2016年CRI Chinese Lunar New Year Celebrated around the World

 

The Spring Festival is the most important holiday for the Chinese people; this year, the Lunar New Year has become an international celebration. 

In Europe, many countries are participating in the celebration of Chinese Spring Festival, including Britain, France, and Belgium. Festivities are in full swing as citizens visit Manchester's Chinatown, home to the UK's second largest Chinese community. 

The city has organized a series of themed events and activities, and hundreds of lanterns have been put up in major commercial strips¹ and the town hall plaza², which will be lit on the night of Feb. 12.

Anne Latham, a manager of House of Fraser department store, says this year's celebration is bigger than last year's.

"Every year in Manchester, we celebrate Chinese New Year. This year we've gone bigger than last year, the whole city has gotten behind it and we all celebrate it. The House of Fraser this year has really joined in the culture because our sister company is Chinese, so we'd like to make sure that we're involved in every way."

Activities including a parade, dumpling making, and writing with Chinese brushes have been held in Brussels and Paris.

In America, to welcome the Year of the Monkey, children mostly from Chinese American families put on monkey face paint and masks and performed an act from the Beijing Opera classic³ "Journey to the West." 

In addition, Universal Studios Hollywood's celebration of the Chinese New Year has attracted crowds from around the world.

In South Africa, a dinner party has been held at the Chinatown area of the capital, Cape⁴ Town, with Chinese people and local residents⁵ attending a party that featured Chinese-style food. Manuela Lotti was there.

"It's just wonderful to be together with our Chinese community in Cape Town. The food was amazing. The atmosphere was wonderful. Everybody was so excited." 

Sydney, Australia, the sister city of Guangzhou, has celebrated⁶ the Chinese New Year with a traditional ceremony to mark the beginning of the year of monkey. 

The celebration started with dignitaries, including the Lord⁷ Mayor⁸ of Sydney, taking part in a traditional eye-dotting ceremony to "bring the lions to life." 

Chinese-Australians have all made their new year's wishes. 

"I wish to have good grades and my family is still healthy and just good luck in general." 

"In many ways and this year is the fire monkey so it's going to bring lots of energy, positive energies and that's perfect"

After the ceremony, the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbor⁹ Bridge were lit in the color red in an historic¹⁰ first for the city's Lunar New Year celebrations. 

This year's Chinese Lunar New Year falls on Feb. 8.

The main traditional celebrations include eating reunion dinner with family, giving red envelopes, and watching the Spring Festival gala. 

With the development of technology, sending instant messages and cyber-money gifts have also become a part of the celebrations. 

For CRI, this is Li Jianhua.

1 strips   

n. 条，片 名词strip的复数形式

参考例句：

• Cut the vegetables into thin strips. 把菜切成细条。
• The baskets are woven from strips of willow. 这些篮子是用柳条编的。

2 plaza   

n.广场，市场

参考例句：

• They designated the new shopping centre York Plaza.他们给这个新购物中心定名为约克购物中心。
• The plaza is teeming with undercover policemen.这个广场上布满了便衣警察。

3 classic   

n.经典作品；adj.经典的，一流的；古典的

参考例句：

• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。
• The football match was a classic.那场足球比赛堪称典范。

4 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

5 residents   

n.居民( resident的名词复数 )；（旅馆的）住宿者

参考例句：

• Plans to build a new mall were deep-sixed after protests from local residents. 修建新室内购物中心的计划由于当地居民反对而搁浅。
• Local residents have reacted angrily to the news. 当地居民对这一消息表示愤怒。

6 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

7 lord   

n.上帝，主；主人，长官；君主，贵族

参考例句：

• I know the Lord will look after him.我知道上帝会眷顾他的。
• How good of the Lord not to level it beyond repair!上帝多么仁慈啊，竟没有让这所房子损毁得不可收拾！

8 mayor   

n.市长

参考例句：

• The new mayor said he would clean the city up.新市长说，他要整顿本市。
• The mayor hurried into his office,brushing off the reporters.市长赶快走进办公室，拒不接见记者。

9 harbor   

n.海港，港口；vt.庇护，藏匿；心怀(怨恨等)

参考例句：

• The harbor lies to the south of the city.港口在城市的南边。
• At that time,our ship was tied up at this harbor.当时我们的船停靠在这个港口。

10 historic   

adj.历史上著名的，具有历史意义的

参考例句：

• This is a historic occasion.这是具有重大历史意义的时刻。
• We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。