Students celebrate Chinese New Year, party all weekend

The Chinese New Year has arrived.’ ‘ The Chinese Students and Scholars Association and… The Chinese New Year has arrived.’ ‘ The Chinese Students and Scholars Association and members of the community ushered in the Year of the Ox yesterday as the association held its New Year and Spring Festival Celebration in David Lawrence Hall. The Chinese New Year, also called the Spring Festival, occurs at the beginning of the Lunar New Year. It offers a chance for the Chinese to reunite with family members, bond with old friends and form relationships with new ones. ‘It’s kind of like the combination of Christmas and Thanksgiving,’ said Bowen Liu, president of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association and a student at Pitt’s School of Medicine. The festival began with a tea house that included games, movies and tea. A free dinner followed, with a stage show presenting the talents of many of the association’s members. Liu said that the association had prepared for the past three weeks, and that planning began months ago. Liu added that many of the decorations and prizes given at the celebration came directly from China. ‘Most Chinese students, when they are here, they feel lonely and this is a chance to make friends,’ said Liu. She anticipated an attendance of over 800 people. Liu said she wanted to wish everyone a happy Chinese New Year. According to Chinese tradition, The Year of the Ox is supposed to be one of prosperity. Liu hopes that because of this, the ongoing financial hardships the world faces will finally end. Wang Xiaojing, the association’s adviser, has worked with the organization since 2004. Now an employee of the School of Dental Medicine, he said he believes the association is a way of educating students about China. ‘ ‘I want people to know China, and I want Chinese students especially to know China,’ said Wang. Wang said that the event began because Chinese students were feeling disconnected from the New Year’s celebrations of their friends and relatives in China. Wang said that, though the event was originally just held for Chinese citizens, it has been expanded to include all members of the community. ‘For the CSSA, we try to be non-political and non-religious in every way. We want to bring everyone together for fun,’ said Wang. ‘It’s just for fun.’ Jian Li, a chemistry graduate student, said that the association exists primarily to build connections among the Chinese students, fellow international students and Americans at the University. Li was excited about the arrival of the new year. ‘This kind of celebration has been going on for 5,000 years,’ said Li of the Spring Festival. ‘For the Chinese, it’s more important than the Super Bowl.’ Li said that there are a number of foods that are traditionally served for the festival, including fish, pork, beef and jiao zi, a special type of dumpling. Li noted the importance of fireworks in the celebration. According to tradition, fireworks were used to produce noise that would scare away a havoc-wreaking mythical beast. Li said that his parents and grandparents continue to reside in China and that he regrets being unable to be with them. ‘Fortunately,’ said Li, ‘I went back [to China] this winter, and we had a family reunion. Even though I cannot have Spring Festival with them, I am glad that I will see them again soon.’ The association is composed of more than 1,000 students. The Spring Festival is the major activity the organization puts on, though there is also a talent show and a number of different athletic clubs.