It’s exciting that another Lunar New Year is upon us. Toronto’s Dragon City Mall in Chinatown was very busy yesterday as people were buying their last minute decorations, food, and gifts. The holiday is being celebrated on January 28th and 29th. I took a few pictures which I will share with you throughout this post. According to the Chinese Zodiac, this is the Year of the Rooster. Red is the predominant colour for Chinese New Year as it is such an auspicious colour.
Families get together for dinner on the Eve of the New Year. It is called a “reunion” dinner and family members travel from far away to be together to celebrate this special occasion. This dinner can be made at home or family members can go together to a restaurant for this “reunion” dinner. “Essentials of the feast include fish (representing an abundant year), lettuce (representing vigor), shallot (representing wisdom), celery (representing diligence), chicken and duck.” (kaleidoscope.cultural-china.com)
On Saturday January 28th and Sunday, January 29th, Dragon City Mall hosts New Year celebrations from 12-5 p.m. There will be the traditional Dragon Dance, Fortune-telling, and the God of Prosperity giving out red envelopes. Dragon City Mall is in Toronto’s main Chinatown area and always attracts many visitors.
On January 27th, starting at 10 p.m. there will be a Festival at Pacific Mall to usher in the New Year. Pacific Mall is the largest Chinese Indoor Mall in North America and is in suburban Toronto. A ceremony and entertainment by Hong Kong actors and singers, Sheldon Lo and Adrian Chan will take place before the countdown and New Year bash. On Saturday January 28th which is New Year’s Day, starting at 2 p.m. there will be another celebration at the Mall with a ceremony and entertainment too. A New Year filled with prosperity is on its way for all.
People born in the Year of the Rooster have their own personalities. This is what I found on travelchinaguide.com: “People born in the Year of Rooster according to Chinese zodiac have many excellent characteristics, such as being honest, bright, communicative and ambitious. Most of them are born pretty or handsome, and prefer to dress up. In daily life, they seldom rely on others. However, they might be enthusiastic about something quickly, but soon be impassive. Thus, they need to have enough faiths and patience to insist on one thing.
Strengths
Independent, capable, warm-hearted, self-respect, quick minded
Weaknesses
Impatient, critical, eccentric, narrow-minded, selfish”
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra will give a Chinese New Year Concert at 7:30 p.m. on February 4th at Roy Thomson Hall. This is the fourth year the Symphony is doing this as part of the Chinese New Year Celebrations. Long Yu, Artistic Director of the China Philharmonic Orchestra and Music Director of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, leads a fascinating program that features the world première of Canadian composer Vincent Ho’s work for pipa—a Chinese folk instrument—performed by internationally renowned pipa virtuoso, Wu Man, together with the Orchestra and narrator, “Dashan”. (tso.ca) This should be an excellent evening of great music and seats may sell out very quickly.
To all celebrating Chinese New Year, “Gong Hey Fat Choy” (Cantonese), “Gong Xi Fa Cai” (Mandarin) A prosperous Year of the Rooster to all.
