Story By: Ali Fowler
Photos By: Ashley Resler
The Spring Festival, or Chinese New Year, is China’s most extravagant tradition and has been celebrated for over 4,000 years.
On February 8, Missouri Western students and community members welcomed the Year of the Monkey and participated in this ancient tradition hosted by Dr. Yiming Liu, instructor of Chinese.
The celebration consisted of presentations and musical performances. Dr. Liu began the event by explaining the significance of the holiday in the Chinese culture. She explained that the Spring Festival is a time for families to spend time together, share a grand feast and welcome the new year.
“It is like your Christmas,” Dr. Liu said. “People celebrate this new year to welcome the good luck and prosperity.”
The presentation continued with performances by students and community members. Guests heard poetry, songs played on traditional Chinese instruments such as the guzheng, Chinese flute, and the erhu or Chinese violin and watched a traditional Chinese fan dance.
One student, Fred Weese, played two songs on the guzheng, an ancient Chinese stringed instrument. Weese, who lived in China for a year through Missouri Western’s study abroad program, said he chose to learn to play the guzheng because he wanted to truly experience the Chinese culture.
“I decided if you’re going to learn the Chinese culture, music is part of the culture,” Weese said.
Businesses such as Hunan Chinese Restaurant and Simply Tea sponsored the event, providing traditional Chinese food and tea for guests to taste such as rice, dumplings and nian gao, or Chinese New Year cake.
Emily Howell, currently in her third semester studying Chinese, enjoyed the events because she was able to experience the Chinese culture.
“I think when you’re learning a language, you forget that there’s a whole culture as well,” Howell said. “Now, I can be more aware of the culture.”
To conclude the event, Dr. Liu taught everyone the phrase “Xin nian kuai le” or “Happy New Year” in Chinese.
The Spring Festival introduced students and community members to the Chinese language, music, traditions and foods.