Streets in Sydney downtown are decorated with banners featuring the work of local artists themed the Year of the Tiger, on Jan. 29, 2022. (City of Sydney/Xinhua)
Sydney's Chinatown is buzzed with cultural performances, market stalls, DJs, food trucks, and lion dancers to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
SYDNEY, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- As Australia's largest city Sydney prepares to celebrate the Lunar New Year, the streets and laneways of Chinatown are being transformed into an immersive artwork for the Year of the Tiger.
Chinatown is buzzed with cultural performances, market stalls, DJs, food trucks, and lion dancers on Saturday.
Visitors strolling through the district's famous Dixon Street will be greeted with a series of lantern installations overhead, with the main attraction being a tiger lantern in the middle of five rows of small colourful lantern balls.
The Chinese New Year falls on Feb. 1 this year. It is based on a 12-year Zodiac cycle of animals, with 2022 being the Year of the Tiger.
Winning young artists of a design competition, which is held by the City of Sydney to mark the Year of the Tiger, demonstrate their designs at the launching ceremony of the Lunar New Year celebration at the Chinese Garden of Friendship on Jan. 27, 2022. (City of Sydney/Xinhua)
Honoring the third zodiac sign, the crouching tiger decoration has been designed by Sydney artist Susan Chen. The lanterns depict a traditional Chinese ceramic vase featuring a crouching tiger surrounded by a pattern of pale blue watery waves. The design aims to symbolise opposing qualities.
"It conveys a sense of tension, but also a fine line between chaos and harmony," Chen told Xinhua.
"The tiger placed on the vase (is) making his way slowly through the fragile porcelain, but at any given moment, (the tiger) could turn vicious and destroy all the things around him."
Influenced by the Chinese philosophy of Yin-Yang, Chen's artwork is drawn to the notion of "balance and harmony". She said the tiger was a symbol of power, strength and positive energy in Chinese culture, but when it is combined with a porcelain vase full of water, the whole picture could achieve a sense of harmony.
"Both elements can be unforgiving, powerful and full of rage, but in equal measure, can be sources of great beauty, calm and resilience," she said.
Sydney's Chinatown is decorated with a series of lantern installations overhead designed by Sydney artist Susan Chen on Jan. 29, 2022. (City of Sydney/Xinhua)
Chen said the COVID-19 pandemic had made the past two years very difficult for many people, including herself, to find a sense of order and routine in their daily lives.
She hopes her artwork will provide people with fresh insights into life and gain new understandings of the age-old narrative.
"I felt like the more I tried to control the situation, the more out of control things seemed to get in the last year (or two)," she said.
"In the act of finally accepting that I can't control external forces that are greater than myself, I've learnt to embrace the chaos and to work with what I can control."
"This Lunar New Year presents an opportunity to let go of the hardships of the past two years and embrace positivity and possibility."
The Sydney Lunar Festival is a popular tradition but visitor numbers and business operations have fallen since 2020 due to the pandemic.
Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore presents in Sydney's Chinatown for the Year of the Tiger event on Jan. 29, 2022. (City of Sydney/Xinhua)
Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore said the COVID-safe festivities were a chance to attract people back into the city and support local businesses.
"We are doing everything we can to make this a safe event for everyone. COVID-19 safety plans will be in place and all health regulations will be followed," she said.
"It's a wonderful way for people to enjoy the spirit of our 2022 Year of the Tiger celebrations. We're looking forward to once again seeing people experiencing the cultural activities, entertainment and feasts on offer."■
