Chinese coffee house blends fun and games

Student Yu Zhang knows the best way to describe the Chinese New Year.

“It’s like Christmas… Student Yu Zhang knows the best way to describe the Chinese New Year.

“It’s like Christmas to the Western countries. It’s the most important holiday of the year,” Zhang said.

Filling the William Pitt Union’s Ballroom last night with games, food, music and slide shows, the Chinese Students and Scholars Association and the Office of Cross-Cultural and Civic Leadership threw their final celebration to welcome in 2007 as the “Year of the Boar.”

Festivities for the night included a Chinese coffee house, karaoke and a traditional Chinese dinner with a stage show filled with plays and songs.

Traditionally celebrated on Feb. 18, the Chinese New Year is supposed to be a time of joy and celebration with loved ones. However, Xiaoqing Wang, a volunteer organizer, moved it back so they could host as many people as they could.

“We wanted to put it off so students could celebrate with their families,” she said. “Then they could celebrate it here with us.”

While Xiaoqing Wang wanted a big turnout this year, that has never been a problem CSSA advisor Xiaojing Wang said.

“We had 1,300 people attend the events in 2004 and approximately 2,000 people last year,” he said. “This year we’re trying to limit the numbers a little, but it just keeps on getting bigger and bigger.”

According to Xiaojing Wang, the goal for this event was to reach out to all Pitt students to help celebrate the holiday. The Organization of American States helped them by e-mailing students across campus.

Becky Macri, a graduate student, found out about the event that way.

“I got an e-mail, and it looked interesting,” she said. “I also have Chinese neighbors who invited me to the Moon Festival, and it was fun, so I came here to check it out.”

Macri was also impressed with the food during the event. For the celebration, the volunteers made tea for visitors by pouring hot water over tea leaves. Also, the dinner consisted of pork, chicken or beef dishes provided by Szechuan Express.

“It all looks delicious and tastes great,” she said.

From the onset Xiaojing Wang said his goal was to bring people together to help celebrate the Chinese New Year.

“You’re always trying to get people to know more about the Chinese culture and our spring celebration,” he said.