By Lisa Moore
Hometown Weekly Correspondent
Students from Wellesley Middle School Chinese language classes and Chinese Culture Club shared their knowledge of Chinese language and culture with over 350 fellow members of the middle school community at the sixth annual Chinese New Year Celebration. The hugely successful event was held last week and was led by Min Zhou, Chinese Mandarin and Around the World teacher, and a cadre of parent volunteers.
Students, faculty and staff were invited to enjoy Chinese cuisine, entertainment and games at the festival celebrating the Year of the Monkey. Chinese New Year traditionally is a 15-day celebration that bids farewell to winter and the year past, and ushers in spring and a fresh start to a new year. It is a time for family and friends to come together to enjoy good food and make wishes for good luck, prosperity and good fortune for the new year ahead.
This celebration is an important part of Chinese culture and is full of meaning and symbolism. Traditionally over the 15 days, individuals will follow many specific rituals like eating fish because the Chinese word for carp sounds like the Chinese word for good luck or gift, and eating dumplings because their shape is similar to old Chinese currency, for prosperity in the New Year.
The color red, symbolizing good luck and prosperity, dominated the decorations with traditional red paper lanterns hung and red tablecloths covering the tables, transforming the middle school cafeteria. Traditional Chinese food was served with over 800 dumplings prepared and donated by parents along with orange slices and fortune cookies that were quickly gobbled up by the celebrants.
Entertaining the crowd, students shared their talents, performing traditional Chinese songs and rhymes, giving martial arts and Chinese Yo-Yo demonstrations and performing a traditional ribbon dance. A highlight of the afternoon was the performance of the traditional Lion dance by Calvin Chin’s Martial Arts School.
Fun activity tables manned by Wellesley High Key Club volunteers offered paper folding, calligraphy, and chopstick relays, aimed at sharing Chinese culture with the school community. There was a fundraiser “lollipop pull” which raised over $100 for the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center” and student project boards and artwork were on display sharing information about China and Chinese culture.
At the end of the celebration, traditional red envelopes or “hong bao” filled with Chinese treats and candy gold coins, were given out as a parting gift to those that attended. The afternoon was festive, educational and entertaining, filled with Chinese culture and tradition that was a big hit with the Wellesley Middle School community.
Lisa Moore is a Correspondent for Hometown Weekly. She can be reached at [email protected].
