Mona Chen

Students walk through the quad during the event, participating in various activities and learning about Chinese culture.

Soon after the lunch bell rang on Feb. 13, the beating of Chinese barrel drums echoed through the quad as a lion dance began. The lion dancers, two performers working in coordination under a bright yellow costume, walked down the quad steps before suddenly rising upright, immediately drawing attention from students. The golden figure then weaved through the crowd, interacting with students and bumping into them playfully. 

This signaled the start of a Chinese Lunar New Year event attended by dozens of students in the quad. Symbolic colors of Chinese culture, red and yellow, filled the area, creating a vibrant atmosphere as Chinese teacher Chenhui Wu’s students and the Chinese Club hosted different stations with activities. 

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During the event, students received a bingo grid containing the 15 different activities they could participate in, spread across 10 booths organized by Wu’s Chinese classes and two organized by the Chinese Club. The booths lined up neatly on two sides of the quad; two to three students manned each one. 

 

These students organized games that covered topics from everyday Chinese culture to special New Year’s traditions. After participants completed an activity, they got a stamp on their bingo grid and could use it to redeem snack prizes. 

 

Culturally significant activities include calligraphy, a traditional art form that originated 3,000 years ago in the Shang Dynasty. The Chinese developed their temperament through calligraphy in their daily lives, making them more patient and calm. Every Lunar New Year, families wrote “福” (luck) on a red square paper and hung them upside down from their front door and windows. 

The students behind the calligraphy booth explained this Chinese homophone: “福倒了” (luck is upside down) is pronounced the same as “福到了” (luck is here). With the calligraphy activity, students get to experience this longtime New Year’s tradition. 

 

 

With a professional tea set, organizers brewed hot green tea and black tea on the spot for students. They presented the basic information of the tea’s cultural background and how to make and drink tea.

 

 

Behind the booths, students also gathered together to play with traditional toys like the Chinese Yoyo and shuttlecock. Chinese students introduced the rules and taught students how to play with them. 

For many students, especially those who don’t take Chinese classes, this event served as a great interactive opportunity to learn about Chinese culture. Even those who were familiar with Chinese culture, such as junior Katherine Liu, who moved to the U.S. only two years ago, found the event informative. 

“Learning about Chinese culture is not only exciting but also essential for people to understand their identities,” Liu said. “I’m grateful that I can still learn more about my own culture even on another continent 6,000 miles away.”