Chinese New Year 2015: Year of the Sheep

This story has been republished from the College Today article.

Originally publised: 17 February 2015 | 1:26 pm
by: Ron Menchaca
Contact: Weishen Wang, professor and chair, Department of Finance, 843.953.0887

Chinese New Year begins Feb. 19, 2015. Originally based on the Chinese lunar-solar calendar, the holiday is celebrated in many Asian countries over several days.

chinese new year

The holiday, also known as Spring Festival, is traditionally celebrated by families coming together to renew ties.

Each Chinese New Year is assigned to one of 12 zodiacal animals, with 2015 being the Year of the Sheep.

“It is a great family time, similar to Christmas here in the USA,” says Weishen Wang, professor and chair of the Department of Finance in the School of Business. “We will have great food, in particular, dumplings, and performance. Usually people put on new and beautiful clothes. Grown-ups give kids lucky money.”

Millions of people will travel from major Chinese cities to celebrate the holiday with their families.

LINK: View a heat map showing the massive amount of travel that occurs during Chinese New Year.

chinese new year

As president for the Chinese Association in Greater Charleston, Wang is helping to organize the association’s Spring Festival. The event takes place Sunday, Feb. 22, 2015, from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the James Island Community Education Center, 1000 Fort Johnson Rd., Charleston.

The event will feature traditional Chinese music, dances and singing followed with a banquet of delicious Chinese foods, door prizes and more. For more information and to pre-register for the event, visit http://www.cagcsc.org/springfestival.html

Association members receive free admission. Admission for non-members is $15, students – $10, children ages 6-12 – $5, children 5 and under – free.

EXPLORE: Study the Chinese language at the College.

 

 

Shen Yun: 5,000 Years of Civilization, Live on Stage!

ShenYun

 

Shen Yun

5000 Years of Chinese Civilization Live on Stage     

North Charleston PAC | 7:30PM

Doors open at 6:30PM 

REVIVING 5,000 YEARS OF CIVILIZATION

Through the universal language of music and dance, Shen Yun weaves a wondrous tapestry of heavenly realms, ancient legends, and modern heroic tales, taking you on a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese culture. Its stunning beauty and tremendous energy leave audiences uplifted and inspired.

A Shen Yun performance features the world’s foremost classically trained dancers, a unique orchestra blending East and West, and dazzling animated backdrops—together creating one spectacular performance.

Israeli Film: The Journey of Vaan Nguyen

Event Description:
A poignant portrait of the kind of cultural displacement only history can create, Duki Dror’s documentary follows a father and daughter as they travel from their adopted home in Israel to his Vietnamese birthplace.
Location Information:
Main Campus – Jewish Studies Center  (View Map)
96 Wentworth Street
Charleston, SC
Phone: (843) 953-5682
Room: Arnold Hall
Contact Information:
Name: Mark Swick
Phone: 8439534930
Email: swickmn@cofc.edu

Chinese Professor Brings Ancient Flavor to Celebration of Charleston’s Super Moon

Chinese Professor Brings Ancient Flavor to Celebration of Charleston’s Super Moon

When the next super moon brightens the sky September 9, 2014, you might find College of Charleston professor Lei Jin eating a moon cake to celebrate. That’s because the extra-large-looking moon is celebrated in Chinese culture with the Moon Festival.

RELATED: Read about the “super” full moon that rises September 9, 2014.

Jin has become a go-to expert on all aspects of Chinese culture in Charleston. As president of the Chinese Association of Greater Charleston, she’s organized a Moon Festival event on Saturday, September 6 at the Palmetto Island County Park in Mt. Pleasant.

“The Chinese Moon Festival is equivalent to the American Thanksgiving holiday,” says Jin, director of the college’s Asian Studies Program. “In China, it’s a national holiday.”

Like Thanksgiving, the Moon Festival focuses on food and family, moon cakes and large gatherings of relatives. The annual festival dates back more than 3,000 years to a time when people paid tribute to the moon, believing that would bring a better harvest.

RELATED: Take Chinese at the College of Charleston.

Originally from southwest China, Jin moved to the U.S. to study literature and fell in love with the Lowcountry.

Today, she teaches Chinese language, literature and cinema at the College and serves as a mentor for the Asian Students Association and Chinese Club. She also has plenty of non-Chinese students who want to learn about the ways of the most populous country in the world.

“We have more and more students majoring in international studies or international business,” says Jin. “They need to prepare themselves in terms of language and culture. China plays an important role in the world’s economy.”