Anna Chen gives her Chinese Diaspora in Britain talk and reads poetry at the International Festival of Business China Day launching ‘Opera for Chinatown’ in Liverpool.
I’m really looking forward to doing this live event in Liverpool.
“Writer, poet and broadcaster Anna Chen is coming to Liverpool on the 18th June to celebrate International Festival of Business IFB China Day and to launch The Sound Agents ‘Opera for Chinatown’ public art work in Duke Street. The event will take place in Il Forno restaurant in Duke Street at 4 pm. Booking Essential.”
Anna Chen’s talk on the history of the Chinese Diaspora In Britain includes the fascinating stories of the first Chinese visitors to Britain such as the Jesuit priest Michael Shen Futsong in the 17th century; her father and the politics of the time including the seafarers, Liverpool and his early role in London’s Chinatown; the opium wars and the East India Trading Company; how Chinese scientific and cultural innovations affected Europe; the current changing political balance in the UK and representation in the arts; and the Fu Manchu Yellow Peril scare. Plus poetry. Far from being cowed, craven and submissive as depicted in colonialist popular culture, Anna shows that the Chinese in Britain were able to resist exploitation: her own father helped to found the Chinese Seaman’s Union and was active in the Save China campaign during the Japanese occupation of China.
I’ll be reading poetry from her collection, Reaching for my Gnu (pub: Aaaarh! Press) and some new ones.
More info here
Anna’s food blog here:
http://annacheneats.blogspot.com/