Chinese New Year to be celebrated at UI, Confucius Institute
The University of Idaho Confucius Institute will host Chinese New Year Gala from 7-9 p.m. Friday in the Administration Building Auditorium. Confucius Institute Director Matthew Wappett said the event is for students, faculty, staff and community members to celebrate the Chinese New Year, which was Thursday.
“It’s like Christmas and Mardi Gras and everything all wrapped into one,” Wappett said about what the occasion means to the People’s Republic of China. “We get our big Christmas break, they get their Chinese New Year break.”
Wappett said the gala features musical performances, games, raffles, free food and an appearance by Joe Vandal. He said the Vandaleers, UI’s concert choir, as well as other local artists will perform at the event.
Some musical groups are traveling from Seattle to perform Beijing opera and Chinese dance and singing, he said. There will also be traditional Chinese games and the Confucius Institute will raffle off a computer, Wappett said.
The event will include traditional red envelopes, Hong Bao, for adult guests to put money in for the children at the event. Wappett said gift giving is an important element of the China’s annual celebration, particularly for children.
“A big part of Chinese New Year is giving gifts, traditionally gifts of money,” he said. “Joe Vandal will be there and we’ll be giving gifts, these Hong Bao(s) to the kids who come.”
According to Wappett, the gala is in its second year — with last year’s celebration boasting more than 400 people in attendance. He said members of the UI community should attend the event to get a small taste of China, particularly because the country is an important trade partner of Idaho’s and receives a large amount of Idaho’s agricultural exports.
Wappett also said it is important for people to understand Chinese culture because Idaho hosts many Chinese citizens, including the exchange students attending UI.
“In 1914, when they did the census in Idaho, one quarter of the population of Idaho was Chinese,” Wappett said. “The largest international student group here on campus now is Chinese students, and that will be growing in the future.”
Wappett said it is important for the campus to welcome Chinese traditions.
UI’s Confucius Institute teaches Chinese language and culture classes and throughout the year. They also run various cultural events, such as Chinese food club, Chinese movie night and a lecture series called China on the Palouse, where Chinese scholars talk about aspects of their research in China.
The Confucius Institute is a partnership between the University of Idaho and the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China. He said each partner provides half of the funding for the Institute and the focus of the Institute is to promote the teaching of Chinese language and culture.
While Wappett said the Chinese New Year Gala is only one of many events the institute puts on, it should be memorable and the favorite of many.
“Everyone should come,” Wappett said. “I think it’s an important event for people to attend and I think it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
Corey Bowes can be reached at [email protected]