By Josh Hughes
Each year, the Chinese Student Association (CSA) at Western hosts a Lunar New Year dinner to coincide with the Chinese New Year, which started this year on January 28. The dinner, which will take place in the VU MPR on February 11 at 7 p.m., will be an evening to showcase and celebrate the breadth of Chinese culture at Western.
Catered by Aramark, the food itself only covers a portion of what the event has to offer to both students and the public. Chinese Student Association president Karen Liang promises that the evening will include performances from both Western students and various outside groups, some even traveling up from Seattle for the event.
A line dance group from Seattle will perform, as well as a Japanese dance group; Liang says that the dinner will shed light on the many different cultures that celebrate Lunar New Year, with a focus on the Chinese traditions.
Additionally, Western students from various groups will give and contribute to performances, such as the martial arts club at Western, as well as other student groups showcasing a variety of traditional Chinese dances.
As for the significance of the Lunar New Year in itself, 2017 ushers in the Year of the Rooster, signifying fidelity and punctuality (seemingly apt traits to strive for at a time like this, based exclusively on the whirlwind that was January). The Chinese New Year, which specifically applies to the Chinese celebration of the Lunar New Year, centers around 12 different representative animals that alternate with the year, this past year’s animal being the monkey.
Other cultures and regions celebrate the Lunar New Year, such as Japan, Korea, Vietnam and Tibet, but the significance differs for each. The overarching theme is a holiday in which people are encouraged to indulge in food and spend time with their families and loved ones.
The Lunar New Year started at the end of January because it occurs every full moon between January 21 and February 20, but the festivities last much longer than the date itself. In addition to the significance of family, the Chinese and Lunar New Year is a time for a cleansing of the home to sweep away any ill-fortune and give good luck for the year to come.
The event is open to the public, and will cost $10 for students and $13 for everyone else. Be sure not to miss out on the festivities coinciding with the new Lunar New Year, and show up to the CSA dinner on February 11. If you can’t make it to the event but want to get involved with the Chinese Student Association, meetings for the club are held in AW 210 every other Thursday at 5 p.m. The meetings intend to teach and spread understanding about Chinese culture, and any and all students are welcome to attend.