Yvonne hosts community events that add an element of cultural learning and experience for groups in person and on-line.
Duration: Each presentation or workshop lasts 1 hour to 90 minutes, including questions and answers. Participants see, handle, experience related Chinese artifacts and have their questions answered in a comprehensible, relatable way.
Benefits: Yvonne can help your audience feel comfortable with Chinese and East Asian cultural topics. She is approachable and her stories are relatable to the American experience. The audience feels welcome to ask basic questions and leaves with a broader global understanding.
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Birds and Blossoms: Chinese Water Color Appreciation Educator Yvonne Wolf guides attendees through a popular art motif, namely birds and blossoms. Colorful peony flowers are frequently seen on the walls of large Chinese restaurants. Plum blossoms and birds are on Chinese take-out boxes. These paintings communicate prosperity and fulfillment in a highly balanced relationship. Attendees will learn the composition of yin and yang pairs, and gain a cross-cultural perspective on birds and blossoms.
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Celebrating the Cherry Blossom Festival (March, April, up to early May)
Japan has been a fascinating American tourist attraction for decades. Educator Yvonne Wolf lived and worked in Japan. She will give a brief overview of Japan’s national flower and welcome Spring the Japanese way, through the cherry blossom festivals. Cherry Blossom season is from early March to early May. Photo by Mark Tegethoff via Unsplash.com
A Bite of Chinatown History
The history of any Chinatown in the US is rich with immigration legal difficulties, Chinese food history, illicit opium and gambling activities, and unconventional family ties. The history of San Francisco Chinatown embodies all these dramatic elements and more. Educator Yvonne Wolf will give a brief history of San Francisco Chinatown starting with how Chinese immigrants were impelled to leave China in mid-1800s, how they skirted around The Chinese Exclusion Act after 1882, and what they contributed to the greater American cultural history. Join Yvonne in taking a journey back in time to Old Gold Mountain.
Photo by Kendall Scott on Unsplash
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Soup, Eggroll, Stir Fry and Rice: The Hidden Meanings in Chinese Food Chinese food is set up in a combination of soup, eggroll, stir fry and rice. What is the order behind the Chinese menu? If you wince at seeing whole fish or shrimp served with heads on, rest assured that the heads aren’t attached to upset your appetite. Yvonne will introduce you to a taste of cultural history behind America’s favorite cuisine. After this talk, you will gain a new perspective on the Chinese dining experience, whether it is sit-down or take-out.
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An Introduction to the East Asian Garden: Yvonne Wolf gives a short background on the aesthetics of the Japanese and the Chinese gardens. Discover Confucian symbolism expressed in gardens and how they are used to relieve stress and cultivate inner peace. Learn the cultural history of the East Asian Garden and its carefully composed scenes of ponds, paths, and pavilions. Yvonne will use examples from the Japanese Garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden and Ping Tom Park in Chicago Chinatown, and other East Asian gardens in the US. After attending this presentation, you will have a greater understanding and appreciation of East Asian gardens. (There is a version of this program that focuses on Japanese Gardens only.)
What’s in a Name? Getting Started on Chinese Genealogy Search
Join educator Yvonne Wolf in exploring your Chinese ancestry. Learn about the Chinese naming system, Chinese characters, and common surnames. She will also present some common items that will help you uncover your family history such as tombstones, ancestral tablets, and name seals.
Photo by Freepik.com
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Secret Messages in Jade: Chinese jade carvings have symbols of butterflies, bats, pines, ribbons, and fruit. These designs are not only pleasing but also an important part of the Chinese picture-based language. These motifs and images actually communicate hidden messages, unexpected meanings for numbers, and appropriate gift recipients. Educator Yvonne Wolf will decipher some examples found in The Lizzadro Collection and share a shortcut to reading Chinese symbolism. Image courtesy of The Lizzadro Museum.
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Celebrating the Lunar New Year (mid- January to end of February) The Lunar New Year season lasts from January 28 to February 12, 2025. It is a holiday observed by about 20% of the world’s population, yet many are unfamiliar with how it is celebrated.
Educator Yvonne Wolf tells us about the Chinese calendar in relation to the Chinese New Year, the rites, activities, symbols, and foods associated with it and how you can participate in your own home. Whether it is your first time celebrating this cross-cultural festival or part of your annual routine, join us as we prepare for the Year of the Snake.
Image by Freepik.com
Celebrating Lunar New Year in Copenhagen: A Chinese American’s Journey in Denmark
Yvonne was born in Taiwan, immigrated to the U.S. as a child. During the 1992 – 1993
school year, Yvonne was an exchange student at The University of Copenhagen. After marrying a Dane in 1994, she continued to pursue her studies and worked various jobs. While living in Denmark, she formed connections with Chinese individuals, Danes, and expats from a multitude of other countries. After leaving Denmark, she has continued to develop friendships with Danish speakers in the U.S.and maintained her Danish language competency. This is her story about her most memorable Lunar New Year celebration in 1995 in Copenhagen.
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The Untold Story Behind Mahjong: Mah jongg came a long way…from China to the US. This seminar will enlighten you about how that journey came about, what the Mahjong characters (AKA kraks), bamboos (AKA bams), and dots represent and the difference between Mah jongg and mahjong. Yvonne Wolf also explains the history, cultural symbols, Chinese expressions, and cultural evolution of the internationally popular Chinese game of mahjong.
Yin and Yang of Mindfulness: Mindfulness is often explained as having faraway Asian roots embedded in the past. Yet there are many accessible examples of yin and yang that you can find in contemporary life. Join cultural educator Yvonne Wolf to learn the basic principles of Daoism, the balance of the two energies, yin and yang, and the visible versus the invisible energies. Participate in light stretches as you reach for the positive and let go of the negative. This workshop involves a low range of physical motion. This workshop is best held in a room with a window. Photo by Unsplash.com
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Magic in Numbers: Cultural Meanings for Chinese Numbers. Friday the 13th as a movie title is only terrifying to a Western audience. How would the Chinese translate such a cultural phenomenon? Is there an equivalent devastating number in Chinese culture? Yvonne will explain the cross cultural significance of lucky numbers and signs in Chinese cultural context. Our ancestors were fascinated with math and its magical connection with social relationships. Many cultures had numbers that symbolize happiness, joy, or doom. Let’s explore this emotional relationship with numbers.
Photo by Mick Haupt via Unsplash.com
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An Introduction to the Art of Chinese Papercutting
Educator Yvonne Wolf presents an introduction to the Chinese papercutting art as it relates to other cultures. She will bring samples of Chinese master artwork papercutting as well as showing beginner projects that can be finished within a few minutes. Templates will be provided. If you are a papercutting master or first timer who wants to cut a snowflake, you’ll find something interesting to start a new paper hobby.
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A Brief Cultural History of Taiwan
Republic of China or Formosa is a common name used for Taiwan in the last 50 years. Since then, some people have been anticipating a conflict coming to a head with China. When and how did this subtropical country become culturally Chinese? What has been the UN status of this island republic in the last century? Understanding the historical and cultural background of this country will help Americans make up our minds about any future conflicts.
A Traditional Chinese Tea Demonstration: According to Confucianism, the art of tea is as much transformative on an introspective level as it is on a ceremonial level. Gain a brief background on the origin of tea and its role in East Asian social interactions along with its many benefits. Engage in the ritual of tea handling, tea ware function and identification, and proper tea steeping.
An Introduction to Traditional Chinese Medicine:
Educator Yvonne Wolf gives a brief background on the ancient practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine, including three main principles of its purpose. She will relate this ancient study to Western traditions and introduce 10 common roots and herbs that are meaningful and useful in Chinese Traditional Medicine such as ginger, ginseng, and licorice. She will show samples of these common herbs and roots. If you have been curious but not quite confident about trying Chinese herbal medicine, this presentation will be the first step towards an alternative path to health.
Photo from Unsplash.com
A Travelogue for China, Japan, and Taiwan: Cultural consultant Yvonne Wolf has traveled and lived in these countries. She will guide you through typical destinations, cultural observations, tips and recommendations, and best-value experiences in these countries. She is skilled at preparing you mentally for heading to East Asia, where everything runs on Asian logic. Whether you are an avid hiker, a picky eater, or a spa enthusiast, you will learn something valuable. (This program can focus on one, two, or three countries.)
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The Animals of Chinese Zodiac and You: The Chinese use the zodiac animals to inspire and encourage positive qualities in ourselves by learning from the natural world. The twelve zodiac signs were and are used to measure time, compatibility for marriage, compatibility with a chosen occupation, and many more areas in one’s life. Your Chinese zodiac animal may have hidden qualities you previously were not aware of.