Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies, University of Michigan

Something new is cascading through Ann Arbor 🐉

Watch a bedazzling spectacle as the new U-M dragon winds its way down pathways filled with blossoming peonies — a welcome event to usher in good fortune and summertime cheer!

The 25-foot dragon, built as part of Dancing with the Dragon, is brought to life by 8 performers and the rhythmic drumbeat of the Ann-Hua Drum and Gong Band as the dragon chases the glowing pearl of wisdom — an eternal quest for enlightenment. More than a sculpture, this is an immersive, community-powered experience.

Dancing with the Dragon was initiated by the Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies, bringing together students, community, faculty, and artists to explore the myth and magic of dragons in East Asian performance, artistry, podcasts, and exhibitions. One look at the dragon brings infinite good luck!

🗓 Saturday, May 30 · 11:00 AM (rain date May 31)
📍 W.E. Upjohn Peony Garden at Nichols Arboretum
1610 Washington Hts., Ann Arbor, MI 48104
🚌 Free shuttle: https://myumi.ch/5wAbz

On May 13, LRCCS Directer Ann Chih Lin spoke with Spectrum News about President Donald Trump's current trip to Beijing to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. In the interview, Lin addressed the possible agenda items including the war in Iran, the economy, political prisoners in China, and Trump's defense of Taiwan.

Watch the interview: http://myumi.ch/nVk7V

📷: Screenshot from Spectrum News video

Congratulations to the LRCCS Class of 2026! 🎓

This year, we are proud to celebrate seven graduating MIRS students in Chinese Studies. Their work spans Anthropology, History, Media Studies, Political Science, and Sociology, reflecting the breadth and depth of their scholarship.

As they close this chapter at the University of Michigan, our graduates will head off to pursue advanced studies and careers across academic fields and industries, bringing their expertise in Chinese Studies to new frontiers.

We are proud of each and every one of them. Congratulations, Wolverines — and Go Blue! ! 💙💛

On April 8, five Masters in International & Regional Studies students showcased their work as part of the II Graduate Student Lightning Talks ⚡ 〽️

Read more: myumi.ch/NXW69

For all Michigan Pre-Service and In-Service teachers, the 2026 Graphic Novel Teacher Workshop has been rescheduled to June 30, 2026.

📆 Date: June 30, 2026 (9am - 5:30pm)
📍 Location: Weiser Hall 1010, 500 Church St Ann Arbor, MI 48109
☎️ Contact: [email protected]

A workshop for teachers on teaching graphic novels about different regions of the world. Open to K-12 In-Service & Pre-Service Teachers in Michigan.

The workshop will cover:
- History of comics in the United States and the World
- Intro to Comics Studies and using comics in the classroom
- Conversations with scholars and creators
- Teaching guide and other resources for comics at Michigan State University, University of Michigan, and around the country

Benefits for Participants:
Michigan K-12 teachers will receive SCECH hours. Upon completing the program, participants will receive graphic novel books and teaching resources for their usage.

This workshop is organized by the University of Michigan's University of Michigan Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Center for South Asian Studies at U-M, the East Asia National Resource Center (Lieberthal-Rogel Center for Chinese Studies, University of Michigan, University of Michigan Center for Japanese Studies, and the U-M Nam Center for Korean Studies) and the Asian Studies Center at Michigan State University.

For any questions, please contact Jonathan Valdez at [email protected].

Building a Small Hydropower Station in Mao-era China

🎙 Arunabh Ghosh, Professor of Modern Chinese History, Harvard University
🗓 Tuesday, April 21, 2026 | 12:00–1:00 PM
📍 10th Floor, Weiser Hall

By the end of the 1970s, the Chinese claimed to have built just under 90,000 small hydropower stations across the country. This talk, based on a chapter from an in-progress book, explores the micro-history of a single such hydropower station. From planning, finance, and construction, to labor, operation, and maintenance, Professor Ghosh's goal is to explain the political economy that enabled the Chinese to mount small hydropower projects and connect them to local grids, thereby contributing to our understanding of subnational governance and center-local relations in Mao-era China.

The dragon is lit and ready to be among the luminaries tonight at the FoolMoon Festival!

📍 Downtown Ann Arbor
⏰ 7:30 PM
More details: Destination Ann Arbor



📸: Jonathan Valdez

Explaining the Sexual Empowerment of Married Women in China
🗓 Tue, Apr 14 | 12–1 PM
📍 Weiser Hall 10F, Ann Arbor + Zoom
🎙 Bill Lavely (University of Washington)
Register: https://myumi.ch/pV41e

The transition of Chinese marriage from a patriarchal to a more egalitarian model is well known, but the rise of women's s*xual empowerment within marriage is less so. Using survey data from the 1980s and 90s, this talk examines a key aspect of a woman's conjugal power, her ability to decline to have s*x with her husband.

Michigan Men's Basketball soared like the dragon on Monday night! Performing 30 minutes before the game, you might say the dragon cast the perfect auspicious vibe... 🐉🏆

Yuan Architecture: Where Are the Mongols?

🗓 Tue, Apr 7 | 12–1 PM
📍 Weiser Hall 10F, Ann Arbor (in person only)
🎙 Nancy Steinhardt (University of Pennsylvania)
More details: https://myumi.ch/n1N9m

Yuan (1267–1368) not only is the period of Chinese history when all of China was ruled by a non-Chinese dynasty, it is also a period when China was part of a much larger empire. At its zenith, the Mongol empire spanned from Korea in the East to Eastern Europe in the West. It is thus a period when non-Chinese building traditions should have entered China. This talk explores that question.