2020 Lunar New Year Celebration — Year of the Rat

The Chinese Language Program, co-hosted by UBC Chinese Music Club & UBC Asian Studies, invites you to join the 2020 Lunar New Year Celebration for the Year of the Rat. The event will be held at the AMS Nest from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Tuesday, January 28th, 2020.


What is Lunar New Year?

The Lunar New Year is an important holiday in many Asian societies, significantly for China, Korea, Vietnam and Singapore. Followers of the Lunar Calendar celebrate the start of a new year on a different day each year, usually around the end of January and mid-February. For many Asian cultures, the passing of a new year means the survival of a year’s worth of trials and tribulations — and what’s a better celebration than a party? Celebrations may include a break from working, schooling, partying, as well as prayers and festivals to welcome in the new year. You might hear the crackle of firecrackers and the banging of drums as we welcome in the new year!


Lunar New Year 2020:

According to the twelve Chinese zodiac signs, this year will be the year of the Rat, as well as a restart to the twelve-year zodiac cycle. While western cultures may depict the rat as a bothersome pest in the household, rats in East Asian cultures are said to symbolize wealth and surplus. According to one myth on how the order of the zodiac was formed, the Jade Emperor announced a race between the twelve animals. The Rat tricked the Ox into giving him a ride and jumped off to beat the Ox just as the Ox was crossing the finish line. Energetic and clever, people born in the year of the Rat are said to be quick on their feet and instinctual. They may also be characterized as being flexible, witty, and delicate.

We would like to take this opportunity to express our warm greetings and best wishes to all of you!


Events:

As an event of great importance to many cultures in Asia, we are proud to host an event that showcases the diversity of all the students that celebrate Lunar New Year! At the Lunar New Year celebration, there will be spectacular performances and booths set up by our students, as well as activities to participate in and prizes to be won. 

Performances:

  • Lion Dances
  • K-pop Dance
  • UBC CMC (Chinese Music Club)
  • UBC Cloud T. Dance Club

Hands-on cultural activities:

  • Chinese Calligraphy and Seal Engraving
  • Learning how to make ‘Chinese Dumplings’
  • Chinese Paper Cutting
  • Cantonese Mahjong
  • Ring Toss
  • Try on Korean traditional clothing, Hanbok
  • Play Korean traditional games, Gonggi and Jegichagi
  • Learn to K-pop dance

Come down and join in on the fun to learn more!

We invite everyone to come down and enjoy the festivities and share in our cultures! We can’t wait to see you on Tuesday, January 28th!


The year of the Golden Rat is upon us and we wish you a joyous year full of prosperity!

金鼠闹春 鼠你最红!

2020년 경자년에는 행운과 평안이 가득하길 기원합니다! 행복한 한 해 보내시고 새해 복 많이 받으세요!