This week the Confucius Institute at the U is hosting the sixth annual Chinese Culture Week.
The institute was established in 2007 to promote Chinese language and culture.
“We have this one week where we have a concentrated effort to create a maximum impact on the community,” said Fu-sheng Wu, director of the institute.
Students and community members alike will be able to participate in events through Oct. 5 that aim to expand knowledge and increase understanding of China, the culture and its importance to people at the U and the broader community.
The institute receives support from the China National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language, the Chinese government, Jon Huntsman Sr. and former Governor Jon Huntsman Jr.
This week’s activities will include a calligraphy lecture and an exhibit in the Union Building and other activities in the community.
“Calligraphy is the essence of Chinese culture … it is one of their highest art forms,” said Eric Chipman, the institute’s manager.
A lecture from Harvard professor Xiaofei Tian is one of many events featured in this week-long celebration.
The Confucius Institute largely focuses its efforts on teacher workshops, academic lectures and teaching Chinese. They work with K-12 outreach in encouraging the teaching of Chinese in schools.
They also offer Chinese language classes to students and community members by providing and paying for two of the U’s Chinese teachers. Classes have flexible schedules and are offered at varying difficulty levels.
The institute also has a library for resources related to China and the Chinese language.
“We are here as a resource for anything related to China or the Chinese,” Chipman said.