Writer’s Choice

Chinese New Year Festival

Legend has it that Buddha invited all the animals to meet him on the first day of the new year. Only a dozen came. Buddha assigned a year to each of the 12 and announced that people born in a particular year would assume some of the characteristics of its animal.

This new year, 4704, a Year of the Dog, began on Jan. 29, when the moon was darkest. Festivities will continue until Feb. 15, when the moon is shining bright.

China’s New Year Festival, also known as the Spring Festival, is the country’s most important holiday. Yu Huang, producer of the annual program presented for the last three years on campus by UW–Madison’s Chinese Students and Scholars Association (CSSA), hopes the event will broaden the fan base of the New Year celebration.

“The CSSA has 1,200 members at UW–Madison, covering almost every college, school and department on campus,” he says. “We take great pride in contributing to the promotion of exchange between the Chinese culture and others, as well as the promotion of cultural diversity in the Madison community. We are trying to build a community that will consist not only of Chinese students and scholars, but also those of other ethnic backgrounds who have an interest in the culture and traditions of China.”

Huang says that the performance, free and open to all, will include dance, instrumental and vocal music and more. “I am so proud to see so many Chinese people show their talents and passion on stage,” he says. The performance is at 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 5, in the Wisconsin Union Theater. For more information, contact CSSA at 628-8001 or uwcssa2005@yahoo.com.