To ring out the old year and ring in the new year, people in Belarus celebrated the Chinese Lunar NewYear of 2019 at Confucius Institute of Minsk State Linguistic University. This year, Confucius Institute hosted a series of events in Spring Festival, promoting Chinese culture to Belarus people.
At Minsk State Linguistic University, Confucius Institute invited Chinese language and culture Department to celebrate the year of pig and experience the Chinese culture through various activities, including paper clipping, calligraphy, tea appreciation, and weaving. Students from Department of Chinese Language and Literature prepared brilliant performance of classic dancing and singing like Plum flower, Singing in the Rain, My future is not a dream (TomChang), Waiting (Jeff Chang), and give me a kiss( seven lonely days). Besides, therewas a Chinese culture quiz attracting students to compete for awards prepared by CI. The Chinese New Year ushered in a new time of prosperity.
In Mogilev, Chinese Language and Culture Center of Mogilev StateA.Kuleshov University hosted a five-day celebration event which allowed the local people to experience the Chinese culture and Lunar New Year. The center invited doctors from Nanjing Hospital of TCM Clinic to introduce acupuncture treatment, prepared authentic Chinese food, and invited the local people to experience Chinese calligraphy. The locals took a bite of China, saw the texture of China,and enjoyed the melody of China.
In Confucius Classroom at Mogilev Third High School, students were invited to hold the New Year gala themed dance and celebration. Students and faculty members performed dance of Minnong (Sympathy for peasants), Kuaiban show (rhythmic comic talk) for New Year celebration, and Baduanjin Qigong (Eight Section Silk Brocade).
Smalyavichy Seconday High School is located at Kitajska-Bielaruski China-Belarus Industrial Park. Audience waited in the hall from the early morning for the performance of Confucius Classroom. Chinese learners greeted each other with Xin Nian Kuai Le (Happy New Year) in Chinese. Children prepared singing of Xin Nian Hao (Happy New Year), Mo Li Hua (jasmine flower),poetry recital and painting of You Zi Yin (For Her Son Who’ll Be Away for trip)and Min Nong (Sympathy for peasants), and performed dances of Liang Zhi Lao Hu(Frère Jacques/Are you sleeping) and Love Me Kiss Me. After the performance, Chinese teachers presented to local people how to use chopsticks to enjoy the dumplings together.
In the Chinese Week and New Year celebration event of Maladzyechna tenth high school, students surprised the audience with Chinese Kun Fu show, Baduanjin Qigong (Eight Section Silk Brocade) and Thousand-hand Bodhisattva dancing. Other activities like Chinese tea show, Peking Opera facial make-up, Jiaguwen (Oracle bone script) contest,and Chinese painting contest also impressed the participants. The celebration ended with the New Year Concert. Chinese Week not only attracted the students but also won the support from their parents, who sponsored the shows for all kinds of props. Students developed a deeper understanding of Chinese culture by participating in different kinds of activities, including paper clipping, Chineseknot tying, and poetry appreciation.
In the Barysaw Third High School, students celebrated a spring festival galanamed Cutie Kids Celebrating New Year. They prepared dancing of Cutie Kids Celebrating New Year and Gong Xi Fa Cai, an introduction of the development of Chinese characters, and a chorus of Happy New Year. Confucius Classroom in Barysaw Twelfth High School also organized activities to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. With aid of videos, the Chinese teachers answered the followed questions in the vivid way: where does spring festival come from? What is the origin of some traditional customs? What is Chinese zodiac? Chinese teachers from Confucius Classroom also introduced paper clipping, Chinese lantern making, and Chinese dragon painting. Participants cherished this moment andtook photos together.
In Grodno First High School, Confucius Classroom hosted a series of eventsto celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year. From the first day to the third day of the first lunar month, various kinds of lessons about Chinese culture were taught in the school hall, introducing paper clipping, Chinese knot, Calligraphy and Chinese painting. Students cut pandas and the character of Chung (Spring)with red paper, tied Chinese knot, wrote down their name in Chinese, and drew bamboosand plum flowers. On the fourth day of the first lunar month, students from theConfucius Classrooms made a well-prepared performance to show what they havelearned in the previous semester.
In Valozhyn First High School, the Spring Festival Gala impressed the audience with well-prepared new year’s eve songs, Kung Fu show, traditional indoor games, poetry recital, and children’s songs.
Confucius Institute has been playing a more and more important role on the aspect of social functions based on its special advantages and resources. The promotion of Chinese language in Belarus leads tothe increasing demand of learning Chinese language and culture among the local people.
(translated by Wang Zidi)
