Lunar New Year

Primary School students have been learning about and celebrating the Lunar New Year. Last week, students watched a traditional lion dance performance by the Wah Lum Kung Fu & Tai Chi Academy in Harris Theater. This week, second graders performed their own lion dance in Primary Morning Meeting as part of a larger event that included a presentation about Lunar New Year traditions by first grade, a musical performance, and lion and dragon dances led by the second grade. Many Primary School students wore red to school as the symbol of good luck, health, and prosperity in Chinese culture, with some students wearing traditional clothing to celebrate the New Year. 

First graders kicked off the event with a presentation sharing what they have learned about the Lunar New Year, which is the most important holiday of the year in China and is also celebrated in many other Asian countries. Students explained that Lunar New Year starts in January or February and lasts for 15 days. The Chinese zodiac is on a 12-year cycle, with each year represented by an animal. 2023 is the year of the rabbit, an animal that symbolizes cleverness. Families celebrate the Lunar New Year by opening all the doors and windows and cleaning the bad memories out of their houses. They gather to celebrate and leave a space at the table for any departed loved ones.  Lunar New Year celebrations are also rich in symbolism. Dragons and fireworks scare away the bad luck and bring in good luck, as do the colors red and gold. In China, people give hongbao, red envelopes filled with money or gold coins, to celebrate Lunar New Year.

Under the direction of Music Teacher Phil Montgomery, second graders performed “Xīn nián kuài lè" (which means Happy New Year in Mandarin). They have been learning and practicing this song for several weeks, and they performed accompanied by several second grade students on xylophones. The song echoes many of the traditions that first graders spoke about in their presentation. “Welcome in the New Year, sweep out the old, lanterns, firecrackers, red and gold.”

The highlights of the celebration were two dances led by second grade, a lion dance that welcomes good fortune and a dragon dance to drive away evil spirits. The two lions and dragons were made by previous second grade classes and freshened up by this year’s classes with additional decorations. Each lion and dragon fit 5-6 students underneath, and Physical Education teacher Jack Wong choreographed their dance as they marched around the room, weaving throughout the rows of students to spread good luck. Each dragon was led by a student carrying the “pearl of wisdom” a decorated sphere on a pole that symbolizes the search for wisdom and truth, and the lions were led by a student waving a fan. 

Xīn nián kuài lè to all families who celebrate!