“Do you know how to use chopsticks?” Xi Chen ’08 inquired. I made an apologetic face, and she handed me a fork instead. “Do you like spicy food?” she asked next. I made another sheepish face. She laughed and began to lead me to a less crowded table. Finding something resembling pride within me, I changed my mind and told her I would try the spicy hot pot items, but would hold onto my fork.
The “hot pots” were containers of boiling water filled with all sorts of traditional Chinese food items—vegetables, beef, pork, chicken, mushrooms, dumplings, and fish tofu—that were purchased at a Chinese food market in Albany. About 20 to 30 people were eating around tables in Mother’s. The mood was pleasant and the food was delicious, an appropriate atmosphere for the Taiwanese Students Association to usher in the Chinese New Year.
The New Year, celebrated on Saturday night, is the largest of the traditional Chinese holidays. It is a chance to get together and enjoy a tasty meal and the company of family and friends. The date of the New Year varies of the Western World, as it is not based on the traditional Gregorian calendar, but an ancient Chinese calendar. It integrates aspects of a lunar calendar with those of a solar one are to create what is called a lunisolar calendar. It is used today for marking traditional holidays. As Ying-Ju Chen ’07 said, “We don’t know when [the New Year] is going to be; we just check the calendar!”
Many of the traditional Chinese holidays are associated with ancient folklore. For example, one myth says there was a man-eating beast whose weaknesses were the color red and loud noises. The Chinese learned to scare away this creature by setting off fireworks, which led to the first New Year festival. Today, the Chinese New Year is celebrated on the first day of the Western World’s new year in which a new moon is present.
Another aspect of this holiday is the Chinese zodiac, a 12-year cycle in which animals represent each year. Each animal is accompanied by specific personality traits; this year is known as the Year of the Dog, and people born in this year will be honest and reliable, yet inflexible and selfish. Those born in dog years may not have good fortune in 2006, or 4703 by the Chinese calendar, according to folklore. Famous people born in the Year of the Dog include President George W. Bush, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson.
Besides gathering to enjoy traditional hot pot dishes, the TSA celebrated the Chinese New Year with karaoke. Popular Taiwanese and Chinese music videos were played to accompany the performers. Well-known musicians in Taiwan include Jay Chou, who specializes in R&B and rap, and Lee-Hom Wang, who was born in America and studied music at Williams College. Wang’s success reaches across not only Taiwan but also most of eastern Asia. He is considered one of the leading musicians transforming the Chinese music industry.
The Chinese New Year is not only China’s largest celebration, but also the TSA’s largest event of the year. As the evening progressed, students talked, laughed, captured memories with digital cameras, and enjoyed being with friends—because when you can’t be with your family during the holidays, your friends are certainly the next best thing.
