The China Cultural Center celebrates Chinese New Year with much fanfare!
The China Cultural Center welcomed the new year of the Rooster with much fanfare, literally! As the Kongjiang High-School Marching Band (Shanghai) was invited by our center to join the festivities in Belgium. An unforgettable experience for these young students and a great enjoyment for us all! The China Cultural Center team wishes you all health, fortune, and happiness for the year of the Rooster! We hope to welcome you again very soon in our center as this new year will give us many more occasions to share bits of Chinese culture with you!
This year again, to celebrate the year of the Rooster, the China Cultural Center took part in, and organised a wide range of activities, attended, to our great pleasure, by a very enthusiastic audience.
Successful second edition of the Chinese New Year Parade in Brussels
On Saturday 28th of January Belgium officially entered the year of the Rooster, and for the second year in a row red lanterns were shining in the streets of Brussels, Manneken Pis put on his traditional Chinese outfit (唐装 tángzhuāng) and Belgian and Chinese artists paraded together in the capital city.
The festivities started with of show on the Grand Place with the presence of Mr. Yvan Mayeur Burgomaster of Brussels; Mrs Karine Lalieux Deputy Burgomaster for culture and his Excellency Mr Qu Xing, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Kingdom of Belgium. The Kongjiang High-School Marching Band then lead the parade followed by a colourful and bustling succession of around twenty different groups of artists, acrobats or amateurs showcasing traditional Chinese minorities dances and music, dragon dances, martial arts, Chinese drums, and much more to the delight of the large crowd gathered for the occasion. Dancing, singing, and jumping around, the parade made their way to the Place de la Bourse where a final show took place.
The Chinese New Year Parade visit the city of Adolphe Sax
On Sunday 29th, the famous Belgian city of Dinant welcomed for the first time the Chinese New Year parade and the event attracted thousands of people. On the occasion, a new saxophone bearing the colours of China’s national flag was placed on the bridge. The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the offering, by Walloon Minister of Tourism René Collin to Ambassador Qu, of a two-meters high statue of a rooster created by Chinese artist Zhang Wenhai. This statue is a twofold token of the reinforcement of Belgium and China’s friendship since not only is 2017 the year of the rooster according the the Chinese lunar calendar, but the animal also happens to be the symbol of the Wallonia region! A very good omen for the future of the bilateral relationship.
Two busy evenings of celebration at the China Cultural Center
Finally the China Cultural Center threw not one but two evening parties, on Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st, in celebration of the year of the Rooster!
The first celebration ceremony was held with the presence of Mr LI Jianmin, Minister-Counselor of the Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the European Union; Mr XIANG Shihai, Counsellor for Culture at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China; Mr Bernard DEWIT, Chairman of the Belgian-Chinese Chamber of Commerce; Mr ZHANG Min, Vice-Director of Shanghai Yangpu Administration of Culture; Mr HU Chun, Vice-Director of Shanghai Songjiang Administration of Culture, Radio, Film & TV and Mr LIU Jun, Director of the Shanghai Comic Center.
After a concert of traditional Chinese music by the Shanghai Cloud Band, Mr Tan Shu, Vice-Director of the China Cultural Center opened the ceremony presenting his wishes to the audience for the new year, followed by Mr Bernard Dewit who noted that China was always ahead compared to other countries not only in terms of technology or economic development but also in celebrating the arrival of Spring! Mr Xiang Shihai also took the floor in the name of Ambassador Qu Xing to wish everyone a prosperous year of the Rooster. The ceremony was concluded by one last performance by the Kongjiang High-School Marching Band.
During both evenings the numerous guests (around 250 over the two days) could admire two exhibitions, one of Chinese paper-cut and the other of Chinese comics. They also showed a very keen interest in the various traditional Chinese arts and crafts workshops where they could admire artists painting on fans, creating little Chinese dolls out of dough or calligraphing auspicious Chinese characters. What’s more they could even try for themselves and go home with their creations and a bag full of goodies! Looking at the beaming faces and compliments the staff collected, the event was a complete success.
Just Share It – Happy Chinese New Year Photo Contest 2017
Share your pictures of the Chinese New Year Celebrations and win!
As China ushers in the lunar New Year, or Spring Festival, on Jan 28, 2017, Chinaculture.org invites you to share your photos of Chinese New Year celebrations from all over the world.
Regardless of whether you are a professional or amateur, who you are or where you are from, you are welcome to submit photos of wonderful moments from Chinese New Year celebrations.
