turnout with 166 guests and the evening was filled with good conversation, good food, and lots of door prizes.

Margaret Wong and Linda Mealey-Lohmann served as emcees. Co-President Walter Graff gave the opening remarks, introduced the current and incoming board members, and thanked the table sponsors (the U of M China Center/Confucius Institute, the Greg Buteyn family, the Glynis Hinschberger family, the Yim Simpson family, the Wong/Graff family, and the Elving Anderson family).

Board member Linda Mealey-Lohmann updated the guests on the progress of the two sister-city China Garden projects. The St. Paul-Changsha China Garden, planned as part of the Master Plan for Phalen Park, is progressing through the approval process and will be submitted for approval to the Met Council soon. The Minneapolis-Harbin China Garden, planned for the Washburn Fair Oaks Park across the street from the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, is moving through the Heritage Preservation Commission permit process. She announced that as part of the research done to support the permit many connections were discovered between the WFO neighborhood and China at the turn of the century, including the fact that Mr. Washburn, the park’s namesake, traveled by invitation to the Imperial Court in Beijing in 1896.

The highlight of the evening was a presentation by Carole Hyder, Board member and International Feng Shui expert. Carole shared her top ten Feng Shui tips for success during the Year of the Rabbit, including tips for assuring that one’s space at home and work is maximized for success and profitability.
: Linda Mealey-Lohmann, Margaret Wong, and Walter Graff holding artistic rendering of the Minneapolis-Harbin China Garden design, by Artist and Architect Leo Mao

MEETING NOTICE:

Next Board Meeting: April 11, 6:00 at Macalester College, Room 214 in the Ruth Dayton Stricker Campus Center building near Snelling & Grand, #25 on the map- http://www.macalester.edu/about/maps/ (1600 Grand Avenue, St. Paul, MN) Arrive 15-minutes early to get your self-paid buffet dinner at canteen on ground floor and bring to Room 214. Everyone is invited to join the Board for dinner and the meeting. Please RSVP to uscpfa_mn@hotmail.com.

CONSUL GENERAL YANG GUOQIANG AND STAFF MEMBERS

VISITED MINNESOTA IN AUGUST

USCPFA-MN enjoyed a perfect Minnesota evening with the newly installed Consul General of the Midwest Region. Honorable Yang Guoqiang and spouse along with consuls of the political and commerce divisions made their first visit to Minnesota since Consul General Yang took office. The delegation enjoyed a festive American meal with members of the Board of Directors in the garden of the Warpeha home in New Brighton. Board Member Linda Mealey-Lohmann introduced Consul General Yang to two proposed Chinese garden projects involving resources from the Minneapolis-Harbin and Changsha-St. Paul sister relationships.

Photo:

BACK ROW LEFT: Walter Graff, Christopher Hang, Consul Yu Xueyong, Consul Xiaocheng Wang, Ben Brown, Consul General Yang Guoqiang, Wen Li, Bill Harrison, Wally Warpeha
FRONT ROW LEFT: Consul Liao Yuancui, Margaret Wong, Joyce Hsiao, Linda Mealey-Lohmann, Consul Wang Yi, Mary Warpeha, Barbara Harrison, Glynis Hinschberger, Jing Li