Chinese students ready to kick off new year

By Tiffany Maggard

Daily Staff Reporter

The ball may have dropped a month ago in Times Square, but New Year's celebrations in China will begin tonight and many University students will be commemorating the holiday on this side of the globe as well.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the millennium begins at midnight tonight. The rollover to the year 4698 is the beginning of the year of the dragon, one of the 12 signs of the Chinese zodiac.

"This is an especially big year since it's 2000," said Chinese Student Association President Jenny Chen, an LSA junior.

The dragon is a "very important, majestic symbol in the Chinese culture," Chen said.

The dragon is a symbol of longevity, love and prosperity. In a typical New Year's celebration, the "dragon dance" is performed to dispel evil spirits and welcome prosperity into the new year.

"Everyone wants their kid to be born in the year of the dragon," Chen said.

Chen said many of the traditions associated with the new year are similar to customs for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. "It's like Thanksgiving because families get together. It's like Christmas because there is giving," she said.

Chen said New Year's celebrations, which begin today and continue for 15 days, are so extensive citizens take three days off from work and students usually enjoy a week-and-a-half vacation from school.

"Basically, the whole country stops," Chen said.

Asian American Association President Teresa Kuo said she remembers attending the festivals and watching the fireworks in China as a child.

"I remember it being very elaborate," she said.

Chinese Studies associate Prof. San Duanmu said most people commemorate the occasion by spending time with family.

"The biggest thing is family gatherings. It's like Thanksgiving - people will travel back (to China) from various places," he said.

Chen said another traditional custom is for elders to give gifts of money called "hong baos" to the children.

SARA SCHENCK/Daily

Members of the Ann Arbor Asian Martial Arts Studio perform the Chinese Lion Dance on Main Street to celebrate the

Chinese New Year on Feb. 20, 1999. Because the celebration is modest and traditional, Chen said, gifts such as toys are not typically included.

Kuo said other Asian ethnic groups, including some Koreans and Vietnamese, also celebrate the Chinese New Year.

Since most Asian students cannot make it home to meet their families for the New Year, CSA and AAA organized a "Lunar Banquet" at Farmington Hills Manor last Saturday evening to ring in the New Year.

More than 450 University students attended the formal event, which included performances of traditional Chinese dances.

Guests included the well-known Chinese rock group "Kai" from San Francisco as well as the local "Lion Dance Team" from the Ann Arbor Chinese School. Both will perform for the celebration.

Kuo said the event was a very important opportunity for AAA and CSA to not only celebrate their culture together but to share it with students of other ethnicities as well.

"The last thing we want to do is segregate ourselves from the rest of campus," Chen said.

Duanmu said the Center for Chinese Studies will be hosting its own celebration of the Chinese New Year with a casual party for faculty and staff on Feb. 12.

"I welcome everyone who's interested in learning about the Chinese tradition to (participate in our events). Our goal is to have unity in our community, but we also want to integrate others," Chen said.