【Article by International College of Innovation】
On February 8, 2021, ICI hosted a Lunar New Year Feast for ICI students and other local and foreign students to celebrate Lunar New Year together. Due to the severity of the pandemic situations, foreign students cannot go back to their hometown to rejoice delighted time with their families during Lunar New Year. And thus, ICI and some local students volunteered to arrange the Traditional Chinese activities and invited foreign students including local students to celebrate the Lunar New Year festival together.

With abundant activities curated by the hosts, foreign students learned to write Chinese couplets with a brief tutorial on its culture and traditions of lunar new year. During the cultural session, detailed instructions given by NCCU’s vice president, Prof. Wen-Chieh Wang, while the participants wielded their paintbrush in strokes and lines with excitements. The practicing on calligraphy writing also came with Chinese learning, encouraging students to learn Chinese characters of auspicious connotations such as 福Fú happiness, 壽Shòu longevity, 祿 Lù prosperity, etc. Although many foreign students still found the traditional paintbrush hard to command, all of them are rapt and focus on their pieces of works, feeling bemused by the symbolification each character stands for. By the time they finished writing Chinese couplets, each student takes turn to showcase their work of arts and proudly posed for snapshots to treasure these memorable moments.

As every celebrative event also comes with a hearty feast, ICI office gathered students around for the hot pots, wishing students to immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere for celebrations. In terms of auspicious Lunar New Year food, gatherings for the hot pots represent the bonding between family members and friends through shared plates of delectable foods. Other traditional cuisines such as Rice Cake (年糕, Niángāo), Rice ball (湯圓, Tāngyuán)also manifest the same auspicious meanings for luckiness, prosperities, and good fortunes.. The taste and flavors of hot pots and desserts in all varieties of arrangements gave students full sensations to their first-ever tradition Chinese culinary experiences and prompt to try on more novelties.

The whole event culminated with giving out red envelopes from ICI’s dean. Students and faculty received golden-gilded envelopes containing coins and messages of blessings. Upon receipt of the red envelopes, students also said their blessings in return by using the Chinese learned at the event. The event venue was full of joyfulness and pleasure, with all the cheering and merriments resounding along the event hallway.

The get-together event ended with group photos of participants and students. The dean encouraged students to seize the remaining time of their winter holidays and take time to explore the culture and local delicacies during the Lunar New Year festival. The participating students all provide positive feedbacks on the event and are keen to join ICI’s next event in the coming semester.