School is out, Christmas and the New Year is approaching and you’re wondering what to do with the kids. Not to worry! If you want to avoid having your little and not so little ones hibernating at home the following winter camps have got you covered. Keep the kids active through learning and play this cold season!

BSB Shunyi Early Years Winter Camp, Dec 17 – Jan 4

This year The British School of Beijing Shunyi (BSB Shunyi) will run an Early Years Winter Camp from December 17 2018 until January 4 2019.  With early bird discounts for sign ups before November 30, the camp is designed for parents who would like their children to brush up on their English or Mandarin while having fun.

BSB Shunyi will offer two programs for children aged between 2-6, one that focuses on English as a second language and the other on Mandarin. Age- and level-appropriate language lessons will take place in the mornings and a range of activities, including arts and crafts, sports, and story time will be offered in the afternoons.

Registration is now open and available to foreign passport holders for BSB and non-BSB students. Ages 2–6. Early bird discount RMB 4,500 (1 week) RMB 7,500 (2 weeks) RMB 9,500 (3 weeks). Normal Fees RMB 5,000 (1 week) RMB 8,000 (2 weeks) RMB 10,000 (3 wks). 9-3pm. British School of Beijing, Shunyi. Register before Dec 8 at wintercamp@britishschool.org.cn.

The SLab 101 Winter Camp, Dec 17 – Jan 4

Sign the up kids for learning and experimentation at The SLab. There will be something for all ages and interests over the winter break with four unique three-day camps which will range from sewing to movie-making classes. Join Jen and her team in a space that will ignite the imagination and build upon and introduce new skills, as well as provide a sanctuary for creative minds.

Kids can take their pick from some awesome workshops. These include Sewing 101, Metalsmithing 101, Movie-making and Movie Editing. In the first of the camps, students of eight and above will be taught how to prepare, cut, sew and creatively embellish their own drawstring bags. In the Metalsmithing workshop, kids of 12 and above will be given the opportunity to learn how to pierce, saw and finish metal pieces using brass and silver to create their own accessories.

If the subject of movies is more likely to get the kids’ creative juices flowing, both the movie-making and movie-editing workshops will provide ample time for students of 12 and above to hone movie industry skills such as scripting, planning, and producing, to learning foundational tools of editing techniques. All camps are inclusive of materials and lunch. Sewing 101 (Kids 8 +) RMB 1888. 10- 4pm. Metalsmithing 101(Kids 12 +) RMB 1,888.  10- 4pm. Movie-Making (Kids 8 +) RMB 2,400. 10- 4pm. Editing in iMovie (Kids 12 +) RMB 2,400. 10- 4pm. The Slab, 102, 15 Dongzhimen Outer Street. To register add on WeChat: JenPohland.

Flip and Kicks Plus Sports Winter Camp, Dec 17 – Jan 4

Flips and Kicks Plus, in collaboration with the Kerry Sports Center, are offering kids plentiful options to keep active this winter with fun multi-sports camps. Kids get to jump, hoop, and plunge their way into sporty fun with activities ranging from Martial Arts, Gymnastics, Swimming, Fencing, and much more!

All classes will be facilitated by expert sports coaches and split into age-appropriate groups; one for 4-7 year olds and one for 8-12 year olds.  Ages 4 – 12. RMB 3,200 (Half day) RMB 4,500 (Full day including lunch). 9am – 12pm (Half day) 9am-2:30pm (Full day). Dec 17 – 21 (Block One) Dec 24 – 28 (Block Two) Dec 31 –  Jan 4 (Block Three). Kerry Sports Center. For more information or to register please contact Kerry Sports at hbkc@thekerryhotels.com or call on 8565 2460.

Atelier Fablab & Art Christmas Winter Camp, Dec 17 – Jan 5

Atelier Fablab will host two awesomely creative Christmas holiday camps this winter for students aged 6 and above. The first, inspired by the iconic Star Wars franchise, features a lightsaber building class, and the other introduces students to the Wild West through discovery of the American Railroads, a journey into the conquest of the West and the learning, coding, and designing of their very own Wild West virtual world!

These are some unique opportunities for kids to engage in topics they perhaps have not yet discovered while having fun and being creative. Morning classes will take place for the older kids and afternoon sessions for the little ones. Included in their extravaganza of winter offerings are three art camps, exploring Der Blaue Reiter(The Blue Rider), A Journey to the World of Native Americans, and Venice and its Carnival. Students will be given the opportunity to work on such techniques as sketching, collage, painting using watercolors and acrylics, and 3D modeling using cardboard; an in-depth look into the world of Art and all its color.

Ages 6 +, RMB 2000 – 4500. 9:30-12pm (morning session), 1-3pm (afternoon session.) December 17-January 5. Atelier Sanlitun Campus. For more information go to www.atelier.cn.com or call 6416 1614. WeChat: atelier_apas.

The Children’s House Montessori Kindergarten Winter Camp, Dec 17 – 28

The Children’s House Montessori School is offering a winter holiday filled with science experiments and winter animals. Kids will find out all about penguins, how they keep warm and why squirrels gather food. The immersive two-week camp will involve students following an array of winter animals and learning how they survive freezing temperatures in the first week and learning how to make a rainbow or rain cloud in a jar in the second.

During the two exciting weeks students will use hands-on techniques and experiments to indirectly learn about physics and chemistry and engage with stimulating new ways to learn through play and investigation. Will it be Winter Animals or Science Experiments? Or both? Time for the kids to go on an adventure that explores both nature and science! Ages 1.5 – 6. RMB 3,500 – 6,500. 9am-3pm. Dec 17-28. The Children’s House Montessori Kindergarten. For more information contactinfo@montessoribeijing.com or call 8556 4122.

First Adventure Winter Camp, Dec 24 – 28 

British run English Language School, First Adventure will hold a five-day Christmas Winter Camp with all the trimmings. Students will participate in two-hour daily sessions that will include learning and play with drama, science and English classes.

Kids will have fun creating flower arrangement handcrafts and Christmas cards. There will be a number of team building activities for the students to participate in along with an itinerary that’s stacked with cool and fun happenings, including, performing arts, Christmas party games, mad science (excavating dinosaurs), Christmas Stocking making, letters to Santa and more. Oh what fun!

First Adventure will provide all of the materials and resources for all aspects of the program and snacks. Kids are encouraged to attend the winter camp in red or green. This Christmas themed Winter Camp is a full of festive fun and one to keep the kids occupied throughout the holiday period. Get the kids out on Christmas eve to have fun and make new friends and if you fancy it, you can also drop them off on Christmas day! Whatever the case First Adventure has got the parents and kids covered this season. Ages 3-8. RMB 1,980. 9am-11am. Dec 24-28. First Adventure, Upper East Side. For more information contact WeChat: firstadventurehr

.Photos: courtesy of organizers

It could be said that one sign of a prosperous society is the number of artists it’s able to produce. Think about ancient Greece, Florence in the early years of the 15th century, New York in the 20th century, etc. People have more time to be creative if money is flooding in. Beijing is no exception. It was reported by China Daily last week that a record amount of high school graduates have applied for positions in the top two performing art schools in China.

This year, more than 45,000 students will be taking the Beijing Film Academy entrance exam. 10,000 aspiring thespians will compete to gain admission in a department that will only except 50 applicants.
In addition to becoming an actor or actress, many students are also applying for the school’s directing, scriptwriting, production, and editing departments, of which the admission rates are just below .5 percent.

The Beijing Film Academy is one of the most prestigious acting schools in the country and has produced some of the most famous stars and directors in China, including Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Jiang Wu, and Huang Bo. Another school that is currently seeing a surge in applicants is the Shanghai Theater Academy, where over 6,000 will compete for the 50 places in the acting department.

China Daily mentions that this surge of interest in media and performing arts corresponds to the rapid rise of film and online video in China. Box office revenue surged 13.4 percent in 2017 to RMB 56 billion, with domestic films contributing 53.8 percent, according to the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television (SAPPRFT). In the first half of last year a staggering 5,000 internet film, series, cartoon, and documentaries were registered with SAPPRFT.

Photo: china.org.cn

Here we asked international high school students about what extracurricular activities have been memorable at their respective schools. Beyond helping make a well-rounded student, extracurriculars provide all sorts of fun and opportunities for these young students to explore other areas of interest. Here’s what they had to say about their individual experiences. 

Caio Motta: The British School of Beijing (BSB), Shunyi

What are some of your most memorable academic endeavors, extracurricular activities, or school trips you have taken part in over the past four years?
The most memorable trip was the one in Year 12 where the teachers and Year 12 students went to Tanzania which also incorporated my IB CAS project work, charitable work, and a safari. This was a life-changing experience that myself and my colleagues will remember forever.

How have these activities provided by your school helped shape you as a person?
Completing the Tanzanian project taught me various skills such as how to build and use tools, how to talk to the locals and make myself understood, how to appreciate the wildlife and what is being done to conserve it in Africa.

Beyond academics, has your school been helpful in providing electives and extracurricular activities that cultivate your interests?
We have chances to take part in many IB CAS activities working at migrant schools; there is also a variety of sports programs that are held after school since we are part of ACAMIS.

Chelsea Lee: Yew Chung International School of Beijing

What are some of your most memorable academic endeavors, extracurricular activities, or school trips you have taken part in over the past four years?
Some of the extracurricular activities that were really meaningful to this change are football, Dew Drops Charity, and Roots & Shoots where I was able to learn and mature in aspects such as cooperation, leadership, and responsibility.

How have these activities provided by your school helped shape you as a person?
Through the welcoming environment provided by our school, and through working with innovative and enthusiastic teammates that were passionate about the club, I became more confident in attempting new things.

Beyond academics, has your school been helpful in providing electives and extracurricular activities that cultivate your interests?
Through our CAS fair, I was able to establish the Roots and Shoots Club and the Dew Drops Charity, developing them into fun and meaningful clubs that thrive both within and outside the school.

Simon Floris: Western Academy of Beijing

What are some of your most memorable academic endeavors, extracurricular activities, or school trips you have taken part in over the past four years?
My favorite thing to do at WAB is by far singing in a choir. I’m in two different school choirs, HS (High School) and the APAC (Asian Pacific Activities Conference) Choir. The former is mandatory for the latter, where we perform all over Asia. It’s challenging, but oh so worth it.

How have these activities provided by your school helped shape you as a person?
I think APAC Choir has taught me to improve my ability to feel more comfortable: in front of an audience, yes, but also next to singers I have just met, with homestay families whose house I’m invading, and even with conductors who have their own Wikipedia page.

Beyond academics, has your school been helpful in providing electives and extracurricular activities that cultivate your interests?
I absolutely love movies, and I’m lucky enough to go to one of the few schools in Beijing that take film seriously. Not only is there a course, but there’s the Identity Film Festival (for which I have been head of submissions), and many other opportunities to develop my skills.

Photos: Courtesy of BSB Shunyi, YCIS Beijing, WAB

This article originally appeared on p96
of beijingkids School Choice Guide 2018-2019.

What defines educational success for our children? Do we know for sure that our current education models, learning environment and institutions are set up for success in the 21st Century? These challenging questions form the framework for discussion about the next iteration of top-notch education around the world. On Tuesday January 17th at 4pm, Beijing International Bilingual Academy will host a screening of the new documentary film Most Likely to Succeed to begin a discussion on what education will look like in the future based on the lessons from our past.

Teachers, Parents and members of the community are invited to join us for the film screening and following discussion presented by Dr. Philip J. Bossert of ORIENTECH and Director of Strategic and International Programs for the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools.

Most Likely to Succeed (MLTS) offers an inspiring look at what students and teachers are capable of — if we have the vision and courage to transform our schools. Directed by acclaimed documentarian Greg Whiteley, the film has been an official selection of two dozen of the world’s top film festivals, including Sundance, Tribeca, AFI, Cleveland, Dallas, Milwaukee, Sarasota, Seattle, Virginia, and Bergen. It’s been featured at leading conferences on education, including ASU/GSV, SxS Wedu, Harvard/Goldman Sachs, and New Schools Venture Fund. Audience members call it the most compelling film ever done on the topic of school.

This film is not yet publicly released or available for individual purchase. In the past year, more than 1,500 communities have booked a screening of Most Likely to Succeed. These screenings create space for meaningful and necessary discussion between educators, administrators, parents and students about how steps towards change can be taken on a school level.

The run time is 89 minutes; the screening will be followed by a discussion on applications for a 21st century education. Light food and soft drinks will be prepared.

About the Presenter

Dr. Philip J. Bossert: In addition to presenting to schools and conferences around the world, Dr. Bossert is also the Director of the Institute for 21st Century Teaching & Learning and Schools of the Future Project at the Hawaii Association for Independent Schools. He is simultaneously the co-founder and a principal consultant of OrienTech, an education technology consulting and resource development company. He has served as Executive Director & CEO of the Hawaii High Technology Development Corporation and as Vice President for Business Development with Ohana Learning.

Prior to that, he was Deputy Director of the Hawaii State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism, President & CEO of Strategic Information Solutions, Assistant Superintendent for Information & Telecommunication Services for the Hawaii State Department of Education, Strategic Information Systems Manager for GTE Hawaiian Tel, and President of Hawaii Loa College. Dr. Bossert has been a Fulbright-Hayes Scholar, Woodrow Wilson Fellow, and National Endowment for the Humanities Grantee; and he holds a B.A. in Economics & Philosophy from Rockhurst College in Kansas City and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Philosophy from Washington University in St. Louis. He has published five books and more than thirty articles and reviews in the areas of technology, education and philosophy; and has worked as a consultant for numerous corporations and non-profit organizations in the US and Asia.

Education and Curriculum Reform in 21st Century, Jan 17
Ages 15+ BIBA Middle/High School 4F Meeting Room. Free. 4-7pm. 5 Yumin Road, Houshayu, Shunyi, Beijing

The Doraemon franchise has recently released the film, Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan 2016, which is based on the popular animation and manga (comicbook) series that many are familiar with today. Those who had grown up with the anime series tend to be interested whenever a new Doraemon film comes out as it recalls childhood memories of watching the series.

Doraemon: Nobita and the Birth of Japan 2016 features the same group of characters as the original anime series and has been available in Beijing with a Chinese dubbed version. The film retains the characteristic personality traits of each of these characters: the orderly and kind-hearted girl, the clumsy but well-meaning main character, his more reckless and aggressive friend…and of course Doraemon himself, the friend doubling as advisor who constantly produces new futuristic gadgets and inventions from the kangaroo-esque pouch under his bell collar.

The film uses the vibrant colors and clearly delineated imagery that is consistent with the anime series, and the characters show emotion in an upfront and relatively unrestricted manner that can arguably be an augmentation of feasible reality, and yet is designed to, rather successfully, emphasize the genuine nature of their feelings as is compatible with the uncalculating nature of youth. As the plot unfolds, visual style complements film content for the vibrancy of the animation’s visual elements contributes to the intensity and purity of the characters’ emotional expressions.

Overall, the storyline follows a relatively archetypal trajectory with a peaceful exposition, ascending action that builds up to a conflict-driven and visually action-packed climax, which then glides down to the usual, mostly happy–albeit slightly bittersweet–resolution.

While it is a children’s film with a straightforward plot that arguably lacks subtlety or significance beyond the common themes of good versus evil and the importance of courage and morality, there was a surprisingly dark moment in the film when a character, in what may be considered a near-death experience, deeply explored psychological questions on self-value and the connection between self-perceived potential and negative external reinforcements from society.

While not deviating much from standard expectations of its genre, this Doraemon film could be a good choice for spending more time together with your child over the weekend. If nothing else, for someone familiar with the anime, the colorful imageries of the characters exploring vast landscapes provide entertainment, awakening memories spanning the last several decades.

Featured Image Source: Deviant Art 

Net Savings is a regular series in which we spotlight businesses and services that accept mobile payment methods like online banking, Alipay, WeChat Wallet, and Baidu Wallet.

On Friday, my boyfriend and I attended the first midnight screening of Star Wars: The Force Awakens with a group of friends. We browsed movie times as soon as pre-sale tickets became available, located a cinema with Dolby Atmos surround sound, and got a special deal for just RMB 63 per seat – all from WeChat Wallet. (Rest assured, the rest of this article contains no spoilers.)

1. To book movie tickets on WeChat, first go to WeChat Wallet under “Me.” Select “Movie Tickets.”

2. By default, the home screen shows a list of movies that are currently playing. The posters help, but it’s best to know the Chinese name of the film you want to see. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is translated as 星球大战：原力觉醒 (xingqiu dazhan: yuan li juexing).

To see a list of movie theaters instead, select the projector icon at the bottom of the screen (影院 yingyuan).

3. Click on the movie you want to see. You’ll get a listing with a synopsis, screenshots, trailers, and reviews. To buy tickets, click on the green button at the bottom of the screen (立即购票 liji gou piao).

4. You must now choose a movie theater. This can get really confusing, so be sure to have the name of your local cinema in Chinese; enter it into the search bar at the top of the screen or scroll down until you see it in the list.

Popular cinemas listed in WeChat Movie Tickets include:

• Megabox Sanlitun 美嘉欢乐影城三里屯店
• Lumière Pavilions (Parkview Green) 卢米埃北京芳草地影城
• UME International Cineplex (Shuangjing) UME国际影院（双井）
• Saga Cinema (Solana) 传奇时代影城
• Broadway Cinematheque (MOMA) 当代MOMA百老汇电影中心

5. Once you find a cinema, choose a time and date. Screenings shown in Dolby Atmos are labeled with a little “Atmos” icon.

6. Select your seats. The nifty system doesn’t allow any gaps between seats, so get ready to cuddle up with your neighbors.

7. Check your order, then pay through WeChat Wallet by tapping the green button (立即付款 liji fukuan). Enter your mobile number into the field at the bottom of the screen to receive any updates about the screening via SMS.

Note that movie tickets can’t be returned or exchange.

That’s it! When you get to the movie theater, either pick up your tickets at the customer service counter or print them out from the dedicated machine.

Sijia Chen is a contributing editor at beijingkids and a freelance writer who has covered travel, tech, culture, parenting, and the environment. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, The Independent, the Beijinger, Midnight Poutine, and more. Follow her on Twitter at @sijiawrites or email her at sijiachen@beijing-kids.com.

Photo by Pascal (via Flickr), screenshots by Sijia Chen

Sponsored by Beijing City International School (BCIS). Located in Beijing’s CBD, BCIS lives by its motto: “Empowering and Inspiring Through Challenge and Compassion.” This not-for-profit, co-educational day school provides a personalized, inclusive international curriculum under the International Baccalaureate (IB) World School system, offering the PYP, MYP and DP to both expatriate and Chinese national students from Toddler to Grade 12. For more information, please email admissions@bcis.cn 

Lights, Camera, Action! Once again, Beijing City International School is accepting entries for its 2016 Flux Film Festival, an annual event that has become something of a school tradition since beginning back in 2011. The festival is open to student and teacher filmmakers from all over the world, and in the past has enjoyed participation from all over China and much further beyond. Last year, for example, saw entries from the US, Germany and Italy.

Over the years, the Flux has evolved from an “Awards Show” format to a more open and public show as was employed in Flux 2015. It is a much-celebrated event, chiefly because it is student-led, and is a wonderful opportunity to open up the school community and share artistic talent. Entries are divided into age groups and categories, with the youngest entrants usually of elementary school age, and the oldest being high school seniors, and teachers (as of 2014). Categories have included animated films, public service announcements (PSA), music videos, special effects and many others.

Judging is carried out by industry professionals, including critics, filmmakers and others involved in the arts. Flux 2015, for example, saw noted Chinese filmmakers, Moxie Peng and Fan Popo join the panel. The judges represent one of the strongest elements of the Flux, which is that participants can have their work scrutinized by a professional of the film world. This adds a lot of meaning to an award, and helps the organizing students attract entries of the highest possible quality.

Logistically, the competition would be a lot simpler if kept within BCIS, but the students have always felt that opening the event up to the whole world is what makes is truly unique among events in the international school community. Last year’s event presented unique challenges, because it was integrated into one of BCIS’ largest community events, “Spring in the City.” The Flux group established a viewing area where the 3000 or so visitors could come and see the more-than 150 film entries, and even take part in choosing a “People’s Choice Award” winner. A well-understood problem with the global nature of the competition is that award winners would not be able to be at BCIS to receive their awards. The students creatively solved this by asking all award winners to prepare an acceptance video, so that when winners were announced, we were able to hear from all award winners. In fact, some of the acceptance videos were thoroughly Flux-worthy themselves!

The Flux will be happening again in 2016, with the deadline for entries set at March 19, 2016. If you are interested in taking part, get filming now! The Flux Website is down temporarily, but a new Flux page will be announced at www.bcis.cn in the coming weeks.

Photo: Sui

“Is this the Lisa Fremont who never wears the same dress twice?”

“Only because it’s expected of her.”

Fashion and film are factories of dreams — fashion in film is the ultimate fantasy. From the runway to the streets, from cinephiles to couture devotees , there’s no doubt that style on the silver screen has captured the imagination of thousands. So with not a little nostalgia for the look of Hollywood’s golden age, here’s a list of the six greatest classic films with iconic and memorable fashion. It’s a lead-in to old era movies that’s by no means complete, but still offers just a glimpse into a seemingly untouchable dream world.

Shanghai Express, 1932
Marlene Dietrich is a magnetic presence as femme fatale Shanghai Lily in this elaborate drama acclaimed for its black glamour. Following the story of two women aboard a hijacked train, the film may seem outdated and confusing at times — but it’s unmissable, if only for its stunning chiaroscuro cinematography and costumes. Black velvet swathed in feathers, half-veils, draped crystal beads, and embroidered kimonos make for a visual masterwork that can’t be touched.

The Big Sleep, 1946
Film noir at its finest, this hard-bitten, dark-hearted thriller doesn’t disappoint in its skein of desire and crime, to say the least. Old Hollywood icons Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall surpass themselves in chemistry, caustic wit, and to die for wardrobes, big-city style. With Bacall’s boyish houndstooth suit, padded shoulders, and dirty-blonde curls complemented flawlessly by Bogart’s smart black-tie, it’s no wonder it’s been hailed as one of the best movies of its decade and a must-watch for film buffs and fashionistas alike.

Roman Holiday, 1953
Light and careless circle skirts, cotton blouses, and chic silk scarves complete Audrey Hepburn’s escapade outfit, worlds away from her life and dress as pent-up Princess Ann. Rome is for romantics, and when the rebellious royal runs away to explore the city on her own, she stumbles into the arms of a charming American expat, played by Gregory Peck. It’s the perfect late summer love story, a romantic comedy for any age, and a vintage fashion feast.

Rear Window, 1954
It had to be murder. When a wheelchair-bound photographer begins spying on his neighbors to pass the time, he doesn’t expect to witness a sinister crime— but this is Hitchcock. One of the famed director’s best films, the slow-burn mystery thriller has been hailed as both a haunting study in suspense and a visually perfect masterpiece. Just watch for screen siren Grace Kelly’s spellbinding performance as James Stewart’s icy socialite girlfriend. Every piece of clothing is symbolic — from pleated silk organza dress to chiffon shoulder straps, eau de nil suit to white pearls — and utterly unforgettable.

Sabrina, 1954
Parisienne dress, a fairytale romance, and La Vie en Rose— Audrey Hepburn’s Sabrina Fair is the stuff of dreams. She’s the chauffeur’s daughter, magically transformed from shy ingénue to society swan, and the forbidden love of two vying aristocratic sons. She has a wardrobe designed by Givenchy, complete with a black satin cocktail dress, off-the-shoulders white organdy gown, and pleated chiffon turban hat. And she never, never ceases to look at the world through rose-colored glasses. As she famously declares, in one of the film’s most exquisite scenes, “The moon is reaching for me.”

Breathless, 1960
French New Wave cinema was defined by its infectious spirit of youth, and nowhere is that clearer than in this neo-noir love story. Set in the streets of Paris, the classic film depicts the doomed affair of a young criminal on the run and his unwitting girlfriend, played by gamine Jean Seberg. It’s worth watching for the drama alone, but art-lovers will be drawn to its bold design and beatnik style. Seberg’s understated look — pixie cut and black eyeliner paired with sailor stripes, cigarette pants, and Trilby hat — is effortlessly and enviably chic. 

Honorable Mentions: La Dolce Vita, 1960; The Seven Year Itch, 1955; Funny Face, 1957;Morocco, 1930; and more!

This article originally appeared in the August/September, 2015 issue of UNIT-E. It was written by Chelsea Liu, a student at the International School of Beijing.

About UNIT-E
UNIT-E was founded in the spring of 2010 with the aim of establishing a non-profit, student-run magazine for international students in Beijing. Staffed by current students from a range of international schools, the magazine provides an amalgam of cultural tidbits, fragments of Beijing student life, and a broad spectrum of unique perspectives from a diverse group of young adults.

Photos: Wichita orpheum, Mindreels, retronique.nl, rueducine.com, nsmbl.com

The decline of hand-drawn animation has been extensively documented. Disney hasn’t produced a traditional animated film since 2009’s The Princess of the Frog. In a 2005 interview with The Guardian, the legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki seemed curiously resigned to the fate of his art:

"If it is a dying craft we can’t do anything about it. Civilization moves on. Where are all the fresco painters now? Where are the landscape artists? What are they doing now? The world is changing."

And yet, there’s so much to love in these old films. Lately, I’ve been craving the hand-drawn movies of my youth, especially those produced by Shanghai Animation Film Studio at the height of its powers in the 1960s. One in particular – Havoc in Heaven (1964), known as 大闹天宫 in Chinese – is worth tracking down for students of Chinese language and culture.

Based on the early chapters of the classic Journey to the West, Havoc in Heaven follows the adventures of Sun Wukong (the Monkey King) as he rebels against the Emperor of Heaven.

Production on the film began in 1941 but was interrupted by the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945). The first part of Uproar in Heaven was completed in 1961 and the second part in 1964.

The characters and backdrops are beautifully rendered with sinewy lines and bold primary colors. As children, my sister and I were delighted with Sun Wukong’s sass and cunning; he seemed infinitely more resourceful and powerful than the protagonists in the other epics I devoured at the time, like The Odyssey.

Havoc in Heaven was our introduction to the many deities, immortals, and places that populate Chinese mythology, such as Flower and Fruit Mountain, the Dragon King of the Eastern Sea, the Jade Emperor, General Li, and Nezha. The Chinese was simple enough that we could piece together the plot, which Mom supplemented with explanations on the finer points of the mythology.

We ended up buying the English translation of the multi-volume Journey to the West a few years later and reading the whole thing in no time.

The 40th anniversary DVD, which brings together parts one and two on one disc, is available on Taobao for RMB 15 with simplified and traditional Chinese subtitles.

Havoc in Heaven is also available in comic book form, which young readers can use in their language learning. There’s a box set on Taobao for RMB 60 that includes Havoc in Heaven and other classics of Chinese film. 

You can also watch part one and part two with English subtitles on Vimeo (VPN required).

Sijia Chen is a contributing editor at beijingkids and a freelance writer specializing in parenting, education, travel, environment, and culture. Her work has appeared in The Independent, Midnight Poutine, Rover Arts, and more. Follow her on Twitter at @sijiawrites or email her at sijiachen@beijing-kids.com.

Photos: CGCMart