Welcome to the Scotland China Association website

Who are we ?

A happy and prosperous Year of the Dragon

to all our friends in Scotland and China !

恭禧发财 !

Ni hao and welcome to the SCA website, where you can find out more about the association (including membership information), our forthcoming programme of events in Edinburgh and Glasgow and details of other China-related events across Scotland. We hope you enjoy your visit and, if you're not already a member, we would love for you to get involved !

Please note - we are currently in the process of refreshing our website, and if you are a regular visitor you may see some minor design changes. We hope to complete this work in early 2012.

The Scotland-China Association (SCA) is a non-profit, non-political and non-sectarian organisation for people who have an interest in all aspects of Chinese life and civilisation. The SCA holds a wide range of cultural events in Glasgow and Edinburgh to foster friendship and understanding between the people of Scotland and China.

We are a voluntary organisation and depend on the subscriptions and support of our members to finance our monthly meetings and other activities, this website, and the publication of our magazine Sine. You are very welcome to join us. For a membership application, see this page.

We also maintain a mailing list to inform friends of our upcoming SCA and non-SCA events. You can view the recent messages sent out from our mailing list as well as sign up for it from Yahoo Groups. It's free to join the mailing list.

SCA dragon and panda greetings cards

Our attractive SCA Year of the Dragon greetings cards are now available, in two designs. Ideal for Chinese New Year greetings, as well as thank you cards, birthday cards, even wedding invitations throughout the year.

This year, we have also created a panda card, to mark the arrival of Tian Tian and Yuang Gang at Edinburgh Zoo.

To order please download an order form here.

Edinburgh Branch Programme 2011-12

Edinburgh branch events usually take place on the second Tuesday of each month, unless otherwise stated, at the Meeting House, 7 Victoria Terrace, Edinburgh, EH2 2JL. Tea and biscuits will be served from 7pm and the talk will begin at 7.30pm. Anyone is welcome to join us - the meetings are free although we appreciate a small donation for refreshments.

Tuesday, 7 February 2012, 6.30 pm for 7.00pm - Chinese New Year dinner at Karen's Unicorn, 8B Abercromby Place, Edinburgh (corner of Dublin street). Cost will be £20 per person. Advance booking is essential, to book a place please contact the Edinburgh Branch Secretary, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it - spaces are limited and bookings and payment must be received by Saturday 4 February. A booking form can be downloaded here.

Tuesday, 14 February 2012 - Dr Julian Ward from Edinburgh University will give a talk entitled 'A brief history of humour (and gloom) in Chinese cinema'.

Note - for anyone interested in Chinese cinema, the University hosts a film most Friday afternoons this term - see on the Confucius Institute site for details. Film buffs may also be interested in the Take One Action film festival this Chinese New Year, described on our site here and indeed the Takeaway China film festival in Glasgow, see here.

Tuesday, 13 March 2012 - Dr Felix Boecking from Edinburgh University will give a talk entitled 'Governing China ? The Guomindang in power, 1927-1949'.

Tuesday, 10 April 2012 - our member Graham Thompson will give a talk on the despatch of the Shanghai Defence Force by Britain in 1927, during Chiang Kai Shek's Northern Expedition.

Saturday, 12 May 2012, 11am - branch Annual General Meeting. Following the business meeting there will be a talk by Dr Barbara Kaulbach on 'Peking opera'. Dr Kualbach is director of the Goethe Institut Glasgow and an expert in this topic, having spent a year in Taiwan training as a Peking opera actor (note, this replaces her scheduled talk on 13 December, which was cancelled due to inclement weather).

Following the AGM, lunch will be arranged at a nearby restaurant - for details of price and location and to book a place, please contact the Edinburgh Branch Secretary, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or check this website nearer the time.

Glasgow Branch Programme 2011-12

Unless stated, events take place at the Garnethill Multicultural Centre, 21 Rose St, Glasgow G3 6RE with Chinese tea available from 7.15pm.

Talks are open to all - events are free to SCA members and £1.50 (£1.00 concession) for non-members. All SCA members are also invited to join the committee and speaker for a Chinese meal in Glasgow city centre after each talk - just speak to a committee member on the night.

Tuesday 31st January 2012, 7.30pm
Topic: The Chinese Concept of Hell
Guest Speaker: Dr Barbara Kaulbach

Tuesday 28th February 2012, 7.30pm
Topic: Landscapes of Xinjiang
Colin Shannon will be talking about the deserts, the towns and cities of Xinjiang, particularly Kashgar.

Tuesday 27th March 2012, 7.30pm
Topic: Historical Perspectives on the Yangtze River
Charles Chan will give a two-part talk on “Historical Perspectives on the Yangtze River”, the first looking at “The Royal Navy on the Yangtze” in the interwar period, the second at “The Changing Face of the Yangtze” and the plan to provide water from the Yangtze to Beijing, with the proposed relocation of over 6 million people.

Tuesday 24th April 2012, 7.30pm
Topic: Teaching Chinese to Foreigners
Speaker to be confirmed. This evening will also include the Glasgow Branch AGM.

Saturday 26th May 2012, 7.30pm
Branch outing to Samye Ling Buddhist Monastery,
Dumfries and Galloway (SCA members only, numbers limited). Details will be announced on this site in due course.

Tuesday 26th June 2012, 7.30pm
‘The Old China Hand Dinner’
Venue to be confirmed later, details will be announced on this site in due course.

Join our mailing list

The Scotland-China Association maintains a mailing list to inform friends of our upcoming SCA and non-SCA events. You can view the recent messages that were sent out from our mailing list as well as sign up for it from Yahoo Groups. It's free to join the mailing list.

Scotland-China Association