A Recap of CNY Cultural Event 2024: 传统中华文化课 - 欢腾龙年
LingoAce Centre at 111 Somerset was filled with vibrancy and fun on the 20 and 27 January, as we celebrated the arriving Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival (春节 - Chūnjié), marking the start of the spring season with Tigo and friends! With a number of exciting activities lined up, including a sharing on the traditions of Chinese New Year, Tigo dance, and various cultural Chinese New Year activities such as lantern making, calligraphy and more, let us dive into a recap of what went down in this year’s Chinese New Year celebrations!
A Sharing On Chinese New Year Festival Origins
The day started with a captivating sharing by LingoAce’s Regional Head of Learning Product, Mr Roi Xu, on the origins of Chinese New Year, embedded in the rich tapestry of Chinese culture. Legend has it that Nian Shou 年兽 (nián shòu) a mythical beast, terrorized ancient China annually on Chinese New Year’s Eve at the stroke of midnight to attack nearby villages. After years of suffering villagers discovered its fear of loud noises and the color red. As such, when Chinese New Year Eve approaches, households come alive with vibrant traditions. Families gather to paste festive couplets, intricate window grilles, and auspicious "福" characters in bold red colours, symbolizing the warding off of evil spirits and welcoming good fortune. As such, traditional customs including setting off firecrackers, or even having a lion dance performance can be traced back to these tactics used to repel the Nian.
Learn more about similar cultural stories with our Advanced China Language Program!
Mr Roi also went on to share on the significance of the reunion dinner on Chinese New Year's Eve. a heartwarming moment that symbolizes togetherness and the ushering in of good fortune. The meaning of the New Year’s Eve dinner can also be explained based on various traditional beliefs and food that represents luck and prosperity.
Dumplings: Attracts wealth (because the dumplings are shaped like ingots)
Hot pot: The boiling hotpot symbolises a booming and prosperous new year
Tangyuan: The round tang yuan symbolises togetherness and family reunion
Fish: More than enough every year
Chicken: Chicken is a homophone for 吉 (Jí), which signifies good luck
Vegetables: Vegetables is a homophone for 财 (Cái), which signifies prosperous wealth
Other important traditions such as pasting 福 (Fú) to represent the blessings of happiness and prosperity was also shared to our young learners, adding a deeper layer of meaning to the upcoming spring festivities.
A Special Appearance - Tigo!
The segment ended off with a blast, with a special appear of Tigo, LingoAce’s adored mascot to learn Chinese New Year Greetings as well as songs with our young learners! Look at how much fun our learners are having as they sang and dance together to usher in the New Year!
Activity Time!
As the sharing session concludes, our young learners eagerly transitioned to a hands-on experience of traditional customs, immersing themselves in the rich tapestry of Chinese culture by rotating between 3 games stations, the 窗花 (Chuānghuā), 红包灯笼 (Hóngbāo dēnglóng) making, and finally the Chinese Caligraphy 福 (Fú). With enthusiasm, they engage in the very first activity, 窗花 (Chuānghuā) cutting, skillfully crafting intricate paper decorations of intricate designs to bring home for decoration.
Moving on, the atmosphere buzzes with creativity as our young learners delve into the art of making 红包灯笼 (Hóngbāo dēnglóng), vibrant paper lanterns that are made up of red packets to signify prosperity and wealth this Dragon Chinese New Year.
The final station involved the rhythmic strokes of calligraphy brushes as the children enthusiastically try their hand at writing their very first 福字 (Fú zì), wishing for blessings and prosperity. This immersive and interactive exploration not only imparts cultural knowledge but also fosters a deeper appreciation for the artistry and meaning behind these cherished traditions.
With that, LingoAce wishes everyone a prosperous and joyful Lunar New Year this 2024! May the Year of the Dragon bring abundant blessings, good health, and success. As we immerse ourselves in the traditions and customs, may the spirit of reunion and the vibrant festivities bring warmth to our hearts and homes. 龙年大吉" (Lóng nián dàjí ): may the dragon and lion dance usher in a year filled with good luck and positive energy!
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