For nearly 30 years, the Halifax Chinese Language School (HCLS) has helped members of the local Chinese community stay connected to their culture, language and tradition — supported in that quest by Dalhousie.
Jinyu Sheng (shown right), a Dal professor in the Department of Oceanography and HCLS principal, co-founded the non-profit school for university employees and their families in 1993.
“I was a post doc at the university, and we had several young families who were also employees working at the university who had chosen to keep their culture and learn Chinese,” he recalls. “We didn't have any kind of school like that in Halifax, so we decided to make this kind of school. Not only teaching Mandarin, but also mathematics.”
Over the years, Dalhousie has supported the school in many ways, including the provision of classrooms, security, and sometimes cleanup.
The school often attracts up to 120 students from primary to high school in a single weekend. Dr. Sheng estimates that about 50 per cent of those students end up registering as future students at Dal.
Students are also offered lessons in mathematics as part of HCLS. (Provided photo)
Cultivating culture
For one student, Sean Wang, a Doctor of Medicine (MD) candidate in Dal’s Class of 2024, the experiences at HCLS were invaluable.
"I attended Halifax Chinese Language School for many years with my mother, Shuli Wang, as my teacher. There was not only classroom-based learning, but lots of concerts, musicals, dances, events, and most importantly amazing food,” reminisces Wang.
“I didn't understand the value of having the school every Sunday. As I grow older, I realize how wonderful it was to learn about my family's culture."
Patricia Lee Men Chin, a University Teaching Fellow in the Department of French, saw both of her children attend HCLS for a few years.
“From a historical standpoint, it has been typical of Chinese immigrants in North America to set up Chinese community language schools, mainly in Chinatowns as a way to maintain the Chinese language and heritage. These schools are an intrinsic part of the immigrant experience and the parents who volunteer to teach and organize activities provide invaluable service to the community. I’m grateful, as a parent and a faculty member that Dalhousie participated in this community effort,” Dr. Lee Men Chin explains.
Dr. Lee Men Chin’s daughter, Emma Leeshanok (shown left), attended HCLS as a pre-teen. She is graduating with bachelor’s degrees in both Engineering and Science from Dal next month and has already begun work on her MAsc in Industrial Engineering at the university.
“Coming from a family that didn't directly immigrate from China, my parents don't speak Chinese,” says Emma. “I found the school was great for giving me the chance to connect and engage with my ancestral culture in a way that I don't think I would have been able to otherwise."
“I remember how happy and proud my son, Alex, was when he was able to write a full sentence in Chinese on the board: ‘I come to see my little mama,’” recalls Dr. Lee Men Chin. (Provided photo)
Related reading: Chinese connections — Dal hosts China Day
Global and local connections
While the school has realized much of its original vision over the past 29 years, Dr. Sheng says it continues to find new ways to renew the Chinese cultural connection, including a summer initiative and online classes.
"We have also organized several Root Seeking summer camps in a community in China. So, we have many students join us to go to China in the summertime to improve their languages,” Dr. Sheng says.
The school travelled with Root Seeking in 2008, 2010, 2013, and 2018, with an online camp in 2020 due to COVID-19.
A summer camp. (Provided photo)
The school also plays a prominent role in the Halifax Chinese community.
“We have a very good reputation in the local community. We are also one of the co-organizers for the campaign of donation to support the QEII Health Foundation during the time of the pandemic,” explains Dr. Sheng.
While Dal began by donating two classrooms to the school in 1993, by 2020 the university was offering six classrooms to HCLS free of charge. Dal has since begun charging a small fee.
"I would like to thank the university for more than 29 years of support to the school. I think the mutual benefit between the local community and Dalhousie is very important,” says Dr. Sheng.