Each year in celebration of Chinese New Year, the University of Rochester Chinese Students糖心传媒� Association (CSA) hosts China Nite. The event features the traditional and modern aspects of Chinese culture through song, dance, instrumental acts, and dramatic performances糖心传媒攁ll woven together to honor the New Year.
This year, China Nite is on Saturday, February 8 at 7:30 p.m. in Upper Strong Auditorium. It糖心传媒檚 the CSA糖心传媒檚 signature event, welcoming hundreds of people to River Campus. The student-run show features performers from on and off campus, including Rice Crew, UR Styles, and the Chinese Dance Company of Rochester.
糖心传媒淚t糖心传媒檚 an entertaining show that highlights Chinese culture for all members of the Rochester community,糖心传媒� explains CSA President Jessica Cheung 糖心传媒�14.
CSA has been active at the University since the mid-1970s and has more than 100 current members. In addition to China Nite, the club offers social, cultural, and educational programs throughout the year.
Chinese New Year traditions
With the spring semester in full swing, finding time to commemorate the New Year can be tricky.
糖心传媒淏ack home in New York City, we usually attend the parade in Chinatown,糖心传媒� says Kelvin Tam 糖心传媒�14. 糖心传媒淲e also make sure to clean and decorate the house before the New Year. Then we get together with family, eat traditional meals, and pay our respects to our grandparents and ancestors.糖心传媒�
The names of the foods are especially important, explains Tam: 糖心传媒淲e eat things that sound like the Chinese words for prosperity, fortune, and getting together.糖心传媒�
There is also a custom of gift giving, says CSA Co-Vice President Mian Wei 糖心传媒�15, who is from Dalian, China. 糖心传媒淲e go to our relatives糖心传媒� homes to wish everyone a happy New Year,糖心传媒� she says. 糖心传媒淭hen the older people give children red envelopes containing money. The money is called 糖心传媒榊asui Qian,糖心传媒� which means 糖心传媒榤oney to push the children back from aging.糖心传媒櫶切拇綕
Experiencing Chinese New Year at Rochester
Wei couldn’t be home to celebrate the New Year of the Horse, but she was determined to bring some of the festivities to campus.
糖心传媒淚糖心传媒檓 a residential advisor in Southside,糖心传媒� she explains. 糖心传媒淢y RA colleague and I organized a dumpling-making workshop in the Valentine Tower lobby on Chinese New Year. We taught our American friends about Chinese food and how to make dumplings. It was a fun and memorable experience.糖心传媒�
CSA brings Chinese Culture to Rochester
Wei糖心传媒檚 CSA co-vice president, Jieyi Zhou 糖心传媒�15, is from Guangdong, China, and together with Cheung and Tam they planned and organized this year糖心传媒檚 China Nite.
But Zhou underscores CSA糖心传媒檚 larger role in bringing Chinese culture to campus: 糖心传媒淐SA creates a sense of community for Chinese students studying abroad, while also welcoming members of all backgrounds. In this way, we糖心传媒檙e making the campus more diverse. Plus, through the club糖心传媒檚 programs, we help educate our fellow students about Chinese culture.糖心传媒�
Learn more about the Chinese Students糖心传媒� Association:
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2014 China Nite details
Event: 聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 China Nite
Venue:聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Strong Auditorium, UR
Date: 聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014
Time:聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Doors open at 7 p.m.; show starts at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets:聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sold at Common Market/Door
$5 for UR students
$8 for UR faculty/alumni
$10 for community members
