Guest Author - Teresa Greene

Perhaps the most important event of the year for Chinese communities all around the world is the celebration of the Chinese New Year, which usually occurs during the month of February. It is a time of renewal, of new life, and new beginnings. A flurry of anticipatory activity accompanies the event, ranging from house cleaning to bill paying, painting windows and doors to buying new clothes, and making oneself over with a new look and a new hair-do.

The importance of appearance should not be underestimated in the Chinese New Year celebrations. In Chinese tradition, elegant clothing is chosen to reflect the elegance of the lines of the human body, and the costumes associated with the Chinese New Year are selected with this in mind. Culture, tradition, and family are all important themes for the Chinese New Year, and the costumes worn are a reminder to spectators and participants alike of these things. The traditional Chinese costumes usually seen in the New Year’s festivities include cheongsams (one piece dress that clings to the body, with high slits up the sides of the legs), qipaos (similar to cheongsams), mandarin blouses, and jackets and pants for women, and Mandarin collared shirts, Dragon shirts, Kung Fu suits, and Chinese coats for men. It is customary to make a point to visit with parents and grandparents on this day, to remind people of the importance of the family theme, and the generational ties that bind a family together.

Another famous costume and tradition seen in the Chinese New Year celebration is that of the dragon, worn in the fabulous Dragon Dance that is the highlight of the Chinese New Year parade. The dragon figures prominently in Chinese mythology and is considered a symbol of good and desirable qualities. Dragons were originally known as the spirit of the river, and were believed to inhabit all forms of water, from lakes, to puddles, to rain. People born in the year of the dragon are believed to possess all the good qualities dragons are a symbol for: friendliness, helpfulness, intelligence, wisdom, courage, vigilance, fertility, dignity, good fortune, and longevity.

The original purpose of the Dragon Dance was to heal sickness, but eventually the dance evolved into a folkloric activity and became part of the celebrations of new life symbolized in the Chinese New Year parade. Today, the Dragon Dance is the highlight of Chinese New Year’s parades everywhere, and requires an entire team of strong people to perform. The Dragon Dance costume consists of the dragon head mask, carried by the leader, which is lavishly painted in the customary colors of red, green, and gold. Sometimes the mask is rigged with pulleys so as to animate the mouth and tongue, and the most elaborate masks are fitted with pyrotechnic devices that emit smoke and sparks to simulate the fiery breath of the dragon.

The head is followed by a long body supported on poles carried by the dancers. The body of the dragon is constructed in sections, and can comprise upwards of 25 sections, each 5 to 6 feet long. It is thought that the longer the dragon, the more good luck that will be brought upon the town or village who created the dragon. The movement of the dance is intended to mimic the flow of a river and is an intricate choreography that takes considerable training to master.

Many school-age children celebrate Chinese New Year as a unit of study in their social studies classes. A Chinese New Year parade is often a part of the experiential learning component of their studies, and children have great fun while learning about another culture as they create their own dragon costume that will be carried in their parade. This is a fun activity anyone can join in on, as making the dragon mask and body is a relatively simple task to accomplish.

Most large cities have a section of town dedicated to the Chinese culture, often referred to as “Chinatown,” where Chinese New Year festivities can be seen and enjoyed by all. If a Chinese New Year’s parade is going to happen near you, be sure to join in the fun, watch the joyous and exciting Dragon Dance, and see the beautiful costumes that represent a rich and ancient culture.