Celebration ushers in Year of the Rabbit for local Chinese

By Justin Seward on January 31, 2023.

HERALD PHOTO BY JUSTIN SEWARD A Lion Dance was performed during the Year of the Rabbit Spring Festival, which was hosted by the Southern Alberta Chinese Association, on Saturday at the Coast Lethbridge Hotel and Conference Centre.

The Southern Alberta Chinese Association celebrated the Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, at the Coast Lethbridge Hotel and Convention Centre on Saturday night.

The Lunar New Year began on Jan. 22 and is meant to usher in the Year of the Rabbit – the Water Rabbit in particular.

“In Chinese culture, the Rabbit is a sign of longevity, peace and prosperity. People born in the Year of the Rabbit are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded and ingenious,” as read in a release.

Association members were excited about the implications.

“The focus is to do things like this – to make the entire community excited about Chinese tradition, Chinese heritage and at the same time showcase our Chinese culture to all the community people,” said Dr. Ying Zheng, SACA vice president. “You can see today it’s not just Chinese. (It’s) all over the town, people even come from Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer. So, our mission is to conserve, and also tell everybody about Chinese culture and have a good time together.”

People’s Day was also being celebrated in conjunction with the New Year’s celebration.

“Today’s the seventh day of the Lunar New Year and globally it’s known as the day of the birth of the human beings. So, it’s actually a day to celebrate globally for everybody, including you and I. So, it is actually the perfect day to have this event.”

Zheng said Lethbridge is full of diversity.

“Lethbridge has so many different cultures here,” said Zheng. “And Chinese is one of the vibrant communities here and we’re just happy to contribute to the Lethbridge horizon of multiculturalism.”

The evening began with a Lion Dance by the Lethbridge Hung Moon Athletic Club followed by the God of Wealth giving luck to each table.