Cantonese

The culture of a community encompasses social and personal behaviors, language and dialects, visual and performing arts, economic activities and the ideas, beliefs, and customs of its people. As a traditional genre of performing arts unique to Hong Kong, Cantonese opera has a long history of development and is entwined with all such aspects of Hong Kong culture. Set within the socio-cultural context of Hong Kong, this course explores the genre in terms of its course of development, repertory, plots, script structure, performing techniques such as singing, acting, reciting and fencing, troupe organization, training of artists, performing venues including theater and the bamboo stage, and its marketing strategies, aiming at unfolding to the students how an art form should be appreciated through both the aesthetic and functional perspectives.

This is an advanced study of Chinese painting. It focuses on studying the techniques of painting by using fine-line and wash, one of two primary painting techniques in the Chinese tradition. Technique and forms of expression such as ink, light coloring, heavy coloring are included. Students are encouraged to initiate artistic creation by incorporating different forms of expression.