Chinese New Year Celebrations

Posted on by Dongyi Ren

Confucius Institute Chinese New Year Attendees

Chinese New Year, being a traditional celebration with a long history and great festivities associated with the Chinese nation, carries a rich cultural meaning and a rich historical heritage. Chinese New Year is also regarded as the Chinese people's most important celebration. Every household in China displays couplets and hangs lanterns early, and the red lanterns resemble a mass of glowing flames, representing a prosperous and successful new year. The delicious New Year's Eve meal is also a vital component of the Chinese New Year, with families gathering and drinking together. Dumplings, the most important food of Chinese New Year's Eve, are different from usual and have a symbolic meaning. In my family's custom, usually my grandmother would wrap the dumpling around a coin, and whoever eats it would gain good luck and fortune. Because of this, we had to be patient when eating the dumplings and take care not to miss out on the lucky coins inside.

DID YOU KNOW? The actual date of Chinese New Year varies according to the lunar and solar calendars. Each year is represented by one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. The Year of the Tiger, Chinese New Year 2022, fell on 1st February.

This year's Chinese New Year was the first one that I spent away from my family in a foreign country. A week before New Year's Eve, my friends and I started to actively prepare for Chinese New Year in the UK, starting with decorating our rooms and putting Chinese couplets and FU characters on our doors. To welcome the 2022 Chinese New Year of the Tiger, the Lancaster Confucius Institute held their annual Chinese New Year celebration on 1st February. At this event, local people performed Tai Chi and Chinese songs, and many delicious Chinese snacks were provided. I felt at home during the event, which was filled with laughter and joy. In addition, there were many interactive sessions to introduce Chinese New Year customs and Chinese zodiac culture. I also participated in making lanterns and red envelopes for the first time.

On 6th February, the Confucius Institute held their second Chinese New Year Carnival to celebrate Chinese New Year on Market Street in Lancaster City Centre. The town was decorated with lights, and red lanterns could be seen everywhere. There were also stalls for calligraphy, painting, and paper-cutting. Moreover, the YangQin and dance performances were very appealing and attracted many local people to stop and watch. These events allowed more people to experience the allure of Chinese traditional culture while also sharing the auspiciousness and joy of the Year of the Tiger. As the series of events to celebrate the New Year came to an end, I reflected on how I didn't feel lonely being in a foreign country; rather, the festive mood made me feel like I was back in China. This New Year was particularly memorable for me; it was a fantastic Chinese New Year that I will never forget!

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