Volume 10 • Issue 2 September 2005 Heart to Heart Bound Together Forever FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN FROM CHINA – OREGON AND SW WASHINGTON A new family is born! We’ve adopted 42 children! By Sarah Pons Yes, that’s right. With special thanks to Madame Zhang, board member of the China Social Workers Association, FCC Oregon/SW Washington is proud to an- nounce the adoption of the Chengde Welfare Institute in Hubei Province, China. The institute is home for 42 children who are not available for outside adoptions. Each year, our FCC chapter members will support some of the needs of the or- phanage and the resident children through elective donations. This year, their request totals approximately $3,800, which will pay for their first playground equipment, several appliances and some necessary furniture. We already have raised $650 towards their request. Encourage members of your playgroups and FCC social circles to make a group dona- Inside tion towards the slide or merry-go-round. Contact Dennis Baker and help him coor- Co-president’s message . . . . 2 dinate a bottle drive to purchase a water heater or other items of your choice. Invite Season of renewal ...... 2 me to talk to your outreach committees at your place of Letter from Chengde ...... 3 worship. Use your imagination, get involved and call me with your ideas. These children are ours now! Think of the possi- Surgeries funded by FCC . . . 3 bilities. Think of the ways in which we can show our love and Chengde donation form. . . . 4 help them become productive citizens of China. Adoptions rise in China . . . . 5 Transracially adopted One page 3 is a letter and some pictures from the institute. child’s Bill of Rights...... 5 When you finish reading it, support our new FCC family and International adoptees the home in which they live by filling out the donation form well-adjusted, study says. . . . 5 found on page 4 of this newsletter. Mom probes pitfalls of the Sarah Pons • FCC Charitable Giving well-intentioned ...... 5 503-655-0893 • [email protected] Harvard seeks more families for language study...... 6 See (or be in) the play at our Events Calendar ...... 6 FCC Mid-Autumn Festival Bill promotes U.S. education about China...... 7 Sat., Sept. 24 is the date for our annual Moon Festival potluck and pic- Annual meeting & Chinese nic in Willamette Park, West Linn. This popular event welcomes all FCC New Year dates set ...... 8 families and guests for fun and fellowship from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Join us! Portland Classical This year’s festival will feature a Moon Lady Play performed by our children, written Chinese Garden ...... 8 by Tessa Luk and Denise Yeung. If your child is seven or older and is interested in Reed’s China Day ...... 9 performing, please contact Ron Voss at [email protected] We’ll also make lan- The Moon Lady...... 10 terns, have a lantern parade in the evening and share games, face painting, food and Moon Festival ...... 11 fun. This is a potluck. Other than that, it’s free to FCC members, including any who Mooncakes...... 12 join on the spot. Cost to non-members is $10 per family. See you there! – 1 – FCC – Oregon and SW Washington • PO Box 5642 • Portland, OR

Board of Directors, Committee Chairs and Contacts September FCC Oregon/Southwest Washington • 2004-2005 co-president’s message GENERAL-PURPOSE BOARD MEMBER CONTACT LIST By Alisa Blum Dennis Baker [email protected] Chinese New Year Ron Voss [email protected] Outreach Since we are now transitioning to a new board of Ginger Murar [email protected] Education directors, this seems an appropriate time to address Bob Hillier [email protected] Waiting Families our chapter’s accomplishments this past year. Sarah Pons [email protected] Fundraising Jay Bacigalupi [email protected] Picnics, potlucks, special We had the most successful Chinese New Year event events, coordinates kids in recent memory. The location in Chinatown, the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS-AT-LARGE wonderful food, the entertainment and the “passport” Co-President: Alisa Blum [email protected] to Chinatown made this event memorable and joyful. Co-President: Dennis Baker [email protected] Our upcoming Autumn Moon Festival picnic will have Secretary: Ginger Murar [email protected] a similar festive, cultural appeal. Treasurer: Bob Hillier [email protected] Continued on page 7 Directors-at-Large: Jay Bacigalupi [email protected] Sarah Pons [email protected] Ron Voss [email protected] It’s the season of renewal Nancy Vuckovic [email protected] By Carol Vojak COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS Membership Cheryl Vojak [email protected] The Oregon-SW Washington FCC Membership Renewal Database Janet Olson [email protected] Drive for 2005-2006 began in July, when renewal notices Webmaster Day Tooley [email protected] where mailed to the FCC membership. Your dues are used Newsletter Editor Lynn Baker [email protected] to help our organization by defraying the costs of produc- Brochure Nancy Vuckovi [email protected] ing and mailing newsletters, bulletins, membership direc- Charitable Giving Sarah Pons [email protected] tories and costs of organizing various events and activities. Volunteer Coordinator Nancy Vuckovi [email protected] FCC also uses funds to contribute to specific charitable Chinese New Year Chair (vacant) projects for children in China. We sincerely thank you for Culture & Education (vacant) your support! OTHER CONTACTS Have you renewed your membership? Members who re- Single Parents Nancy Merchant [email protected] new their membership before Nov. 1, 2005 will have prior- Playgroup/ ity registration for the Chinese New Year Event. Woodstock Carolyn Becker [email protected] You can mail your renewal form and dues ($25 for family/ Playgroup/ Vancouver Mary Murray [email protected] individual membership, $50 for organizations) to: Playgroup/ Oregon SW/WA FCC Membership Beaverton Julianna Verboort [email protected] 2210 W. Main St. Ste. 107 #163 Waiting Families Kelly Sedory [email protected] Battle Ground, WA 98604 Betsy Haindl [email protected] Heritage Camp Debra Hall [email protected] You can also renew via the Internet using a credit card or by PayPal® by going to www.fcc-oregon.org and clicking on Web site: http://www.fcc.oregon.ore/ “Join FCC”. If you have misplaced your renewal notice you can download Purpose of FCC-Oregon and SW Washington Families with Children from China is a nonprofit organization serv- a copy of the membership application at the website: www. ing members in Oregon and SW Washington by providing informa- fcc-oregon.org or you can send an email request to Cheryl tion, support, and activities for individuals interested in adoption Vojak at [email protected] and I will send you a copy. from China. FCC is dedicated to promoting awareness of Chinese culture, and fostering ties between our children and their heritage. FCC also advocates for orphans in China. Membership includes The ideas and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the individual a newsletter published three times annually, and the support and authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the other FCC members. friendship of others in the community and Chinese communities. – 2 – An open letter from the Two surgeries funded Chengde Welfare Institute, by our FCC By Sarah Pons Hubei Province As reported in our last newsletter, our FCC chapter Dear FCC Members: has agreed to fund heart surgery for one-year-old The Chengde Welfare Yang Xiao of Hebei Province. Yang Xiao’s family has Institute was founded been informed that FCC is in 1949. There are 42 funding her heart operation children living in it, and 40 and they are reported to be of them have finished their extremely happy, excited and operations. Because of grateful. Her surgery will be the financial difficulties of performed at the Teda Interna- Chengde local government, tional Cardiovascular Hospital. children in welfare institute receive the minimum stan- Teda International Cardiovascular Hospital in Tainjian, dard of living RMB150 per Northern China, is designated by the Civil Affairs Min- month for a long period of time, which is far from enough for their istry to treat special needs children in orphanages at growth. Therefore, the welfare institute raises money by its own for reduced costs. Since Yang Xiao is able to travel to TICH, children’s daily supplies, tuition and etc. they have agreed to perform surgeries for Yang Xiao and another child for our $4,000 donation, which was originally expected to pay only for Yang Xiao’s surgery.

Children’s living conditions need to be improved. 42 children are living in 150 square meters bungalow, which was built in 1999. Children of different age cannot be divided into groups to take care of for the congested housing conditions. The other child is Shen Jian Xin. She is 14 years old With regard to the 13 school-age children, they do not have sepa- and suffers from congenital heart failure. She is unable rate room for study and rest. So they have to do their homework on to go to school or work because of her condition. bed. Without dining hall, children always eat in their small kitchen The China Social Workers Association will match or outside in yard. whatever additional amount is needed beyond FCC’s As children, they are dreaming of having a paradise to play games $4,000.00 donation. with friends and enjoy their pleasant childhood. But in the old Yang Xiao and Shen Jian Xin were transferred to Teda house, they even have no place to play. So the welfare institute International Cardiovascular Hospital on Aug. 22 for decided to raise funds for rebuilding the house, and they have ac- their surgeries. As the newsletter goes to press (Aug. cumulated the money for house reconstruction. However, rebuilding the house is hardly enough. They need lots of supporting equipment 25), we have yet to hear of the results. When we for healing room, dining hall and bathroom to further improve the receive more information about the surgeries and the quality of life. girls’ condition, we will report it to you. You could choose some that you are interested in to help the chil- The hospital, completed in 2003, is the largest in Asia. dren. Your kind donations will be highly appreciated. According to China Daily, more than 13,000 people Respectfully Submitted, die each day of heart disease in China. For an article Ms. Ma Fuzhen, Director, Chengde Welfare Institute on the hospital’s work, see: http://www2.chinadaily. com.cn/en/doc/2003-09/28/content_268289.htm – 3 – – 4 – Domestic adoptions on International adoptees the rise in China well-adjusted, study says Submitted by Clara Pratt, Submitted by Nancy Vuckovic OSU Bates Family Study Center Most international adoptees are well adjusted, although they are referred to mental health services more often than nonadopted controls. However, international adopt- ees present fewer behavior problems and are less often referred to mental health services than domestic adopt- ees. Those are the basic results of a literature-survey re- Domestic adoptions of orphans by Chinese have tripled since 1996, according to the July 25 edition of Newsweek port published in the May 25 edition of the Journal of the International. The article, “China: Charity Begins at Home,” American Medical Association (JAMA). More than 40,000 attributes the trend to a growing middle class, the influence children are adopted internationally each year. of Western ideas of altruism and giving charity to strangers, shame associated with infertility and changes in law. In 1999, the Chinese government amended some laws so Mom probes pitfalls of that an adopted child would not be counted as an “extra” child, thus enabling a family to get around the one-child the well-intentioned policy. In addition, in 2002, the government launched a From the August 2005 KAAN newsletter campaign to “convince Chinese that orphans belong in Beyond Good Intentions is a book families, not group homes” which has resulted in more of essays about the joys and Chinese becoming foster parents and many children risks of raising children adopted – most of whom are girls – subsequently being adopted by internationally. Cheri Register their foster parents. To read the article, go to: http://ms- examines ten pitfalls that well- nbc.msn.com/id/8598730/site/newsweek/ meaning parents like herself can From Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute newsletter easily slip into: The Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute newsletter is avail- able free. Check it out at http://www.adoptioninstitute.org/ • Wiping away our children’s past • Hovering over our “troubled” children A transracially adopted child’s • Holding the lid on sorrow and anger • Parenting on the defensive Bill of Rights Submitted by Day Tooley • Believing race doesn’t matter • Every child is entitled to love and full membership in • Keeping our children exotic her family. • Raising our children in isolation • Every child is entitled to have his heritage embraced • Judging our country superior and valued. • Believing adoption saves souls • Every child is entitled to parents who are not adopt- • Appropriating our children’s heritage ing to save the world. • Every child is entitled to parents who know she will Each essay opens with an exaggerated version−a experience life differently than they do. caricature−of something an adoptive parent might say. • Every child is entitled to parents who know that The caricature is used to prompt a fresh, intense look at transracial adoption changes the family forever. practices so familiar they are seldom questioned, even • Every child is entitled to parents who know if they though they may not serve the children’s and the family’s are white, they benefit from racism. best interests. Register urges readers to bring their own • Every child is entitled to ongoing opportunities to experiences to bear in a candid conversation about inter- connect with people of his or her race. nationally adoptive family life. $18.95 from Koryobooks. com. For details, see: http://www.koryobooks.com/index. From the North American Council on Adoptable Children. St. Paul, MN (http://www.nacac.org) asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2546&HS=1

– 5 – Waiting Families Group Harvard seeks more Sun., Sept. 11, 3-5 p.m. • Free Doernbecher Children’s Hospital families for 11th Floor Conference Room 3181 S.W. Sam Jackson Park Rd., Ptld language Subject: Parent-child phrases in Chinese Instructor: Heidi Steele study All FCC members and adoption agency cli- ents are welcome. Childcare is not provided. From Carissa Kemp, Laboratory Contact: Kelly Sedory, [email protected] for Developmental Studies FCC Autumn Moon Festival Picnic Have you recently adopted Sat., Sept. 24, 3:30-7:30 p.m. a child from China or are you preparing to do so? Are you Willamette Park, West Linn • Potluck interested in closely tracking your internationally adopted Contact: Ron Voss, [email protected] child’s English language development? Free to FCC members • $10 per family, non-members Directions: From (205) At the Laboratory for Developmental Studies at Harvard Coming from the west: take 10th Street exit. Turn right. th University, we are investigating how children who are Coming from the east: take 10 Street exit. Turn left. Go under freeway. Everyone: turn right on Willamette Falls Drive. Turn left on 12th St. adopted as infants and preschoolers learn English. Do Stay left at the fork in the road. Park is straight ahead. children of different ages learn in the same way? Does a FCC annual meeting child’s birth language influence acquisition of English? Our Wed., Oct. 5, 5 p.m. ultimate goal is to understand language development in Lucky Lab Pub, 7675 S.W. Capitol Hwy., Portland general and the unique challenges Date tentative. Watch FCC website for details. Free. of internationally adopted children. A Night in the Garden Families who participate track Fri., Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m. their child’s language development Portland Classical Chinese Garden, N.W. Third and Everett, Ptld by filling out questionnaires and Free, open only to adult FCC members and other adoptive parents of Chinese children. making home videos. At the end of the study, we use these videos No, Go, Yell, Tell to make a video scrapbook for the Sat. Oct. 15, 1-2 p.m. • Free Tulen Ctr for Martial Arts,10004 S.W. Canyon Rd., Beaverton, OR 97005 family which documents the child’s Contact: Sylvia Smart 503-291-9333 first year in the United States and his/her growing language skills. If your child was or will Reed College Chinese Day be adopted under the age of 16 months or between the Sat. Nov. 12, all day • Free Reed College, 3203 S.E. Woodstock Blvd., Portland ages of 2.5 and 5.5, your participation would be extremely Contact: Barbara Amen 503-777-7259 helpful. We particularly need participation by preschool- aged adoptees. Tales of a Chinese Teahouse Storyteller Charlie Chinn • Free, donations welcome If you are interested in learning more about the study, Thursday, Nov. 17, 6:30 - 8:30 pm please go to our website at www.wjh.harvard.edu/~lds/ Port of Portland, Commission Room, 121 NW Everett, Ptld, OR 97209 adoption. Or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Registration: call 503.228.8131 x 2001 Please include your child’s date of birth, age at time of Portland City Club adoption, date of adoption and country of birth. Storyteller Charlie Chinn Friday, Nov. 18, 12:15 p.m. (doors open at 11:30 a.m.) We also have studies underway for children who have al- Governor Hotel 614 SW 11th Ave., Portland ready been in the United States for 4 to 18 months. Please General seating is free for City Club members, $5 for non-members. see our webpage or e-mail us for more information. Luncheon tickets are $16 for members, $20 for non-members. Call 503-228-7231 to reserve luncheon tickets. Thank you for your interest in our study. General seating tickets are available at the door on a first-come, first-served basis. (Editor’s note: We ran a similar item in Heart to Heart last FCC Oregon-SW Washington year. Ms. Kemp confirmed that the request is still current, and Chinese New Year Party that the researchers particularly need to recruit more children of preschool age.) Feb. 4, 2006, 4 p.m. • Details to follow in next issue Le Jin Restaurant, 82nd and S.E. Division, Portland – 6 – China bids for Kazakhstan Statement of oil company Condensed from The Guardian, Aug. 23 Senator Joseph I. Having withdrawn its offer for the American oil company Unocal, Lieberman China has now announced plans to buy oil producer PetroKazakh- Upon introducing the US-China stan for $4.2 billion. The state-controlled company CNPC seeks Cultural Engagement Act, S. 1117 • May 25, 2005 to complete the deal this year. This would be the largest Chinese w For the first time ever an economic and purchase of a foreign firm so far. China now consumes more oil military superpower is about to emerge than any country other than the United States, six million barrels a without war or catastrophe: Asia’s middle day. It imports 40 percent of its oil. kingdom: the People’s Republic of China, stands at the precipice of becoming one of Bill promotes U.S. education the two most influential nations on earth. about China w Our present education system is not Sen. Joseph Liebermann (D-Conn.) introduced legislation this year to equipped to supply the number of skilled increase U.S. education in Chinese culture and language. Lieberman’s professionals required to constructively speech on the Senate floor, excerpted at right, speaks for itself. The interact with China. National Council of Chinese Americans is seeking to build support w Well over half of the 500 largest companies for this US-China Cultural Engagement Act. To learn more or sign an are currently invested in China... America open letter supporting the bill, go to http://uschinapac.org needs more people with the expertise to transact with China in international affairs and to increase the number of professionals that will assist both nations in growing and September co-president’s message balancing our economic interdependency. Continued from page 2 w Already, our trade with Asia is double that with Europe and is expected to exceed one We have strengthened our relationship with the Portland Classi- trillion dollars annually before 2010. If the cal Chinese Garden by working together to raise money for the U.S. is to grab a significant piece of China’s pavilion that will be dedicated to our children. We are currently burgeoning consumer market, we must begin planning cultural events that will be co-sponsored by FCC and by engaging China as experts of their culture. the garden. w The United States-China Cultural Engage- ment Act of 2005 authorizes $1.3 billion Our website has provided us with information about adoption over the five years after its enactment. This education workshops as well as cultural events in the area. The is a symbolic gesture for the recent birth quarterly newsletter has given us valuable information about of China’s one billion three hundred mil- the international adoption experience and has been a wonderful lionth citizen. source of information about activities and cultural events both w In this legislation, I propose to significantly within FCC and in our community. enhance our schools and academic institu- tions’ ability to teach Chinese language and Our charitable giving initiative has enabled two children in China culture from elementary school through ad- to receive life saving surgery and is providing needed resources vanced degree studies. This act will expand for a very poor orphanage near Beijing. student physical exchange programs with China as well as create a virtual exchange The Waiting Families Group and Playgroups continue to grow infrastructure for secondary school stu- and thrive. Membership has increased significantly this year. We dents that study Chinese. have revised our membership forms and made our database w Engaging China as an ally in international more efficient. We now have an online membership application. affairs and as a partner in building economic prosperity is of the utmost importance to I am very proud that we have been fulfilling the mission of our the United States. FCC chapter. Obviously, none of this would be possible without w The United States-China Cultural Engage- the dedication of our Board and Committee Chairs. ment Act sets forth a strategy for achieving Thank you for all of your hard work this year. that level of understanding and cooperation with China. I urge my colleagues to look favorably upon this measure. – 7 – Mark your calendars now for Friday, Oct. Save Oct. 5 7, 6:30 pm, for our third annual Evening for our annual in the Chinese Garden in Portland’s Classical Chinese Garden – Lan Su Yuan FCC meeting or Garden of Awakening Orchids. Annu- Pencil in 5 p.m., Oct. 5 at the Lucky ally hosted by the garden and FCC Or- Lab pub in Multnomah Village. That’s egon/SW Washington, this event is open the – tentative – date for our FCC to all parents who have children adopted chapter annual meeting. We’ll review from China. The night will feature delec- the year’s accomplishments and October brings table morsels, music and a West Coast install new officers while consuming preview of the Flying the Child’s Hope Art plentiful pizza. Kids are welcome. “An Evening Exhibit. Invitations are coming soon. We Check the web site for details in the Chinese encourage you to bring fellow parents to closer to the date. See you then! this special event. Garden” FCC and the garden share a common by Kim Kono mission in our community, as both Chinese New organizations foster appreciation and Year party set understanding of the Chinese culture for our families and children. The Chi- nese Garden in particular offers year-round engaging family cultural events and for 2006 programming, such as the Chinese New Year Festival, school tours, and Bring a You probably Parent Free Day. don’t have This event is courtesy of the garden and there is no ticket fee. However, please a 2006 consider making a voluntary contribution to the Garden’s Lotus Campaign to calendar name the special spot in the garden–the Hillside Square Pavilion–in honor of our yet to mark, but save the Chinese children. Gifts of all sizes are still needed, and our goal is to dedicate day, anyway. Our the pavilion on Oct. 7. Contributors of $100 and above will have their names (or FCC Chinese New their child’s/children’s names) included on a Scholar’s Scroll in the garden. This is Year celebration for the Year of the a unique opportunity to celebrate your children’s heritage, as well as have your Dog will be held Sat., Feb. 4, 2006, at name become a permanent part of the garden’s history. For contributions of Le Jin Restaurant on the corner of $10,000 or more, Lan Su Yuan will offer donor recognition through the naming 82nd. Ave. and Division St. in South- of available buildings, courtyards, pavilions, Lake Tai rocks, and Leak Windows. To east Portland. Festivities begin at 4 inquire or make a pledge or donation, contact the Garden’s Development Office p.m. LeJin is HUGE – our reserved at 503/228-8131, ext. 1006. space seats 700 – so there should be plenty of room for everyone, plus space for booths for vendors About “Flying the and crafts and games for kids. And while 82nd isn’t in Portland’s tradi- Child’s Hope” tional Chinatown, it is in the heart In October, the Portland Classical Chi- of a new area of Chinese stores and nese Garden will host a special exhibit of restaurants. Chinese children’s art, “Flying the Child’s If you’d like to help plan and put on Hope.” This traveling exhibit features the 2006 party, please contact Den- winning drawings from a contest in nis Baker at [email protected] which children in China were asked to or call 503-244-7058. We’re looking, draw their hopes for the environment. of course, for someone to handle The garden is the sole venue for this registration, organize crafts, run the exhibit on the West Coast. Check the raffle and etc. Have an idea to do garden’s web site or the FCC web site in something new? Let Den know now. coming weeks for more information. Thanks! – 8 – Chinese storyteller High schoolers coming to town invited to Reed’s (Condensed from the Portland Classical Chinese Garden web site) China Day In mid-November, professional By Denise Hare storyteller Charlie Chinn will share Chinese tales, myths and “China Joins the Global Community” will the legends in two Portland appear- keynote speech at the Reed College third annual ances. Both are open to the “China Day,” Saturday, Nov. 12, 2005, on the Reed public with registration. campus. The program, hosted by the Reed College Chin’s interest in history led him Chinese studies faculty, is intended for high school to collect oral histories from students and teachers. University of Oregon Pro- the “Wah Kue” or old timers fessor of Political Science, Richard Kraus, will give of Chinatowns throughout the the keynote address, The lecture will be followed United States. These personal sto- by morning and afternoon workshops on related ries, Chinese legends, and myths, themes, such as “Four Thousand Years of Engage- along with childhood memories of tales told by Chinese hand ment with the World” by Reed College Professor laundry and restaurant workers that Chin has known, are the of History and Humanities, Douglas Fix, and “Chi- core of his storytelling repertoire. Chin studied with the late, na’s Currency Revaluation and WTO Accession: traditional, Chinese storyteller Leong Chi Ming, who instructed Implications for the Domestic Economies of China him in “teahouse style” and the Chinese classical approach to and the U.S.” by Reed College Associate Profes- story presentation. Chin says, “In China, storytelling is a profes- sor of Economics, Denise Hare. The program is sion with a history of over 2,000 years.” free of charge and includes lunch. Pre-registration • On Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m., in collaboration with the Mult- is required. For program details and registration nomah County Library and its 2005 Tapestry of Tales Family instructions, go to http://web.reed.edu/outreach_ Storytelling Festival, the Portland Classical Chinese Garden programs/china_day/index.html or contact Barbara will host Chinn at the Port of Portland in the Commis- Amen at (503) 777-7259. sion Room. His presentation titled ‘Tales from a Chinese Teahouse’ and has been specially crafted for the Portland Classical Chinese Garden. • On Nov. 18, Chinn will speak to the Portland City Club on the history, significance and legacy of Chinatowns in old and modern societies. Mooncakes & pomegranates More in the Chinese No, Go, Garden Yell, Tell (Condensed from the garden’s web site) The Tulen Center On Sept. 17, the Portland Classical Chinese Garden will for Martial Arts is celebrate its fifth anniversary with an evening of traditional repeating its free self-defense class for ages 6-11 Chinese food and festivities. The night will be highlighted with on Oct. 15th from 1-2 p.m. The class is designed a special moon mythology storyteller, retrospective slide show to build simple strategies for self-defense through and an exhibition as well as traditional entertainment. After five practicing verbal and physical skills and role play- years, the Portland Classical Chinese Garden invites all of its ing. The center is located at 10004 S.W. Canyon friends and family to join us for a remarkable evening; a nos- Rd. in Beaverton. For details or to register, contact talgic glance at our grand beginning and a look at our assured Sylvia Smart at 503-291-9333. Space is limited to future as a world class cultural heritage destination. 20 children. – 9 – Chang-e flies Chapter I: The plague of the 10 suns to the moon Once upon a time, when the world was Retold by Lynn Baker young, and there was more coming and going between the heavens and earth than we may see today, there lived a lovely woman named Chang-e and her husband Yi. Yi was a great archer, the greatest of his day, which, as we’ll see, was good for the world but perhaps not so good for Archer Yi. One morning, Chang-e awoke to fierce light shining through her window. In the sky shone 10 bright suns, one following the another across the sky like a parade. As the 10 suns rose, the earth got hotter and hotter. Plants drooped. Dogs panted in the shade. People sweated and looked for the nearest swimming hole. That night everyone breathed a huge sigh of relief. But the next day, it hap- pened again. And the next. And the next. Now the plants weren’t just drooping, they were drying up, and so were the swimming holes, and the rivers and lakes. People were worried as well as too hot. What could they do? In his palace, the Jade Emperor thought and thought. Then he called for Archer Yi. “You are the strongest, the best archer in the world,” the Jade Emperor told Archer Yi. “You can save us. Shoot down the suns! Leave just one, and the world will return to normal.” Yi took a deep breath. “Yes, my emperor,” he said. “I will try.” So Archer Yi took his bow and his quiver full of stout bamboo arrows to the highest peak in China. Up he climbed to the very top. As the first sun rose, he fitted an arrow to his bowstring. As the second sun rose, he drew the bow and let the arrow fly - up, up, up - and shot the second sun from the sky. All that day, Yi shot his arrows from the highest peak, until he had shot nine suns from the sky. That night, he camped on the peak, waiting to see what would happen in the morning. Morning came, and the sun rose. One sun. No more. Yi left the peak and returned to the emperor’s palace. “Well done, Archer Yi!’ said the Jade Emperor. “You have saved the people and the earth.” As a reward, the emperor gave Archer Yi a magic potion that would let him live forever. Chapter 2: The woman on the moon When Yi returned home, he hid the emperor’s gift in a vase at the back of a shelf. He wanted to think before taking something that would make him immortal. Yi and Chang-e lived happily together for a year. Then, one morning while Yi was out hunting, Chang-e cut boughs of peach blossoms to make a bouquet. She took a vase from the back of a high shelf. Something inside glowed. “What’s this?” thought Chang-e. She reached inside and lifted up a small glass vial, smaller than a perfume bottle, which shone with a yellow light. Curious, Continued on next page – 10 – Moon Festival 2 traditions Moon 0 Moon Festival, or Mid-Autumn Festival, is like 0 American Thanksgiving in that it is both a harvest celebration and a time to feast with gathered Festival 5 family. It’s also a reflective holiday, a time to write poems and to remember family far away. One tradition says that if you watch the moon on Moon Festival evening, you can be sure that your loved ones are watching it at the same time, and your thoughts can fly together. The Moon Lady for grownups Chang-e flies to the moon − Continued by Lynn Baker she opened the stopper. The room filled with a strong, sweet On Moon Festival night, Chinese children make a scent. Chang-e dipped her finger in the bottle and touched secret wish to the Moon Lady. The Moon Lady’s her tongue. It was delicious. She took a sip, then realized she’d tale is an exercise in comparative folklore or my- taken all there was. The vial was empty. thology. Variously known as Chang-e, Chang-o and Chang-e felt strangely light. She raised her arms and she floated Chang-er, there are a few constants in her story - off the floor, into the air and straight out the open window. and many variations. The constants include her Faster and faster she rose into the sky. husband the archer, the magic elixir, flying to the moon, the white rabbit on the moon, and the idea Just then, Archer Yi returned home. that once a year, when the moon is largest, Chang- “Yi!” called Chang-e. “Help me!” e and her husband communicate. Yi looked up, saw his wife floating in the sky, and realized there The retelling below draws freely from the sources was nothing he could do. If he shot her with one of his arrows, I enjoy most and bears no seal of authenticity. I he’d kill her. hope you enjoy it. “Chang-e!” he cried. For another version, played Chang-e flew higher and higher, clear to the moon. by our children, come to the FCC Moon Festival picnic Archer Yi went into his empty house, closed the door and wept. Sept. 24. Meanwhile, you may When Chang-e reached the moon, she found a white stone also enjoy Amy Tan’s very nice palace. It was empty except for a white jade rabbit and a single tale-within-a-tale, The Moon tree. She picked up the jade rabbit and held it. Then, alone, she Lady, published in 1992 by wandered from room to room. Mcmillan Publishing Co. “Oh, I wish I could see my Yi again,” she mourned. Back on earth, Yi wished the same. Chang-e is going to Every night, Yi looked at the moon and saw his wife looking the moon − again down at him. China is sending its first space ship to the moon And every night, Chang-e looked for her husband on the in 2007, and has named it Chang-e in honor of the dark earth. Moon Lady. The unmanned vehicle will orbit the And to this day, they look for each other. And every year, on moon for a year and will send out a probe with a the fifteenth day of the eighth month, when the moon is largest robot to collect soil samples before returning to and brightest and closest to the earth, Chang-e and Yi meet on earth. Bringing the historical allusions closer to our a rope of moonbeams and are together in spirit once more. day, Chang-e will be launched into space by China’s Long March 3A rocket. The Chinese space center is The end. Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province.

– 11 – Easy Chinese Mooncakes Submitted by Karen Art This is a very kid-friendly version of mooncakes, fun and easy to make. For a slightly more authentic version, try red bean 2 paste, chopped candied ginger and walnuts or even custard 0 Moon or lemon curd to imitate the traditional egg yolk. Makes 24 0 Ingredients: 5 Festival 1/4 cup sugar 2 egg yolks 1/2 cup salted butter 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup strawberry (or your favorite) jam Directions: • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. About Mooncakes • Combine butter, sugar and 1 egg yolk. Stir. Mooncakes are to China what fruitcake is to America – a • Mix in flour. holiday constant. Like fruitcake, homemade varieties may • Form dough into a large ball, wrap in plastic wrap and be fresher and tastier than many of available in stores. At refrigerate for half an hour. right is an easy recipe to try making your own. • Unwrap the chilled dough and form small balls in the Mooncakes are said to have changed history. During the palms of your hand. Yuan Dynasty, when Mongols had conquered China, a Han • Make a hole with your thumb in the center of each leader named Liu Fu Tong organized an insurrection by mooncake and fill with about 1/2 teaspoon of jam. having friendly bakers put a message in their mooncakes. • Brush cakes with the other beaten egg yolk and place on The message gave the time and place to gather for battle a cookie sheet. and asked families to raise flags and light lanterns on their • Bake for about 20 minutes or just until the outside edges rooftops and to beat drums and gongs at that time. Fol- are slightly brown. lowing the instructions in their mooncakes, on the 15th night of the eighth moon, the people rebelled, the Yuan From DLTK’s Crafts for Kids, a self-described “hobby” site run by dynasty was overthrown and the Ming began. Leanne, “a mom with two girls as my official craft testers and So, enjoy your mooncakes, perhaps, with a cup of Boston tea. daddy as my technical support.” The mooncakes recipe was submit- If anyone has a favorite moon cake recipe or technique, ted to the site by Shirley. The site includes children’s crafts, color- send it in and we’ll share it next year. ing pages and projects. Check it out at: http://www.dltk-kids.com/

Families With Children From China Oregon and SW Washington PO Box 5642 • Portland OR 97201

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