O.A.S.E. (Forum des Austauschs)
This talk explores how the themes of farewell and coming of age are reinterpreted across languages, media, and cultures, taking the 1983 film My Memories of Old Beijing (《城南舊事》) as a point of departure. It examines how the film reimagines Lin Haiyin’s 1960 short story collection and how selected English and German translations reflect shifts in tone and interpretation. Widely regarded as a classic, with some chapters included in Chinese language textbooks, the work holds an important place in modern Chinese literary and educational contexts. Drawing on intertextual and adaptation theory, the talk considers how meaning evolves through cross-cultural and cross-media rewriting. Special attention is given to the song Farewell (送別), featured in the film, tracing its transformation from the original English version to Chinese and Japanese adaptations. The film’s role in Chinese language education is also briefly addressed.
Tao Zhang is Professor of Chinese as a Foreign Language (ChaF) Didactics at the University of Göttingen. Her research focuses on intercultural language education and the use of media—especially film—in teaching Chinese. She also works in film and intercultural media studies, with a particular interest in Chinese-language cinema. Her work explores how visual and narrative forms support both language learning and cultural understanding. In addition to her academic research, she has translated several works of children’s literature. With a background in German Studies, Film Studies, and Sinology, she promotes culturally responsive teaching within a broader framework of transcultural learning.
Moderation: Dr. Yongli Li & Dr. Hannah Pardey (HHU)
Free event.