Confucius Institute plans Chinese app

The Confucius Institute (CI) at Pace University is bringing Chinese-language learning into the mobile space.

"We are planning to launch a Chinese-language-learning cellphone application - Phoenix Chinese - on May 26," said Zhu Min, Chinese-language director of the CI at Pace. "This app will be a lively combination of Chinese knowledge and learning skills.

"It will facilitate Mandarin learners who use electronic equipment to learn Chinese easier and to have more fun while learning," Zhu said.

The CI at Pace, the first university-based CI in New York City, celebrated its sixth anniversary on May 9.

Founded in 2009 through a partnership with Nanjing Normal University and China's Phoenix Publishing and Media Group, it has grown from 50 students to more than 500 today.

The goals are to promote Chinese language and culture, and facilitate cross-cultural understanding between the people of the United States and China.

Zhu said "the CI has professional teaching faculty, who can help students learn Chinese from zero-basis to the HSK (Chinese proficiency test) 6-level".

"The CI has always provided various cultural activities, including the annual Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival celebration, Chinese culture lectures and cultural courses in cooperation with the university, as well as international education week and student festivals in cooperation with communities," Zhu added.

In 2014, at the ninth Confucius Institute Conference, the Pace CI was recognized as one of 25 outstanding CIs among the 500 around the world.

John Thompson, guqin performer, who teaches the traditional Chinese stringed musical instrument at Pace CI, played ancient Chinese musical title Autumn in Palace.

Yang Juan, CI teacher, gave a brief Mandarin lesson to the attendees about how to learn Chinese characters, which are ideographs originated from pictures, in an easy and funny way.

At the ceremony, an academic panel themed Adversity, Resilience and Success - Chinese American Perspectives, was held. Two scholars in the fields of mental health and special education, Irene Chung from Hunter College and Chiang Hsumin from Columbia University, shared their insights on how Chinese-American children and adolescents growing up in bicultural households deal with special issues relating to mental health and disabilities.

The panelists also discussed some specific challenges facing Chinese-American parents, especially those who have recently immigrated.

Hong Xiao in New York contributed to this story.