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Library Campaign
Cupertino was co-sponsored locally by the City and the Cupertino Library Foundation and held in Cupertino’s Community Hall on a damp, cold Saturday, February the 23rd . The crowd, however, was warm and appreciative. More correctly, the word should be ‘crowds,’ as there were, in effect, 2 separate programs, morning and afternoon.
The morning featured 3 presentations. First, President Janice Sung of the American Tea Culture Association gave opening remarks, followed by an explanation of the origins of tea and the 4 kinds of tea--white, green, oolong, and black--and how they are grown, picked, and brewed differently. Next, the audience was treated to a demonstration of the Chinese Tea Ceremony with accompanying commentary. All members of the audience then were offered a small cup of tea by the Association ladies sitting at the 2 tables set up in the front of the room for them to brew fresh pots of tea, 6 cups at a time. The ladies continued brewing enough pots of tea so that everyone who wished a second cup was served. My husband’s taste is cultivated enough that he recognized his first cup as green tea and his second as oolong.
During the whole presentation of explanation, tea ceremony, and tea brewing, we also enjoyed as background music the performances of members of the Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra (FYCO). Leader Gordon Lee introduced 4 young ladies who played traditional instruments ranging from the guzheng, erhu, and bamboo flute to the pipa and lute. Each was a very accomplished musician, and the performances of the trios and soloist all were enjoyable, though each very different, particularly to Western ears.
Everyone enjoyed not only learning about an aspect of another culture but also the entertainment and the refreshing tea. Cupertino is fortunate, indeed, to have both organizations located here, and they often perform locally, particularly in the Cupertino Library. Community Librarian Ja-Lih Lee recommended them, and they were a fortunate choice.
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The audience also enjoyed the next presentation, where young ladies of the Chinese Performing Artists of America (CPAA) presented several Chinese dance programs. Erin Woo, one of the dancers, was also the commentator. Perhaps the most enchanting was the New Year's dance performed by 5 young ladies ranging in age from approx. 5 to 12 years, who though very young, danced very professionally. This group of dancers had just that morning returned from San Francisco where they came in first in a competition and then had a professional photography session for their next event. There were 4 other dances, all performed very professionally and varying from hip-hop and tai chi, danced by Erin, to a representation of a young girl and a bird dancing. CPAA, though a Cupertino organization of 18 years, recently was forced to move from Vallco, now Cupertino Square, and is located at 6148 Bollinger Rd., San Jose, at the corner of Miller, where they're having their Grand Opening on March 16.
Light refreshments were donated by Marina Food, and local businesses and office holders sponsored the day's events.
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Cupertino author Bo Caldwell and her book, The Distant Land of My Father, were showcased in the afternoon to a full house. Bo’s book is the choice of the County Library’s Silicon Valley Reads 2008 for the year throughout the county library system, with discussions at different libraries and other venues county-wide. Because Bo is a Cupertinan, Cupertino was given a larger than usual block of time for its Silicon Valley Reads program, and arrangements were made that two authors would speak.
The stage was set for Bo’s remarks by author Beverly Jackson, who wrote Shanghai Girl Gets All Dressed Up. She drove up from Santa Barbara to show her slides of pre-World War II Shanghai and talk about the people who lived there. She focused her talk on the way those ex-patriots residing in Shanghai, some of whom she knew personally, lived and thought. The audience enjoyed Beverly’s presentation and would have been glad to have her go on for another hour if that had been possible.
Next, Bo Caldwell talked about her own life and how it affected her writing and particularly, how she came to write her book. Her uncle seemed to have had a dramatic impact on her thinking about the ex-patriot ‘scene’ in pre-World War II Shanghai, and her research and attention to detail were self evident and lent credibility to her writing about another culture in another time.
Bo and Beverly then sat for a discussion, and questions
were taken from the audience. Beverly described herself not as a novelist
but, rather, a journalist or travel writer.
Bo was asked how she goes about actually writing, and we learned that
she extensively studied Shanghai in the 30s, even to the point of collecting
local maps. She then created her own map so that she could describe her
characters going down particular, real streets and visiting real cafes,
nightclubs, hotels and restaurants. When writing, Bo doesn’t necessarily
start on page one and continue straightforwardly through to the end, but
rather, often writes chapters out of sequence, and that poses no problem
because she has clear in her mind how the book will flow.
As the final event of the day, Bo stayed for well over half an hour and signed copies of her very popular book which were available in the lobby or which people had brought with them. Beverly also was kept busy signing autographs while remaining seated on the stage.
Sponsorship Info
The Cupertino Library Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization. Its stated purpose is To raise money to enhance the Library. It seeks major donations from corporations and the business community and from other foundations as well as individual donations and planned gifts and bequests. Most recently, and again at Council's request, the Foundation has successfully concluded a 4-year effort to raise from the community the $1.2 million to help furnish the new Library so that Council could construct the best building possible with City funding.
Donation Form
Download a copy of the Donation Form
