CCI celebrates Chinese New Year 2019

From 30th January until 15th February, the team at Cardiff Confucius Institute were busy bringing Chinese New Year to Cardiff and to Wales.

Throughout the two-week period, the team were busy with events to welcome in the Year of the Pig, the twelfth animal in the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle and a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

The celebrations started with a special ‘Chinese Corner’ on the theme of Chinese New Year where over 50 students and staff learnt about the traditions and customs associated with the Festival. On 2nd February the team spent the day at the Red Dragon Centre in Cardiff helping over 1000 local people to try traditional Chinese arts and crafts activities. On 8th February the team was in Cardiff University Business School to provide a taste of Chinese culture to over 100 students and staff, and that same evening they supported hundreds of Chinese students at the Cardiff University Chinese Society’s gala dinner. On 9th February the whole team was back in action with a celebration for over 500 people at Canton Library, bringing together local communities and sharing Chinese culture through art, dance, musical performances and martial arts.

The following week the celebrations continued in local schools with Sully Primary School engaging the whole school, from nursery to Year 6, in a week of Chinese culture and Mandarin Language workshops. Activities included morning exercise, paper-cutting, calligraphy, dance and story-telling and the Foundation Phase learners spent time improving their character writing, learning about the Chinese flag, playing in the 'Chinese restaurant', and learning about the Chinese Zodiac story.

Organising teacher, Melissa Parry said, “this was a really great week and the pupils had a lot of fun whilst learning all about China and its Spring Festival”.

In North Wales, volunteer Teacher Hu Xinyue offered four lessons talking about Chinese New Year in Maes Garmon School, Bryn Coch Primary School, Southdown Primary School and Sychdyn County Primary School. In Argoed School, where Hu Xinyue is permanently based, the whole school celebrated on Chinese New Year’s Day (5th Feb) during which the canteen was decorated with Chinese fans, Spring Festival pictures, and Chinese dragons. The canteen made a special menu and provided Chinese food which went down very well with students and staff alike.

It has been a busy start to the year but what a way to mark the most important Festival in the Chinese calendar!