Celebrate Chinese New Year in Delft

After the Netherlands blasted into the new year on January first, there are some who are still waiting. The Chinese New Year, which follows the lunar calendar, falls on January 31st this year and the Association of Chinese Students and Scholars in Delft (ACSSNL) is hosting an exhibition and party.ACSSNL has teamed up with Maanvis Producties to organize the celebration.

The evening will begin with the cultural exhibition from 16:00 – 19:00. The exhibition will include displays on Chinese architectural art, historical territory transformation and the culture of ethnic minorities. You can get involved by learning Chinese calligraphy, watching a live paper cutting show and taking a photo with elegant Hanfu, traditional Chinese clothing. 

Entrance is free to the public and the snacks and tea provided are also free. Several Chinese dishes will be available for tasting. If you are adventurous, you can test your hand at making your own dumplings. Also, you are encouraged to guess the lantern riddles in order to be entered to win prizes.

Later in the evening, starting at 18:00, there will be a ticketed performance by Chinese students. The tickets are free but you must register prior to the event. The show will be in Chinese and English so that everyone can follow. The performances will feature music, dance and both modern and traditional shows.

Chinese New Year is considered the most important celebration in their culture. The celebration begins on the first day of the lunar month and continues for fifteen days. Each year is named after an animal. We are leaving the year of the snake and moving into the year of the horse. Each animal has a list of characteristics that someone born in that year will share. The horse bears the characteristics of being cheerful, skillful with money, perceptive, witty, talented and good with their hands.