Saturdays with heroes ...and a few scoundrels

MANILA, Philippines - My saturdays are often spent plumbing the treasures of Chinese history and culture: from classical Chinese poetry with its peculiar system of word usage, to the mysticism of Taoism that gives a different perspective on the ways of the universe and man’s relationships.

We are currently nearing the end of the saga – or the romance, as it is called – of the Three Kingdoms, that period in Chinese history (220-280) when the kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu had a very tenuous co-existence, and their leaders were constantly fighting and scheming, trying to outwit and out maneuver each other to gain the upper hand in the quest not just for power, supremacy and pride, but sometimes for mere survival. We learn about statesmanship, military strategy, psy-war, torture, traditional medicine, and even the origin of the mantou or bun that is a common favorite. It is better than any telenovela or TV series, and since we meet only once a week – with sometimes longer breaks in between – each three-hour class ends with a cliff hanger. If only my Chinese history classes in high school were half as interesting I would have paid attention in class.

The Confucius Institute at the Ateneo is providing Filipinos and Chinese-Filipinos and anyone interested the opportunity to learn one of the most important languages today and to gain insights into the world’s second largest economy and its people. The Chinese language classes at the Confucius Institute range from basic to advanced and business Chinese, and several grades in between. One-on-one language lessons can also be arranged.

My Chinese history class photo with teacher Clark Alejandrino (standing, third from right).

When the institute was established in 2006, director Dr. Ellen Palanca – who is also a respected economist, former chair of the Ateneo Economics department – was not sure they would get enough students to form classes.

The first cycle had only five classes with 98 students. Classes were held in three locations – at the Loyola (Quezon City) and Salcedo (Makati) campuses of the Ateneo, and at Xavier School in San Juan.

The Confucius Institute was set up by the Chinese government to promote Chinese language and culture all over the world. The first such institute was set up in Seoul, Korea in 2004. As of end-2010, there are 322 Confucius Institutes in 96 countries. In 2009, Confucius Institutes across the globe offered over 9,000 Chinese courses to 260,000 enrollees.

Confucius Institute director Dr. Ellen Palanca and Chinese director Prof. Zhang Shitai

True to its intention, the classes draw a big number of Filipinos, and some Chinese-Filipinos or Tsinoys. Enrollees in the basic language classes mostly have no background whatsoever in the Chinese language, and many of those students have progressed to higher levels and have gained significant proficiency in the language.

Classes are offered in cycles of 10 sessions. The current 18th cycle of classes runs until mid-July, and enrollment is now over 300 students.

Instructors come from the Chinese Studies program at the Ateneo, as well as from their partner institution, Sun Yat Sen University in Guangzhou. There are also visiting instructors from China. In addition, experts in various fields such as martial arts, taijiquan, Chinese painting and calligraphy, and even cooking are invited to teach classes or conduct workshops. Last year, the Confucius Institute was tapped to train the staff of the Philippine pavilion at the 2010 Shanghai Expo.

The institute’s new headquarters in Salcedo village in Makati occupies the whole sixth floor of the Ateneo Professional Schools. The 1,000-square meter area has as its centerpiece the Cultural Experience Center, an innovative and interactive facility with 42-inch touch screen panels featuring state of the art software from Hanban, the Confucius Institute’s headquarters in Beijing.

Students and visitors will get to experience China’s rich culture through software such as taking a photo in Beijing opera costumes, paper cutting of Chinese zodiac animals, China folk music, kung fu, calligraphy, ancient Chinese science and technology, Chinese cuisine, a Q&A about ancient Chinese thinkers, and others.

The center also includes two classrooms, a classroom/computer room, a reading room, a conference room, pantry and a multi-purpose lounge area. Chinese artworks and artifacts enhance the learning center.

The Confucius Institute at the Ateneo is one of the most successful in the world, and this is evidenced by the 2009 Individual Performance Excellence Award that the Hanban, the Confucius Institute headquarters in Beijing, conferred on Palanca in 2009. The following year, Zhang Shitao, Chinese director of the institute at the Ateneo, was honored with the same award.   

One-on-one language class.

According to Palanca, curiosity about the language and the usefulness of the Chinese language for work and business are two of the main reasons for enrollment. But it isn’t just utilitarian or business reasons that draw people to the institute. For Tsinoys – especially those of the younger generations born and raised in the Philippines – who may speak the language in varying degrees of proficiency, the Confucius Institute offers the opportunity to learn more about the rich culture, history and traditions that are an integral part of our identity.

Johnny Tioco, a businessman, looks at the classes as a refresher course of what he learned in school years ago. “It gives me a better understanding of Chinese history and culture, offering in-depth insights into the history of China,” he tells STARweek.

Tioco mentions in particular the high caliber instructors at the institute. “They are mostly young but very knowledgeable,” he says. “Our history teacher Glenn Ang very ably discussed the military aspect of the history of China, a point of view you don’t get very often.”

Mary Tan agrees. “We have very good teachers,” she says, citing in particular Three Kingdoms teacher Clark Alejandrino. She adds with a laugh, “And I like our classmates very much!”

Judy Co appreciates the informal atmosphere of her classes in history and philosophy, where – she notes happily – there are no exams and no forced recitation. “Teacher Clark not only teaches us the history, he also gives us insights and sidelights that help us understand and appreciate the history even more, like the origins and background of some popular sayings and practices. And very often, we find lessons applicable to our daily lives.”

Pia Lim-Castillo was one of the first students of the institute, enrolling in Basic Chinese 1 in 2006. “I thought that learning Chinese would be very challenging. In the beginning, I thought of learning only to tutor my grandson but in the end, I’ve learned so much more,” she says. She has now advanced to Intermediate Chinese.

“Learning the language is part and parcel of learning the psyche of the Chinese people and their culture through their words, idioms and even the characters they write,” she says. “In the process, I’ve learned the psychology of their history and what drives the Chinese people. This for me has been most valuable.”

A taijiquan class with sifu Edwin Ang.

For Masters in Management student Claire Solis, learning Chinese was necessary not only for business but for survival as a foreign student spending a semester in Shanghai. She enrolled in a one-on-one class, two hours twice a week. Individual classes do not follow a lesson plan, but are structured according to the needs and level of proficiency of the student. Solis has been studying tones and sounds, basic characters, numbers and sentences, enough for practical things like riding the train and buying food.

Cardiac surgeon Eduardo Bautista has been studying kung fu since he was 11 years old, and recently renewed his practice of taijiquan at the Confucius Institute with sifu Edwin Ang.

“I have realized that the ‘secrets’ of taijiquan can be explored with an authentic Master who adjusts his teaching to individual needs and capacities,” he says.

Student, businessman, housewife, doctor, artist... Everyone can learn from the language and culture of the Chinese. And the Confucius Institute is ready to help each one find what he or she is looking for.