Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs.
Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (MN), and Chinese Culture and Communication at Wheaton College (IL) and Taylor University (IN).
Joann has a BA in Social Sciences from the University of Northwestern-St. Paul (MN), and an MA in teaching from the University of St. Thomas (MN).
She is the author of Survival Chinese Lessons and The Bells Are Not Silent: Stories of Church Bells in China.
Her personal blog, Outside-In can be found at joannpittman.com, where she writes on China, Minnesota, traveling, and issues related to "living well where you don't belong."
You can find her on Twitter @jkpittman.com and on Facebook at @authorjoannpittman.
She makes her home in New Brighton, Minnesota.
Christmas Music in Chinese
Christmas music is popular in China. Get into the holiday spirit with a playlist of Chinese Christmas songs.
ZGBriefs | December 9, 2021
China’s Cultural Crackdowns: A guide (December 2, 2021, Sup China) From classrooms to phone screens to celebrity idols, the Chinese government is tightening its control over Chinese society.
ZGBriefs | December 2, 2021
Video: A Glimpse Into Yosemite’s Chinese History (October 20, 2020, Yosemite National Park) Ranger Yenyen Chan explores the role Chinese immigrants played in the early years of Yosemite National Park.
Lanzhou!
It would be a stretch to say that I have been to the city of Lanzhou, capital of Gansu Province. I can, however, claim to have been through it.
ZGBriefs | November 18, 2021
Weibo Discusses: How Has the Covid Epidemic Changed Your Life? (November 11, 2021, What’s on Weibo) The topic triggered thousands of comments from people sharing their thoughts and experiences, but the post that started the discussion (@人间投影仪) simply said: “I’d like to go back to a world where we don’t need to wear masks.”
A Way Forward
“China’s Urban Churches Moving Forward” and other webinars from the Asia 2021 Congress.
ZGBriefs | November 11, 2021
Xi Jinping cements his power with resolution on history (November 10, 2021, MERICS) Meticulously worded and politically charged, it is a powerful document that determines the official narrative of party history and is to be used as an ideological guide for policies in the future.
Keeping a Cow
Practical Language Learning, Then and Now
Language learning must be useful to be effective. What phrases and vocabulary were essential in years gone by, aren’t making it into the language textbooks of today.
ZGBriefs | November 4, 2021
Hopes for China Reopening Dashed by New Limits on Airline Flights This Winter (October 29, 2021, Skift) The world is slowly reopening for wider travel. China, for now, will not be part of that movement. Airlines are among those feeling the brunt.
Getting Rid of the Grey
5 Years into the Overseas NGO Law
When I was in China, those of us working in the NGO space would often lament the lack of a comprehensive legal framework for Overseas NGOs to operate in China. In 2016, we got what we wanted—only it wasn’t really what we wanted.