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Item is a video photo montage ‘walking tour’ of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden, narrated by Mary White. The film discusses the history of Chinese gardens and the history of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen garden, including a discussion of the construction materials and techniques, and the artisans who built it. Different architectural elements of the garden are considered, and their function and meaning discussed. The philosophical elements of garden construction as an art form are discussed throughout.

Item is a short documentary exploration of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen gardens with a meditative, philosophical, and poetic approach. The narrator speaks about some of the essential elements of a classical Chinese garden: Water, Rock (Mountains), and Buildings, followed by recitations of poetry by Ge Gong and Tao-yün. The occasional narration is accompanied by zheng music and a selection of garden scenes that illustrate many of the different ‘views’ of the garden that are relevant to the narration. Special attention is given to the flow of water over the rocks, the railings, screens, and leak windows, and a high vantage point view of the whole garden from the mountaintop pavilion.

Item is an amateur home movie of the 1991 Chinese New Year’s parade in Vancouver. It includes footage of the parade from East Pender Street outside the Chinese Cultural Centre and from Keefer Street just outside the entrance to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens. Also included is footage of vendors and tables inside the Chinese Cultural Centre, scenes of families inside the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens, primarily inside the main pavilion, a view of the water and railings, and through the moon doorway.

The parade footage contains a variety of traditional Chinese elements, such as lion dancers, Chinese dragons, firecrackers, flags, dancing, music, and costumes. Some of the identifiable groups in the parade are: Cheerleaders from Steveston Secondary School, Children from J. W. Sexsmith Elementary School, Dancers from Strathcona Chinese Dance Co., the Freddy Fudd[pucker] band, Boy Scouts and Girl Guides of Canada, St. John’s Ambulance Cadets, Tibet Lama Kung-Fu, and the Western Canada Chinese Martial Arts Association.

Item is an educational video produced by the Vancouver School Board for use with a textbook entitled ‘Exploring Vancouver’s Chinatown: A Resource Guide’. The film has no narration, but a background score with Chinese instruments, and scene noise in some places. It opens with footage of the sun rising over Chinatown from a rooftop vantage point. It lingers on vendors and storefronts preparing to open, a Tai Chi class in the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden’s main pavilion, Tai Chi in a local park, scenes of residential streets, houses, schools, and playgrounds. The film includes footage of a variety of local businesses, such as a barbershop, an apothecary, a school, calligraphy, tailor, fire department, auto repair, and a newspaper printer. It concludes with footage of the musicians playing the background music and street scenes of the sun setting over Chinatown.

Item is a short documentary tour of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden with a focus on the philosophical Taoist elements. It discusses how each of the four major garden elements (buildings, rocks, plants, and water) is represented in the garden, and explains some features in the context of Taoist balance and function. This discussion is illustrated with footage of the relevant elements and Chinese style background music.

Item is a copy of the production elements of the 1991-09-29 episode of Red’s Classic Theatre. This program was a presentation of the classic film ‘Butterfield 8’ with host Red Robinson. Robinson introduced the movie at the beginning, and interleaved trivia and interest segments after the commercial breaks and at the end. This episode was filmed in the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden, and includes eight segments. The first three segments introduce the garden and present small trivia andgarden footage. The later segments are primarily focused on movie trivia and show related issues, but include the garden as a backdrop. After the eight main segments are additional broadcast pieces which also contain the garden: four bumpers, four long promos, and two teaser length promos for the episode and the feature film.

Item is a recording of two segments of the Canadian national production of Romper Room and Friends, from March 6, 1990, set in the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Gardens. In first of the two segments, storyteller Nan Gregory tells a Chinese folktale about a ‘goose girl’ that wants to fly. The audience consists of four unidentified children and Fran Pappert, and takes place in the Scholar’s courtyard. The second segment is a tour of the garden with guide Donna Chan, program hostess Fran Pappert, the character ‘DoBee’, and the children from the first segment. The tour begins in the China maple pavilion courtyard with a focus on the Taihu natural rock sculptures, the courtyard pavement stones, the trees, rock caves, and waterfalls. It continues up to the observation pavilion, and down to the Jade Water Pavilion, through the moon gate, where the group feeds the koi.

Item is an amateur recording of a lecture/performance in the main hall of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden by Dr. Jan Walls on the subject of humorous Chinese folk storytelling. The general theme of the lecture was drawing parallels between the low class ‘vulgar’ folk stories and the high class classicism of the gardens, with emphases on the themes of surprise, perspective, exaggeration and distortion of size and time, and the distinction between fantasy and reality. For each short story he presents it (or a piece of it) in Mandarin first, and then presents a translation in English, often with the accompaniment of kuai ban, traditional bamboo clapping instruments.

The stories presented include a story about a man who lives a whole lifetime in a year, a giant woman with even more giant shoes, a country bumpkin at a birthday celebration, illustrations of beggar storyteller themes, and a ‘dummy’ paying a new year’s visit to his in-laws. Following the lecture there is a question period which covers subjects of self-deprecation, storytelling beggars, poetic elements (e.g. metaphor, rhyme, rhythm, and alliteration), and personal questions about Dr. Walls own experiences. The lecture is bookended with an introduction and thanks by [Nilene Yaas], the education coordinator of the garden.

Item is a promotional film developed to support and promote the Vancouver School Board’s Partners in Education program. The film presents testimonials and success stories from various businesses and schools who have taken advantage of the program, discussing what benefits the partnered schools and businesses were able to bring to each other. The film begins with school administrators and business people talking about the program. The film then presents a number of success stories with various business and schools. The partnerships profiled include: The Port of Vancouver, Chevron Canada, Unisys Canada Inc., University Hospital, the Dr. Sun Yat-Yat Sen Classical Chinese Gardens, the Champlain Mall, the Pan Pacific Hotel, and Vancouver Community College.

The film involves testimonials and short interviews with a number of teachers, school administrators, and business: Jim Matkin (President, BC Business Council), Sheila Tripp (School Principal), Ken Haycock (School Principal), Ken Harvey (Director, Vancouver School Board), Dr. Dante Lupini (Superintendent of Schools, Vancouver), Gwen Smith (School Principal), Barbara Duggan (Vancouver Port Corporation), Gary Ryan (Chevron Canada Ltd), Bill Strachan (Chevron Canada Ltd), Neil Prinsen (Teacher), Maris Pavelson (Unisys Canada Inc.), Sheila Tripp (School Principal), Arlene Cook (Teacher), Lesley Bainbridge (University Hospital), Diane Bolton (Champlain Mall), Joyce Anderson (School Principal), Anne Shorthouse (Program Manager, VSB), Gail Smith (Program Manager, VSB), and Darcy Rezak (Vancouver Board of Trade).

Item is a television program in which Sandra Samartino performs yoga in the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. The production is accompanied by repeating electronic music, but there is no narration. The yoga poses are set against the rocks, moon gates, lattice work, pavilions, and often presented only reflected in the water.

Item is a promotional film developed to help raise awareness and support for the development of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden, which had not yet been built. The narration throughout is illustrated with relevant still imagery, which is a combination of photography of Chinese gardens, classical Chinese artwork, and images related to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen garden project, such as architectural plans and photos of the artisans. The narration discusses the history of the garden in China, beginning with the great gardens of the emperors, and distinguishing them from Japanese or English gardens. The history of the Suzhou scholar’s garden is explored, with an emphasis on the Garden of the Master of the Fishing Nets. It also discusses the planning and design of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen garden, and the architects and artisans who will build it, with a focus on the various design features of a Chinese garden, including Taoist and landscape painting influences, and the various benefits and enjoyments a garden delivers. The film concludes with a call for membership and donations to the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden society, and discusses the benefits of membership.

Item is a documentary that uses photographs and voice over narration to tell the story of how Chinese New Year came about and how it is celebrated, traditionally, in Vancouver, and at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen garden. The documentary begins with a presentation of the Chinese zodiac: its origins, associated animals, and how it works. Next is a discussion of Chinese New Year traditions, what they mean, and how they are celebrated, including: Family feasts, Door Gods, red paper door hangers, the family reunion dinner, the importance of avoiding unlucky word or actions, the children’s game of watch the clock, family visiting, red paper envelopes given as gifts, broken day, lion dances, and parades. The feature concludes with a discussion of how the New Year is celebrated at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen gardens, with photos of a lantern parade, firecrackers, ceremonial offerings, and traditional Chinese music, dance, and entertainment.