by Xinhua writer Wang Jiangang
UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Ten-year-old American girl Niva, holding a brush, was painting a simple yet charming "Chinese landscape" on a folding fan amidst a table laden with colorful paints.
On Sunday, at the site of the "Lunar New Year Family Festival: Enjoy a Spring Journey with Artists from Zhejiang" celebration hosted by the China Institute in America, the atmosphere was filled with joy and laughter.
The event attracted flocks of people -- seniors with walking sticks, children frolicking around, elegantly dressed ladies, and young parents bringing their children to experience the Chinese culture.
Inside the main venue, around 200 Chinese expatriates and Americans of various ethnicities, along with the Chinese Consul General in New York, Huang Ping, were immersed in the rich festive spirit of the Chinese New Year.
At the Taizhou embroidery workshop, Lin Xia, an inheritor of national intangible cultural heritage and a Chinese master of embroidery art, showcased the exquisite crafts of Taizhou embroidery, including drawing, pulling, inlaying, carving, pasting, and some 3D works of openwork Taizhou embroidery.
At the rice dough sculpture workshop, Dong Xizao, a master of arts and crafts from Wenzhou and an inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, offered colorful rice dough to visitors. With his nimble hands, he crafted a lifelike tangerine, symbolizing good luck, and earned a round of applause.
Chen Jing, the calligraphy artist from the Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Center, wrote superb calligraphy on red couplets expressing New Year wishes.
At the Diancha workshop, visitors were introduced to Diancha tools and the art of Diancha from the Song Dynasty for the first time. Guided by Fan Junwen, an inheritor of Diancha, each visitor had the opportunity to make a cup of tea.
Co-organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Center and supported by the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China in New York, Zhejiang Provincial Department of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, and the New York State Council on the Arts, the event offered the visitors a close encounter with cultural treasures from south China and conveyed the best wishes for the New Year.
The China Institute in America hailed it as "the biggest and most action-packed" Lunar New Year family festival to date.
"With joint efforts, a delegation of traditional handicraft masters from Zhejiang, China, will share the excellent traditional Chinese culture with you," said Huang in his opening remarks.
"The year 2024 marks the 45th anniversary of China-U.S. diplomatic relations. Let's continue our people-to-people exchanges and share the happiness with each other," he added.
Huang later told Xinhua that the event symbolized a "cultural exchange and connection of hearts" between China and the United States.
Niva's mother, Wronka told Xinhua: "Niva began learning Chinese when she was two, and she has loved China ever since. Today's celebration is not just a showcase of Chinese culture but a microcosm of the ongoing cultural exchange between China and America."
Founded in 1926 by distinguished Chinese and American educators, the China Institute in America is one of the oldest non-profit organizations in the U.S. focused on Chinese culture. Its former president, James B. Heimowitz, studied in China in the 1980s and has since formed a lifelong bond with Sino-American cultural exchanges.
Heimowitz expressed his satisfaction at seeing Americans of diverse backgrounds gather together to celebrate the Lunar New Year, emphasizing the importance of cultural exchange and connection.
He said he was also thrilled to learn China's decision to invite 50,000 American students to study in China over the next five years.
"I believe this can be a cornerstone for further enhancing people-to-people connectivity," he said.
After the event, Cultural Consul Yang Hui of the Chinese Consulate in New York shared her emotions with Xinhua: "Zhejiang's cultural brilliance was perfectly showcased in this celebration. The Chinese New Year is more than just a festival; it's a bridge connecting hearts worldwide. Zhejiang, with its unique landscapes and rich cultural heritage, is attracting attention from all over the globe."
Last September, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law declaring the Lunar New Year a public school holiday in New York State. Last December, the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution recognizing the Lunar New Year as an official UN holiday.
Reflecting on these developments, New York Uber driver Wendy told Xinhua: "My former Chinese neighbors used to give my daughter a red envelope and Chinese delicacies during the Lunar New Year. I still keep the red envelope, reminding me of my kind Chinese neighbors." ■
