Mandarin Chinese Classes Celebrate Lunar New Year

The Upper School’s Mandarin Chinese classes recently celebrated Lunar New Year, which began Feb. 17 and is celebrated in China, many parts of Asia, and around the world. This year the holiday celebration marks the Year of the Horse. 

As part of the student celebration, said Upper School Mandarin Chinese Faculty Nai-I Finney, Huiying Feng GP ’27, grandmother of Brandon Kwok ’27, visited classes and instructed students on how to use four red envelopes to make a festive lantern. 

An important part of Chinese culture, Lunar New Year involves visiting family, eating delicious food, decorating the house with spring festival couplets (lucky words written on red paper), and setting off firecrackers. Another tradition is for children to receive red envelopes filled with cash from family members. According to one centuries-old legend, the holiday traditions started when a village scared off Monster “Nian” (which means “Year”) with loud noises, bright lights, and the color red.