CNTO: Cantonese Language Courses

The University of British Columbia is the only Canadian university to offer a comprehensive, for-credit Cantonese language program.

For the most up-to-date information on the UBC Cantonese Language Program, please visit cantonese.arts.ubc.ca.

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Instructors

Raymond Pai is Lecturer of Cantonese at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. He teaches all levels of Cantonese courses and collaborates with the local community and organizations on various projects related to Cantonese and its culture. He received his MA in Linguistics and TESOL certificate from Brigham Young University. Having taught Chinese at the Defense Language Institute and the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California, he also worked as a certified translator and interpreter in California, and currently is the Cantonese examiner for the University of Arizona. A native of Hong Kong, Raymond’s research and teaching interests include language learning motivation, language technology and testing, and psycholinguistics. He is also a performer in music and theatre both locally and on stages across the globe.

Zoe Lam is a sessional lecturer at UBC Asian Studies, where she teaches Basic Cantonese for Mandarin Speakers. She received her B.A. in Modern Languages and Intercultural Studies and M.Phil. in Linguistics from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and had taught a variety of language-related subjects at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Recently she received her Ph.D. in Linguistics at UBC, where she did research on Cantonese phonetics and heritage language maintenance in Canada. Her Ph.D. project investigates how heritage speakers of Cantonese in Canada perceive tones. As an advocate of knowledge mobilization, Zoe works closely with community members, and was the instructor of a Cantonese Saturday School held at the historic Mon Keang School in Vancouver Chinatown. She was invited to speak about her Cantonese-related academic and community work at local and international media outlets, including CBC Radio, Vancouver Sun, Metro News, Fairchild Radio, South China Morning Post, and Singtao Daily.

Liam Doherty is a sessional lecturer teaching in the Cantonese Language Program, with a background in Chinese as an Additional Language Education and a particular interest in digital literacy and multilingualism, translation, corpus linguistics, and the use of open data-driven digital tools to help better understand, learn, and teach languages. He has previously taught Chinese Grammar and Usage I & II in the Department of Asian Studies, as well as courses on Translation and Global Citizenship in the Department of Language and Literacy Education.

ASIA 323/HIST 377: History of Cantonese Worlds

This course traces the evolution and transformation of the multi-faceted Cantonese worlds, both in the context of the history of China and that of the Cantonese diaspora. The goal is to help students understand the worlds forged by those who have come to be identified as “Cantonese” and how such worlds have intersected or overlapped with other political, commercial, or cultural realms. This course traces the construction of “Cantonese” as a category or identity and examines how Cantonese languages, beliefs, and practices—in short, culture—could broaden or challenge our understanding of “Chinese-ness.” Our geographic focus will be on the Cantonese worlds of present-day South China, but attention will also be given to the Cantonese communities in the greater Pacific region.

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What are “Cantonese worlds”?

What is the significance of the “Cantonese worlds”?

Why are there so many dim sum restaurants?

What could students expect to learn?

In the media

卑詩大學新課程教授廣東人歷史 [OMNI Cantonese (BC)]

全球首設唐人世界課程 UBC 開班研究華南歷史 [Singtao Daily (Vancouver)]

Instructor (2022W)

Dr. Clement Tong is Visiting Assistant Professor of the Department of Asian Studies at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver. He is currently a lecturer of Greek and Hebrew languages at the Vancouver School of Theology, and teaches a course on Hong Kong’s history and current events at the Kwantlen Polytechnic University. He is also the Global Mandarin Program Administrator at ACTS, and an adjunct professor of the Trinity Western University. Having worked as a certified translator in Canada for many years, he is interested in translation theories and practices as well as how they are related to the notions of identities and transcultural communication. He is the author of Revelation and Text: Story of the Chinese Bible (1807–1919), Authority and Breakthrough: Chinese Bible Translations in the Modern Time, and is involved in several Hong Kong-themed projects that have resulted in works including “The Hong Kong Week of 1967 and the Emergence of Hong Kong Identity Through Contradistinction” and “Translating Memories — The Fight over Pikachu in Hong Kong.” He is currently working on a project regarding the study and writing of the Cantonese language in 19th century China.

ASIA 324: Literature of Hong Kong

This course explores the literature of Hong Kong from the late 19th century up to the present. Its goals are to introduce to students the transformation and basic features of Hong Kong literature, the works of important writers, and to further their skills in literary appreciation and analysis. This course encourages students to critically consider how meaning is constructed in local, national and international contexts.

Information for 2021W:

This course introduces the literature of Hong Kong from the late-19th century to the 21st century, with a goal to explore how the stories of Hong Kong are narrated and mediated over time. Through the lens of different literary forms and genres not limited to poetry and fiction, we will address topics such as the negotiation of identities, the politics of representation, transmedial adaptation, urban (re-)imagination, socio-political and cultural transformation in colonial and post-handover Hong Kong.

By way of literary appreciation, textual analysis and discussions, the course offers a journey to critically examine different literary and cultural spaces in flux, with regard to the entangled history and the changing landscape of Hong Kong.

All reading materials are in English.

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Why study Hong Kong?

What is Hong Kong Literature?

What makes the course special?

What inspires you?

City Inscribed

Please check out “City Inscribed,” a series of public lectures and events organized by the UBC Hong Kong Studies Initiative in celebration of the launch of “Literature of Hong Kong” (ASIA 324) in 2017W.

Instructor (2022W)

Dr. Helena Wu is the author of The Handover After the Handover: Places, Things and Cultural Icons in Hong Kong (Liverpool University Press, 2020), in which she explores the manifestation of the local in colonial and post-handover Hong Kong. She has also published on the topics of Hong Kong cinema, culture, and media in Interventions: International Journal of Postcolonial Studies (2018), Chinese Martial Arts and Media Culture (2018), Hong Kong Keywords (2019), Global Media and China (2020), and Journal of Chinese Cinemas (2020).

[Newsletters] The HKSI May Update is out!

ASIA325 (23W): “Award Ceremony for the Heroes of Hong Kong”

ASIA325 Hong Kong Cinema – Creative Project

“Award Ceremony for the Heroes of Hong Kong”: A Creative Response to A Better Tomorrow

By Marisa So, Kyra Tan, Mungo McLaggan, Xiangyuan Li, and Xianyi Chang

“The choice of an ‘Award Ceremony for the Heroes of Hong Kong’ as the central theme for our creative project presentation added a layer of theatricality and intrigue, capturing the essence of heroism celebrated in the film. The concept of honoring heroes in a formal setting not only pays homage to the characters in A Better Tomorrow but also invites the audience to reflect on the broader implications of heroism in real-world contexts…
The interactive voting poll for our classmates’ favorite hero further elevates the presentation by fostering active participation. This component taps into the subjective nature of heroism, allowing each class member to express their personal perspective on the characters in the film. This interactive element mirrors the nuanced exploration of heroism in A Better Tomorrow, where characters defy conventional archetypes, making the concept of a singular, universally agreed-upon hero more complex.

This voting poll resulted in an emphatic victory for Mark Lee as the most admired hero. The result is particularly significant when considering our discussion of bravery in Mark Lee’s character, with his depth of sacrifice, loyalty, and the intricate moral dilemmas he faces resonating deeply with the audience, highlighting the complex and varied aspects of heroism depicted in the film.” — Project Rationale

ASIA325 (23W): Storyboard and Scriptwriting

ASIA325 Hong Kong Cinema – Creative Project

Storyboard and Scriptwriting: A Creative Response to Chungking Express

By Veronica Wong, Winry Wei, and Shenru Yang

“Our creative project explores how the relationship between Faye and Cop 663 would evolve with the advancement of technologies and the changing cultural landscape experienced by the protagonist Faye, drawing inspiration from the open-ended nature of their story, which is unlike He Qiwu and the blonde-haired lady, who decided to move on to the next stage of their lives. […] Did the changes in the environment influence her relationship with 663? Does her return signify a potential “happily ever after”?
… The format of the project includes scripts and storyboards, with the written parts intended to be filmed and seamlessly integrated into the movie. The storyboard meticulously plans the storytelling process, incorporating various angles and settings to provide a tangible visualization of how the extended story could seamlessly integrate into the existing cinematic framework. This dual approach aims to enhance the overall viewing experience, creating a harmonious blend of old and new within the world of Chungking Express. Our script extension seeks to enrich the narrative by employing narratives that align with Wong Kar Wai’s style and cooperation with our own while delving into the distance and proximity elements in the movie, especially how romantic relationships are being developed in an urban setting in recent days and adding odds to the fragments presented in the movie.” — Project Rationale

ASIA325 (23W): “Mo Lei Tau”

ASIA325 Hong Kong Cinema – Creative Project

“Mo Lei Tau”: A Creative Response to A Better Tomorrow

By James Deng, Zhichen Luo, Hadrian Lau, Ryan Feng, and Oliver Yan

“Unlike the original atmosphere of the scene and movie, we decided to create a comedized version of the scene with integrating humorous elements and first person perspectives into the scene. We hope to deliver a more “easy-going” atmosphere and flow for the scene, as well as reconstructing the traditional narrative style, the third person perspective within the scene. One of the very first things we added when we were recreating the scene were nonsensical and humorous elements, known as “mo lei tau.” Obviously, we took this idea from the famous Hong Kong actor and director, Stephen Chow. His style of humor provides us great insights in terms of how the direction of our creative project will go, as well as the way we act in the creative project. The introduction of “mo lei tau” into the recreation of the scene not only provides an easier atmosphere and humor, but also challenges the audiences’ expectations and perceptions of a classic fighting scene in a Hong Kong gangster movie, especially when the original scene is extremely tense and serious.” — Project Rationale

ASIA325 (23W): From A Different Perspective

ASIA325 Hong Kong Cinema – Creative Project

From A Different Perspective: A Creative Response to Beyond The Dream

By Eli Dela Cruz, Melody (Fu Shan) Kou, Natalie Wong, Xin Tan, and Ada Zheng

“For our creative project on Kiwi Chow’s Beyond The Dream (2019), we created an interpretation of the final scenes between Yip Nam (Nam) and Lok. Here, we showcased the different genres of thriller, romance, drama, and psychological thriller between the scenes. Furthermore, we analysed several key filming techniques of gaze, angles, and pacing. All encompassing, we recreated a rendition in an attempt to fulfil the ambiguity missed in the original film and switch perspectives to that of Nam. […] Looking at our project from an expanded view, we wanted to show the ending from Nam’s perspective, perhaps in an unreliable POV. Chow’s ending depicted both Lok and Nam falling asleep before entering the dream. We reveal the revelation that the dream ultimately belongs to Nam. Our rendition of Beyond The Dream was meant to interpret and present an alternative ending to the original film. Switching perspectives from Lok to Nam required careful analysis of the underlying meaning between scenes and careful consideration of specific film techniques to utilise.” — Project Rationale

ASIA325 (23W): Diorama and Marginalized Spaces

ASIA325 Hong Kong Cinema – Creative Project

Diorama and Marginalized Spaces: Made in Hong Kong

By James Tran, Aadi Bhandari, Ella Li, Savannah Yhap-Jolin, and Erica Dong

“For our creative project, we decided to reinterpret four key locales depicted in Fruit Chan’s Made in Hong Kong through the use of a diorama. We have chosen to replicate “homes” of the main characters through the public housing apartments that are a common icon of Hong Kong as an urban space. At the bottom level, we have re-made Susan’s parents home. In the middle is Moon’s apartment, and above is Moon’s father’s apartment. In addition, we included stairs to our diorama to link each apartment together as we felt the use of levels was a recurring spatial representation of an alternative Hong Kong that the youth often found themselves surrounded and even trapped in at times.” — Project Rationale

ASIA 325: Hong Kong Cinema

Studying Hong Kong cinema allows students to understand the global reach of a major international industry and the local expression of Hong Kong identity through visual spectacle, story, style, stars, and sound. Hong Kong’s unique and complex history and extraordinary dynamism are mirrored in the themes, images and speed central to this vibrant cinema. Students will explore the varied ways in which Hong Kong’s complex hybrid identities, transnational linkages, and cultural fluidity are represented through film and examine Hong Kong cinema’s global influence and art. This course will raise and give students the tools to handle the following questions or approaches:

What is Hong Kong Cinema?
What are the stages of Hong Kong Cinema?
How do you read Hong Kong film language(s) (or: the poetics of cinema)?
What are the genres and typologies of Hong Kong cinema?
What roles do directors, cinematographers, stars, studios, and audiences play in Hong Kong cinema?

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Why should students study Hong Kong?

What is Hong Kong cinema and culture?

Why do you study Hong Kong?

What makes the course special?

Renren Yang’s research and teaching span twentieth-and twenty-first-century Chinese literature, cinema, and popular culture, with a focus on issues of authorship, mediation, and hybrid genres in Chinese literary and media scenes. His current book project, “A Media Genealogy of Literary Fame in Modern China: Paper, Stage, Screen, and Sphere,” traces the changing concepts, practices, and politics of celebrity authorship throughout twentieth-century Chinese history with the ongoing shift from the print to the digital regime of letters. He also published articles on Chinese web novels and surveillance cinema. Prior to moving to UBC, he taught first-year seminars at Stanford University.

Su-Anne Yeo researches and teaches in the areas of film studies, media studies, and cultural studies, with a specialization in Chinese screen cultures. She completed a PhD in Media and Communications under the supervision of Professor Chris Berry at Goldsmiths, University of London, in 2016 and is currently developing a monograph, entitled Alternative Screen Cultures in Asia Pacific, for Amsterdam University Press. Her output includes publications on various aspects of screen distribution and exhibition, and her book chapter, “Translating the Margins: New Asian Cinema, Independent Cinema, and Public Culture at the Hong Kong Asian Film Festival,” from the edited collection, Chinese Film Festivals: Sites of Translation, was published by Palgrave Macmillan in spring 2017.