Be it be any festival, Delhi’ites celebrate them with much fervour. This was seen on the occasion of the Chinese New Year, when Chinese acrobatic and dance troupes mesmerised one and all with their astonishing performance.

Organised by Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, in association with China National Tourist Office and India China Economic and Cultural Council, at the NCUI auditorium on 9 February, the event witnessed dance performances, acrobatics and vocal Performances. The cultural evening was aimed at strengthening historical cultural ties between India and China while giving a glimpse of the Chinese culture.

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“On this happy occasion of the Chinese New Year, the year of Dog, I would like to extend our warmest New Year greetings to everyone,” greeted Zhang Jianxin, Cultural Counsellor, Embassy of China. “We wish to share the auspicious festive atmosphere of Chinese New Year and wish you all a prosperous and successful Chinese New Year.  We’ve selected the programmes from hundreds of programmes to present Chinese culture to Indian audiences.”

The Chinese New Year is celebrated on different dates each year, but it usually falls in January or February. Each year is characterised by one of the 12 animals under Chinese Zodiac. While 2017 was the Year of Rooster, 2018 is the Year of the Dog.

This year, the occasion was marked by a number of performances, from dance to acrobatic, from magic show to solo singing performance. The evening started with a delightful dance performance accompanied by cheerful and enthusiastic music that wished people on the New Year. Then was presented a solo song by a male singer ~ Like a Snowflake ~ that focussed on the pursuit of a better self.

In acrobatics, Spinning Blankets was performed holding spinning blankets with hands and feet, creating the image of a blooming lotus. Then came the group dance ~ Blooming Jasmines ~ based on symbolism of the jasmine flower, which signifies “beauty, purity and sweet fragrance”. It also represents the sentiments of friendship and love.

Another group dance ~ Flowers Bloom in the Rain ~ was a unique music and dance performance centred around the creative imagination and vision of love of the young girls of Dong nationality.

The event also witnessed a magic show, Mulan, renowned for its mind-boggling tricks. Mulan was a legendary heroine in ancient China and she took her aged father’s place, disguised as a male, to join the army to protect her country from invasion. Instrumental ensemble, Five Kinds of National Music, a traditional Chinese music show using five different folk instruments, allowed the audience to enjoy the charm of real folk music.