Lunar New Year celebrations at LJMU and across Liverpool

Students were invited to a Lunar New Year celebration at LJMU this week to welcome in the year of the rabbit.

The event organised by LJMU’s International team, Diversity and Inclusion team and John Moores Students’ Union, saw students taking part in activities such as calligraphy and dumpling making masterclass alongside performances of dragon dancing and a free student lunch.

Julia Wang, Director of International Relations at LJMU said:

“We’re celebrating the spring festival which we organise every year. We do it for all the Chinese and South Asian students as we all share this culture.

“It’s great to see all our students get involved and celebrate the year of the rabbit.” 

What is Lunar New Year?

If you were born in 2023, 2011, 1999, 1987, 1975, 1963, 1951… it is your time to shine! For 2023 is the year of the Rabbit and in Chinese culture, the Rabbit symbolises longevity, peace, elegance, and prosperity. 

Happy Lunar New Year (or in mandarin ‘新年快乐 xīn nián kuài lè’) 
(zhù nín 2023 tù nián dà jí tù nián xíng dà yùn xīn nián kuài lè) is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. It is also known as Spring Festival 春节 (chūn jié) and celebrated by Chinese people all over the world.

The traditions carried out during this period are unique to each region’s cultural identity and beliefs but include:

• Having a big reunion dinner with family
• Wearing new clothes on the first day of Lunar New Year
• Mandarin oranges being exchanged during house visits and young/unmarried children and grandchildren wishing their parents, older generation of their families and friends’ good luck, happiness, and health.
• In return, parents, older generations of families and friends would wish them the same for the new year and gift them red packets 红包 (hóng bāo) with money. 

Get involved in Lunar New Year in Liverpool

There’s lots going on across the city this week to celebrate Lunar New Year and the year of the rabbit, you can find out more what’s happening across the city from China Town to Great George Square, as well as exhibitions

• Chinatown in Liverpool
  https://www.visitliverpool.com/things-to-do/chinatown-p448941\

   

• Lunar New Year Celebrations at FACT (21 and 27 January, 5 February)
  https://www.fact.co.uk/news/2022/12/lunar-new-year-celebrations\

   

• Chinese New Year at Great George Square (22 January)
  https://www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/cny-whats-on/

   

• breathe, spirit and life 呼吸、靈魂與生命 Exhibition at Bluecoat (now till 29 January)
  https://www.thebluecoat.org.uk/whatson/breathe-spirit-and-life

   

• Links to Wirral’s Chinese community at Lady Lever Art Gallery (28 January)
  https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/lady-lever-art-gallery/event/chinese-new-year

   

• Chinese New Year Craft at Museum of Liverpool (14 – 29 January)
  https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/museum-of-liverpool/event/chinese-new-year-craft-museum

   

• Chinese New Year Lion Dance at Museum of Liverpool (29 January)
  https://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/whatson/museum-of-liverpool/event/chinese-new-year-lion-dance

   

• ‘The Lunar Rabbit’ Projection at The Bombed-Out Church (20 – 22 January)
  https://www.cultureliverpool.co.uk/event/the-lunar-rabbit/
  
  
• Chinese New Year Family Weekend at The Bluecoat (21 – 22 January)
  https://www.thebluecoat.org.uk/whatson/lunar-new-year-family-weekend

   

• Chinese New Year Cabinet of Curiosities (7 January – 28 January)
  https://bluecoatdisplaycentre.com/whats-on/exhibitions/anthony-wong-cabinet-of-curiosities/

We wish everyone in our LJMU community a Happy Lunar New Year.