Lexington celebrates the Chinese New Year at Singletary

 

 

 

By Kirsten Clancy

Guests celebrated the Chinese New Year with demonstrations, art and food Saturday night in the Singletary Center for the Arts.

The Kentucky Chinese American Association held the event to kick off the Year of the Ox, sometimes referred to as the Year of the Bull, which begins Monday. People born in the Chinese Year of the Ox are said to be hardworking and good providers.

One of the main themes of the celebration was love. The Chinese character for love was projected in the background during a variety show that evening, which featured acrobats and traditional dances, including a peacock dance and a lion dance.

The UK Chinese Ensemble played traditional music on a variety of instruments, and the Pipa Club at Garth Elementary School demonstrated their budding talents on the pipa, a traditional Chinese instrument.
Chinese artwork adorned the walls, especially in a private party hosted by one of the event’s sponsors, Charles Chan, for his tax clients. Chan is a Malaysian Chinese man now living in Lexington.

In the President’s Room, Chan gave away free hors d’oeuvre and oranges. Oranges are a Chinese symbol for wealth, Chan said. Tangerines mean prosperity.

”When you would visit family, you would bring a bag of oranges and tangerines,” Chan said. Adults would also give children “red packets,” little red envelopes filled with money.

Red is a Chinese symbol of good luck, and many people sported the color at the celebration, both in traditional and modern dress.

Chan hung red fireworks in the President’s Room doorway.

Economics freshman Tian Mu, who came to the U.S. from China for school, said if he were in China, he would be watching the Spring Festival Celebration on TV, a four-hour New Year’s special aired in China featuring many musical acts similar to America’s Times Square celebration.

Though the food is similar, the festival in America is different than how it is celebrated in China, he said.

“There is no family,” he said. “There are no fireworks.”