On the 8th of February, as we entered the Year of the Monkey, the Confucius Institute for Traditional Chinese Medicine (CITCM) celebrated in style by displaying a spectacular performance in the Edric theatre on the LSBU campus. This event was supported by the LSBSU, the international Office Staff and the China Student Scholar Association (CSSA).
Chinese New Year is the biggest national holiday in china and is celebrated on the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar. This twelve-year lunar cycle is associated with the Chinese zodiac and each year is represented by a different animal - 2016 marks the year of the Monkey.
The show started with a lively lion dance – this was the perfect way to set the mood and excite the audience. During the show the wide variety of performances, including 'The Elegant Rendering of Martial Arts using Umbrellas', 'Good Days' and 'Flying Song for Mother Earth', continued to stimulate a variety of different emotions from great nostalgia to colossal excitement.
Three raffles were drawn in-between the performances. The winning prize, kindly donated by CSSA was a kindle. As Professor Paul Ivey announced the winning ticket, the winner shrieked with joy. Similar reactions were received as the winners of the Amazon vouchers were drawn by the Worshipful Mayor of Southwark and the Chinese Calendars were drawn by Professor Yinong Xu, Executive Director of the Confucius Institute for TCM.
After a very successful evening, Professor Yinong Xu expressed that ‘The Spring Festival should be a treasure not just for the Chinese, but for all peoples, and it is our privilege and duty to share the festivity and joy with LSBU students and staff, as well as the local community’.