Chinese Cultural Fair in Colombo from 1 to 4 March to boost bilateral ties

The Chinese New Year which commenced on 16 February this year will be followed by the Spring and Lantern festivals, which mark China’s long upheld traditions and values. 

Year 2018 is known as the Year of the Dog and the Chinese Embassy in Sri Lanka has prepared a series of celebrations to mark the New Year, including a Chinese Cultural Fair for both locals and tourists from China.

The public holiday is seven days long, commencing from Lunar New Year’s Eve to the sixth day of the first lunar month; however among Chinese people, the festival lasts longer, from Lunar New Year’s Eve to the 15th day of the first lunar month.

In fact, according to old folk customs, the traditional celebration starts even earlier, from the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month. Among these days, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are the peak times of celebration. The Embassy’s celebrations will include many traditional feastings that will not only boost the tourism industry in Sri Lanka but will further promote cultural exchange among the two countries.

Embassy of China to Sri Lanka Cultural Attaché Liu Dong who has a vast knowledge on the cultural interchange and strong ties between China and Sri Lanka spoke to Daily FT regarding the Embassy’s New Year celebration plans in the country, including the Chinese Cultural Festival in Colombo from 1 to 4 March, while giving an insightful background about the festivals.

Following are excerpts:

By Shannon Jayawardena

Q: The Chinese New Year just commenced this month, welcoming the Year of the Dog. Could you explain what the celebration stands for?

A: Chinese New Year is also called the Spring Festival and is followed by the Lantern Festival. It is one of the most important festivals in China and is one of the oldest festivals; it bears the richest culture and tradition. It highly values family, this is why it is the most important. 

On the eve of the Chinese New Year, no matter where you are, you will try your best to come back home to reunite with your family. No matter how far way you are from home, everyone tries their best to return on the Eve of the Chinese New Year because they want to share their important moments with their family members. 

Another reason it’s so important is because there are many cultural factors and Chinese traditions that have evolved throughout the years. One week before the Chinese New Year, each day of the seven days have a meaning and each day you have to do something. The first day you need to clean, the second day you have to worship the God of Food, likewise the days that follow hold special significance. 

The week after the festival also signifies unique values. The first day we spend with our family, the second day we visit our relatives, the third day we visit friends, and so on. The New Year is very meaningful and each day symbolises Chinese traditions. We partake in celebrations by sharing and passing on these traditions to our younger generations. 

Q: When does the New Year begin and does it vary from year to year?

A: Every year it’s different because it depends on our lunar calendar. The Chinese New Year falls on different days, sometimes even on different months. Usually it falls in January or February but this year it commenced on 16 February and will go on, as the lantern day marks the 15th day after the New Year, which is 2 March this year.

The New Year is generally celebrated for two weeks but sometimes people celebrate it up to one month. It’s a holiday season for the Chinese people and this year we are organising a cultural fair for everybody. We had one last year and this year we want to continue it to share our celebrations with the entire country. Celebrations include dance, music, puppetry, and so on. Sri Lanka is very strong in the traditional handicrafts so we want to show what Chinese handicrafts are, in order to encourage cultural exchange among the two countries.

Q: What are the plans for the Cultural Fair this year and how will it differ from last year?

A: This year the Chinese Cultural Fair will start on 1 March and will go on till 4 March. It will take place at the Colombo Arcade Independence Square and we are hoping to cooperate with local Chinese restaurants to present some traditional Chinese food to the Sri Lankan people.

We will be selecting four well-known Chinese restaurants which will present their food. This is not for profit making; we want the locals to have more experience about the Chinese New Year and its celebrations. This year’s fair will feature several Chinese lanterns in order to brighten the celebrations, marking the defeat of all evil and bad luck of last year. 

There are some many different activities, including food festivals and film festivals that share the love and celebrations of the Chinese people. Entrance is free to the general public. 

Q: Sri Lanka is positioned as the tourist hub of the South Asian region. How can such events contribute towards the growth of the tourism sector?

A: I think these festivals are very important to the Chinese people and now increasing numbers of Chinese people are visiting Sri Lanka. Last year around 270,000 Chinese people came to visit Sri Lanka as it is a period of holiday and fun. At present many Chinese citizens decide to celebrate their holidays outside of the country and Sri Lanka should expect a large number of Chinese tourists during these two months, which will greatly help boost the tourism industry.

Q: How do you plan on strengthening economic, cultural and bilateral relations between the two countries?

A: In terms of cultural affairs, firstly we want to promote cultural exchange. Many Chinese organisations visit Sri Lanka but the number is less from the Sri Lankan side. We want to promote the Sri Lankan culture to the Chinese people and I think yearly we should have more cultural exchange programs in China for Sri Lankans to visit the country more. Since we have very strong relations, we want to maintain and strengthen relations. We will continue to work to promote cultural exchange and cooperation between our countries.