Purdue to celebrate the Year of the Dragon
Professor Li Xiangting of the Central Conservatory of Music from China will perform at the Chinese New Year Gala on Jan. 22 at Purdue. Xiangting plays the gu qin, a traditional Chinese instrument. Other performers will include a professional soprano, students from the Lafayette School Corporation who are learning Chinese songs, and the school corporation's orchestra. (Photo provided)
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Confucius Institute at Purdue University will celebrate the Chinese New Year with campuswide events on Jan. 18 and 22.
The 2012 Chinese New Year marks the Year of the Dragon. The dragon is a significant symbolic figure in Chinese myth, representing power, authority, success and masculinity, says Wei Hong, professor and director of the Confucius Institute. A popular Chinese proverb, "wang zi cheng long," which means expecting children to be dragons, indicates the parents' high expectations for their children's future success. The first day of the Chinese New Year is Jan. 23.
A New Year’s reception will be from 2-4 p.m. on Jan. 18 in Purdue Memorial Union, Room 118. The reception will feature Chinese calligraphy, music and food. This event is free and open to the public.
Festivities will continue with the Chinese New Year Gala on Jan. 22 from 2-4 p.m. in Loeb Playhouse Stewart Center. The gala will feature Chinese music, songs and traditional dance. The event is organized by the Purdue Chinese Students and Scholars Association and co-sponsored by the Confucius Institute. Tickets are $5 or $8, based on the seating selection. Tickets will be sold 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, starting Monday (Jan. 9) through Jan. 20 in front of the Humanities Social Science, and Education Library in Stewart Center. Tickets also can be purchased an hour before the show in front of Loeb.
The gala will feature professional musicians from the Central Conservatory of Music from China. Top-ranked in China, the musicians include professor Li Xiangting, who plays gu qin, a traditional Chinese instrument, and professor Sun Yuanyuan, a professional soprano. Also, students from Lafayette School Corporation who are learning Chinese will be singing Chinese songs, and the Jefferson High School orchestra will play Chinese music during the event.
The Confucius Institute at Purdue, which partners with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, is a collaboration among the colleges of Liberal Arts and Engineering and the Krannert School of Management. It is one of 350 Confucius institutes worldwide that are sponsored by the Chinese Language Council International to develop relationships and understanding between countries.
Writer: Rebekah Piotrowicz, 765-496-3006, rpiotrow@purdue.edu
Source: Wei Hong, 765-494-3859, hongwei@purdue.edu