WFU to host Chinese New Year celebration Feb. 2

The third-annual celebration will feature demonstrations and hands-on activities that highlight various aspects of Chinese culture, including calligraphy and paper-folding. Some participants will also dress in historical Chinese costumes.

Experts will demonstrate martial arts like Tai Chi Chuan, an ancient Chinese martial art/meditative exercise. Wake Forest sophomore David Lan of Charlotte will be among the martial arts demonstrators. The traditional lion dance will also be performed throughout the afternoon.

Children will make a horse paper sculpture, a lion mask and learn to use an abacus. Program leaders will also demonstrate the Chinese yo-yo and lead a children’s dance.

Traditional Chinese food from Winston-Salem’s Szechuan Palace restaurant will be available at a small charge.

The program’s schedule is as follows:
11:45 a.m. Lion dance, martial arts, children’s dance and Chinese yo-yo demonstrations
12:30 p.m. Ma Jiang demonstration
1:15 p.m. Tai Chi demonstration and informal talk by Golden Flower masters
1:45 p.m. Lion dance, martial arts and Chinese yo-yo demonstrations

The Chinese New Year starts with the first New Moon of the New Year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The Chinese New Year’s Day 2002 will be Feb. 12, the first day in the Year of the Horse.

Wake Forest’s Chinese New Year celebration is sponsored by the university’s Ethics and Leadership Grant, Wake Forest’s Asian Student Interest Association and the Wake International Student Association.

For more information, call 336-758-5675.