Speaker tells Marshall library audience about Chinese New Year, other aspects of Chinese culture

From left, Mo Fowler and Jianhua Wang draw names of participants for their choice of Chinese souvenirs.
(Sydney Stonner/Democrat-News)

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The two-week holiday will usher out the year of the ox and ring in the year of the tiger, which is determined by the repeating 12-year animal zodiac cycle.

These facts and more were discussed at Marshall Public Library Wednesday evening, Feb. 3, when Jianhua Wang gave a presentation about her country's New Year celebrations.

Wang is visiting the U.S. on business -- she was just promoted to the position of quality manager at General Electric in Shanghai, and is training at GE plants in Slater and Kansas City. Wang has a master's degree in thermal engineering.

In fact, Wang's visit to America had to be timed just right, so that she wouldn't miss the Lunar New Year celebrations at home. For the Chinese, it is important to spend the holiday with one's family, she said. Because of this, traveling around the country during the festival can prove very difficult, Wang said. She noted that prices on airplane and train tickets increase dramatically during the peak travel times.

Once with their family members, Chinese people traditionally celebrate the New Year by hanging up red lanterns, decorative Chinese knots and posters displaying calligraphy or couplets. Fireworks are also important to the festival, Wang said.

Some customary New Year foods include dumplings, which are filled with meat and/or vegetables, and sweets.

Wang also spoke briefly about China's long history, which spans more than 5,000 years. She said an important event in recent history was then-leader Deng Xiaoping's decision in 1978 to privatize some Chinese industries and encourage economic development, which led to China's emergence as a major player on the international stage.

In 1980, China instituted the one-child policy to curb its rapid population growth, Wang said.

She herself was born in 1982 to a family with three sons already.

Because her parents were in violation of the law, they paid a sum of money to local government officials who then changed Wang's birth year to 1979, making her a twin with one of her brothers.

When she finished speaking, Wang wrote each attendee's name on a bookmark using Chinese characters. She also drew names for small prizes like silk scarves, chopsticks and Chinese knots.

Contact Sydney Stonner at marshallbusiness@socket.net