Irvine Book Club 20th anniversary
爾灣讀書會 20 週年慶典
Xunzi said, “Choose good friends and befriend them.” Throughout the history of Chinese literacy, literary men have formed societies to meet others and help one another grow in character. Examples include “The Seven Sons of Jian’an” and “The Eight Friends of Jingling”. “The Seven Wise Men of the Bamboo Forest” was the most famous literary society of all. Participants were scholars with no intention in any political career. Most of them were talented in music, chess, poetry, calligraphy, and painting. They were also tea lovers and connoisseurs of wine.
Today many join book clubs for different reasons: to pursue personal growth through an expansion of knowledge, to make new friends for a more fulfilling life, or to simply express a passion for books. Yes, books bring us together. Book clubs have become the spiritual guide for book lovers. It is estimated that there are at least 1,500 book clubs in Taiwan alone. Here in the Irvine area of Southern California, there are more than twenty Chinese reading clubs. Among them, the Irvine Book Club has the longest history and the most members.
IBC celebrated Chinese New Year with a skit performance in 2020
爾灣讀書會 2020 新春聯歡會中自編自導歌舞喜劇團隊留念
In 1997, the Irvine Book Club, led by Xu Juanjuan, began as an activity of a local church. About ten members took turns hosting in their living rooms, reading and discussing the selected literature. Three years later, the club had to be dissolved because Xu no longer had time to volunteer. Three of the members - Grace Shang, Monica Chou, and June Shen - worked to transform the book club into an independent entity not affiliated with any church.
At that time, Treasurer Cao used her charm to recruit many new members. In three years, club membership doubled to more than 20, outgrowing members’ living room. In 2004, Chairperson Shen asked Teacher He Shuzhi for use of her art studio. By 2008, the club had more than 50 members and, once again, needed a bigger meeting room.
On the recommendation of Chairperson Josephine Lee, the book club started using a classroom in the Irvine Chinese School. In the last decade, the Irvine Book Club has flourished on the site of the Irvine Chinese School and now numbers more than one hundred members.
Under the tireless leadership of a succession of Chairpersons (see Note 1) and the support of its members, the Irvine Book Club has attracted an elite group from all walks of life, who bring energy and diversity to the twice monthly gatherings. The list of book titles has expanded beyond literature to include medicine, finance, physical wellness, and spiritual growth. Many discussion leaders have also employed PowerPoint slides to enhance their presentations. The images and the presenters’ lively talks often resonate with the audience.
In addition to discussing books, the Irvine Book Club organizes extracurricular activities, such as outings, luncheons, museum and art gallery tours, and other cultural events. The club also invites theatre, cultural experts, and academic scholars as guest speakers. These activities not only broaden the interests of the members, but also forge new friendships. Out of these shared connections, various interest groups have sprung up: Brain
Note 1: The successive chairpersons of the Irvine Book Club - June H. Shen, Grace Shang, Grace Ma, Christina Siew, Josephine Lee, Mulian Lee, Amy Chang, Josephine
Hung, Karen Chiu, Kathy Chen, Glenda Cheung, Theresa Lin, Grace Fong, Rose Cheung
爾灣讀書會在疫情期間改以線上會議方式定期舉辦活動
IBC held its meetings online during the pandemic
荀子說「擇良友而友之」。中國文學史上，以文會友，以友輔仁，比比皆是。譬如建安七子、竟陵八友，都是以文會友的讀書會組織。而竹林七賢更是耳熟能詳的逸事。這些讀書會的參與者皆為無意仕途的文人。
他們精通琴藝、棋術、詩詞、書畫及茶酒。因此自魏晉時期以來，讀書會在中國古代思想史上是具有一定的份量。及至今日許多人為擴大知識面追求個人的成長，希望認識新朋友充實生活，或純屬愛書者也紛紛參加讀書會。
Books bring us together。讀書會成為書友們一個重要的精神指標。據估計今日台灣地區至少有 1500 個以上的讀書會。而美國南加州爾灣地區附近也有二十多個華人讀書會，其中以爾灣讀書會歷史最久，規模也最大。
1997 年爾灣讀書會的前身原本是爾灣地區教會的一項活動。由許涓涓負責領導。當時會員將近 10 人，輪流在自家客廳裡，選讀文學作品互相切磋。三年後，許涓涓因事無法再承擔這份義工，讀書會因而宣布解散。沈秀梅、曹婉蓮和馬敬惠三位知己好友覺得很惋惜。2001 年在他們三位的情商之下，決定轉型成一般獨立的讀書會，不隸屬於任何教會。當時曹婉蓮憑藉著她的人緣及人脈積極吸收會員。
三年後讀書會的會員超過二十多人，自家客廳已經無法容納。2004 年經由沈秀梅會長向何淑智老師商借美術班的教室。轉瞬幾年的時光飛逝，讀書會幾乎也和美術班一起成長。
2008 年讀書會會員已超過五十人，讀書會又得另覓更大的教室。余純純會長建議採用中文學校的教室。十多年來爾灣讀書會也就在爾灣中文學校裡落地生根、蓬勃發展，擁有會員超過百人。
爾灣讀書會經由歷任會長（註一）努力不懈的帶領下，加上會員們共同合作團結，吸引不少社會上各階層的菁英份子，呈現一片欣欣向榮的景象。因此也給每月兩次的聚會活動注入許多活力和多元化。讀書會導讀項目不僅限於文學方面，也涉及醫葯，理財，養生保健以及性靈身心的成長。
不少會員見多識廣、學有專長、也能踴躍積極貢獻所知，運用高科技的電腦影像，文圖並茂又生動風趣的解說，常引發聽眾的共鳴。除此爾灣讀書會也經常舉辦課外活動如郊遊、餐會、參觀博物館和美術館、各式藝文活動。邀請名家蒞臨開講指導更是不遣餘力。影劇界、文化界、中研院及其他領域的翹楚都曾受邀到訪演講，讓讀書會的會友們受益良多。會員間的興趣聯結及交誼更是開枝散葉，爾灣讀書會因此分別設立不同的小組：腦糖小組、詩詞小組、戲劇小組、烹飪小組。除了閱讀外，這些小組為會員提供許多知識技藝互相觀摩學習的機會。
2018 年在方光梅會長的帶領下更上一層樓，爾灣讀書會和南海岸中華文化中心攜手合作服務社區華人。這是爾灣讀書會的另一個里程碑。展望爾灣讀書會今後能為社區更多的華人服務，也能帶領社區華人的各項文藝活動。
自從 2020 年 3 月新冠肺炎肆虐，導致大家足不出戶，但這並不能阻止讀書會的例行聚會，只不過是把教室現場改為忽然盛行的網上聚會。這段時間裡，會員們利用各種文化活動交換資訊。在暑假期中，會員們各自撰寫不同風格、類型的文字，如短文、詩詞及旅遊雜記來分享，令全體會員在獨處的時光中，添上了豐富的色彩。因疫情而隔絕的這段時間裡，讀書會也越發的活潑、興旺了。
註一：按年度排列，爾灣讀書會歷任會長為：馬敬惠、沈秀梅、馬愛惠、蕭郝天儀、余純純、何慕蓮、劉雲岩、陳琪瓏、余可仁、夏開敏、丁珊、錢薇、周守瑩、方光梅。