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Chinese Living Library

26 Mar 2025 2:00 pm -3:00 pm

Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery, Manchester Museum

Free, drop in

Chinese Living Library

Drop in and read a ‘book’ by talking to people, rather than flicking through pages.

A Chinese living library is a concept that brings human experiences to life through storytelling. In this innovative activity, individuals become ‘books’, sharing their personal stories, struggles, triumphs, and perspectives with others who ‘read’ them.

Just like browsing through a book collection, participants can read the human ‘books’. By engaging in one-on-one conversations with these human books, readers have the opportunity to challenge stereotypes, build empathy and foster a deeper understanding of the complexities of human life.

This time we have invited Theresa Tang, who has lived in Britain for 20 years. If you’ve visited the Chinese Culture Gallery, you may have seen Theresa’s photograph proudly displayed there. Now, you have the unique opportunity to meet her in person, hear her inspiring story, and ask her questions.

Theresa came to the UK in the 1980s to study and has since made Manchester her home. She and her husband, Chaomo Wang, have two sons, Dennis and Ian. As a research software engineer at the University of Manchester, Theresa balances her professional career with her passion for cultural education.

In her spare time, she volunteers as the head of the Huaxia Chinese School in Manchester, which offers Chinese language and cultural studies classes every Sunday. Join us to hear more about Theresa’s incredible journey and her experiences of living in the UK.