Chinese New Year

Kung Hei Fat Chai

(Happy New Year)

The Chinese Association of Greater Flint just hosted their first public Chinese New Year celebration and we were privileged to attend.  

The date of Chinese New Year (also known as Spring Festival) is based on the lunar calendar and always falls in January or February.  

This is the year of the Rooster.  Next year will be the year of the dog and then the pig and the rat - but I don’t yet understand what that all means. 

'Twas a colorful and beautiful evening with yummy food and lovely Chinese garb. The performances included piano solos by a Chinese student, singing by Chinese children, a calligraphy demonstration, a fashion show and dancing.

I was particularly moved by the playing of Rachmaninoff’s Polichinelle op. 3, no. 4.  Not that I would have known that was the name of it…  But it was so wonderful.

Although I enjoyed the performances and really loved the food, I think I’d have to say that my favorite part of the evening was being able to share it with friends.  To be welcomed by new friends from China and Taiwan was heart-warming indeed. 

Bob participated in the fund-raising “lottery” and shared his tickets with our friends.  One of the winning tickets netted a rice cooker for Charlie - who just happened to have been sharing his rice cooker with a friend - who lives on a different floor in the dorm.   

I am so very grateful for our recent connections with these beautiful people. I am honored to call them my friends.