新年快乐! UH Hilo celebrates Chinese New Year

Posted on January 29, 2025January 29, 2025 by Staff

UH Hilo is celebrating Chinese New Year (Year of Snake) with two days of events! Yesterday and today, activities and performances are being held on the library lanai.

Woman in traditional Chinese attire and holding a fan sits next to someone in a large lion costume used in Lion Dance. — Costumes and celebrations at this year’s Chinese New Year festivities. (All photos in this story are by David Zachary Ramos/UH Hilo)

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo is celebrating Chinese New Year (Year of Snake) with two days of events, Jan 28 and 29.

The celebrations include tables for Chinese zodiac, papercrafts, red packets with fengshui coins, calligraphy, ink painting, spring couplets, writing people’s names in Chinese, handicrafts display, posters of Chinese tales of Lady White Snake and Goddess Nuwa, as well as mahjong, Chinese chess, and a “photo corner” with traditional Chinese costumes try-on.

Also adding to the festivities are performances: Lion dance (walking), dragon waving, six-foot dragon dance, singing, keyboard playing, fan dance, snake dance, erhu (Chinese violin), hulusi (gourd flute), taiji boxing, taiji sword, qigong (deep-breathing exercises), Chinese tea ceremony, fashion show (classical and folk costumes), and more.

Photos of Jan. 28 activities by David Zachary Ramos/UH Hilo, click to enlarge.

Student in red traditional Chinese dress.

People putting on traditional Chinese attire.

People engaged in activities at tables on the library lanai.

People learning about Chinese calligraphy.

Masked student at one of the activities tables.

People enjoying the activities at the tables.

A group of people dance while holding a dragon streamer high overhead.

The event, held on Mookini Library’s lanai, is sponsored by the UH Hilo Chinese Studies Certificate Program with Associate Professor of Chinese Studies Jiren Feng as lead organizer. Also contributing is UH Hilo’s Center for Global Education and Exchange. Many faculty are joining performances and helping with table activities, including Winston Wu (Computer Science), Ralph Aquino (Philosophy), Jean Ippolito (Art), Ellen Meiser (Sociology), Xuan Xie (Business), and others. Also assisting are student volunteers and library staff.