Tail Dancer
Tail Dancer
Celebrate the Chinese New Year in London
Yuletide celebrations may have come and gone, but Sunday the 10th of February will see celebration of the Chinese New Year, ringing in what is in Chinese astrology, the Year of the Rat. As the biggest city in Europe and one with a sizeable ethnic Chinese population, London’s Chinese New Year celebrations will be amongst the most extravagant around the world – last year it was the largest in the world outside of Asia, attracting over 300,000 visitors.
In London, celebrations of the Chinese New Year are naturally concentrated around Chinatown, located in the Soho area of the City of Westminster and occupying the area in and around Gerrard Street. The site itself is a must-see for any tourist, and contains numerous Chinese restaurants, bakeries, supermarkets and Chinese souvenir shops.
Chinese New Year celebrations start at 11 am with the Grand Parade from Charing Cross Road to Trafalgar Square and admission is free of charge.
Following opening speeches, including ones by appointed officials, such as the President of the London Chinese Community Centre and Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, the celebrations kick off with the ’Dotting of the Lions’ Eyes’. In this good-luck ceremony, two dancers wear a giant lion costume and the eyes are painted in to drive away evil spirits and bring the lion to life. Accompanying the waking lion are drumbeats, gongs and cymbals, starting off softly and building into an erupting crescendo as the lion awakes and begins to flick its ears, scratch and breathe. The lion then starts to dance as firecrackers go off.
Following this is the mesmerising Dragon Dance, an essential part of Chinese festivals for over two millennia. Historically a part of harvest rituals, today it symbolises the bringing of prosperity and good luck in the year ahead. The Dragon itself is a long, brightly painted serpent-shaped body on poles, worn by up to 8 dancers, with an ornamental head and tail.
At 1 pm the centre stage becomes a showcase for different talents from local and visiting performers. These include both contemporary and traditional arts, from dances to martial arts and music. An impressive display of talent, it promises to be one of the must-see parts of the celebrations.
The skies will light up with fireworks around Leicester Square every hour from 2 – 6 pm, and the celebrations then move from Trafalgar Square into Chinatown. Although it is always a lively part of London, this New Year the festive spirit is expected to be higher than ever, with the Beijing Olympics and London 2012 being integrated into the festivities. Home to over 78 restaurants offering everything from westernised Chinese food to traditional and gourmet delicacies, Chinatown can provide anyone with an appreciation for Chinese food something to suit their tastes.
This year will mark the 30th celebration of the Chinese New Year in London, a testimony to the city’s multiculturalism and the popularity of the celebrations, so why not come along and experience for yourself an event bringing together of best of western and eastern culture.
About the Author
Andrew Regan is an online, freelance author from Scotland. He is a keen rugby player and enjoys travelling.
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