Chinese New Year celebrations in Exeter
Chinese New Year is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays and 2015 will be the Year of the Goat.
In China, it is known as the "Spring Festival" and marks the end of the winter season.
The University of Exeter will be celebrating the Chinese New Year on Saturday 21 February in Exeter city centre and on the Streatham Campus.
At 1pm the Dragon and Lion dancers will parade through the city, starting in Buffet City, ending in Royal Albert Museum (RAMM).
The parade continues at The Forum, Streatham Campus at 3pm, where there is also a Chinese Market, food, martial arts demonstrations, performances and activities for everyone. As part of the biggest Chinese celebrations in the city there will be a firework display at 6pm which can be viewed from the Forum.
The question of whether it is the Year of the Sheep, Goat, or Ram isn’t always clear. For many Chinese people the definition of which animal the Year should be named after isn’t all that important. Generally, referring to either of the hoofed animals is acceptable.
Lynnda Lin is a third year BA Business and Accounting student and the President, Chinese Society.
She said: “Being Chinese, Chinese new year is special to me because this is the year of time where friends and families gather around food and fun, similar to how Christmas is being celebrated here in England. The difference is that the Chinese New Year celebration traditionally lasts for 15 days.
As an international student, we are less likely to return home for the celebration due to lectures clashes. Nonetheless, the Chinese New Year Market on Saturday is a chance for us gather together and share our joy and culture with the local community. This certainly makes our celebration in the UK much more meaningful.”
The celebrations are presented by the Chinese Student Scholars Association (CSSA) and supported by University of Exeter, Students Guild and Streetwise Fund.
Sue O’Hara Student Support Officer said: “Chinese New Year is the perfect opportunity for us to invite the whole community onto campus to celebrate the Year of the Goat. This year they can also learn about the Lunar New Year from Vietnamese and Taiwanese student societies.”
