Chinese traditions will have an American twist as Boston students and residents celebrate the Chinese New Year with food, activities and festivals starting today.
This year marks the year of the dragon in Chinese culture.
President of the Boston University Chinese Student Association and School of Management junior Ashley Cheung said the Chinese new year begins on Jan. 23, the first day of the lunar year.
“Festivities usually start on the eve and continue for about 15 days,” Cheung said. “CSA just had a party [Saturday] night to celebrate and is collaborating with the Chinese Department to throw a Chinese New Year Event with Lion Dancing and free food, also on the 10th.”
College of Arts and Sciences freshman Yingjun Dai, an international student from China, will also be celebrating the new year.
The Chinese New Year, based on the ancient Chinese Lunar calendar, is the largest celebration in Chinese culture. Beginning Monday, it lasts more than two weeks and culminates with a lantern festival.
While Chinese New Year traditionally includes cleaning the house, giving children money in red envelopes and eating traditional New Year food such as dumplings, BU also has a few ways to commence the New Year.
On Tuesday, BU dining halls will serve traditional Chinese food for the New Year, including egg drop soup and veggie spring rolls. The BU Chinese Students and Scholars Association will also hold a Lantern Festival on Feb. 10.
Boston’s Chinatown is also hosting festivities for the New Year. Last Friday through Sunday, Chinatown celebrated with a “Flower Street on the Greenway,” featuring flowers and New Year treats, according to the Chinatown Main Street website.
On Jan. 29, the Chinese New Year Parade will travel through Chinatown all day from Phillips Square to Harrison Avenue, according to the website.
Chinatown Main Street, part of the Boston Main Streets Program that seeks to revive the economy and community of historic Boston districts, will be serving food and hosting activities on Jan. 29.
At BU, students are finding ways to celebrate the New Year away from their families during a holiday that places much emphasis on spending time with family.
The term “chunyun” in Chinese represents the movement of millions of Chinese people from everywhere around the world to their hometown before the lunar Chinese New Year, Dai said.
“One of the main traditions of the Chinese New Year is to make food and eat with your family,” said College of Communication freshman Xiaopei Luo, an international student from China. This year, Luo is looking forward to cooking a traditional Chinese meal and celebrating with her friends in Boston.
“I didn’t do much this year at BU,” Dai said. “My good friends and I went to a Chinese restaurant and we had a really big meal. As you can imagine, we are all missing our home so much at this particular day.”
