I survived one of the most dangerous and joyous times of the year in China: the Chinese New Year. It is dangerous because of the massive population movements as every family member heads back to their hometown to pass the New Year. However, I discovered making it home safe is only one part of China’s most unique and intricate holiday.
A particularly beautiful tradition in China is putting up 春 – Chun Lian and 剪纸 – Jian Zhi. Chun Lian are large red and black banners that are hung around a household’s main door wishing all a happy life in the coming year. Jian Zhi are intricate depictions of coy fish, flowers, and other natural scenes. This year is the year of the ram and so many Jian Zhi had gorgeous designs of rams. Cut into each Jian Zhi is the character 福 – Fu which means happiness and good fortune.
Another important aspect of passing the New Year and a second reason the Chinese New Year is deadly is dumplings. No, not because dumplings are dangerous to the hips, though at the rate I was eating them that very well might have been the case, but because hidden within a select few dumplings is a coin.
The people who have the pleasant experience of almost breaking a tooth as they chop down on this metal coin are supposed to have great luck in the New Year. I found three; look out world!
Fireworks during the New Year are a big deal. My host family took me to a tremendously large fireworks complex (larger than any South Carolina firework shop that North Carolinians certainly do not shop at when July 4th comes around).
We came home with a trunk full of menacingly large boxes of fireworks.
As it got dark I could feel an anxiety in the air, the feeling of anticipation for the firefight that would ensue shortly. Then, explosion after explosion, flashing lights accompanying rattling booms as if you have been dropped in the middle of a war zone.
The fireworks shot high in to the air before exploding into green, red, purple, and gold sparkles. One of my favorite fireworks was distinctly Chinese. It is a string of red cylindrical chambers that when lit explode in a fury of red confetti.
The chambers exploded one after the other working up a fuse to a red box the size of a small suitcase at the top, which as a grand finale let off a boom that rattled the glass I stood behind, shooting red confetti in all different directions. Cleaning it up was quite the job!
At 8 AM on the first morning of the New Year, I looked around a table full of steaming dumplings at the happy and relaxed face of my host mom and dad, my host brother glued to an NBA ad starring Dwayne Wade attempting to say “Ni Hao,” and my grandmother pointing at me (probably to demand that I eat more dumplings), and I felt a sudden and extreme excitement for the upcoming year.
I have three months until I leave China, which will go quicker than I want them to. In that time I know that I will accomplish incredible feats in Chinese language learning, make lasting friendships, and eat many more plates of dumplings. However, I am thrilled by the prospect of starting classes at UNC. I find myself searching the UNC website looking at the classes I can take, the clubs I will join, and the people I will meet. My head is swarming with ideas and goals for my time at UNC.
One goal that remains prominent is working with the language departments at UNC to increase cooperation with local high schools to promote language learning. Many UNC students share my passion for language and culture; I cannot wait to meet and work with you.