By Timothy Kerswell
When I was growing up in Australia, the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year (autumn in the southern hemisphere) was something of an oddity. Many Australian families’ experience of it was being given a calendar with one of the 12 zodiac symbols from their local Chinese restaurant. I remember ours would usually hang near the kitchen table. I learned early on that my Dad was a Dragon, Mum was a Horse, my brother a Tiger and I was a Rat. If you lived in a city like Sydney, or went to a part of town where the Chinese community was prominent, you’d see a bit more of a festival atmosphere. There was a parade with a dragon or a lion, some colorful clothes and loud drums were marking the festivities, but nothing like the fanfare of today.
With the rise of China’s national strength, the Chinese New Year has a more important place in the global calendar. These days, families from many different backgrounds take part in events all over the world and celebrate together. The scale is now enormous by comparison, with huge and prominent celebrations in many of the world’s major cities and some of its most famous monuments reflecting the occasion, like the Empire State Building in New York, the Tokyo Tower in Japan, the “London Eye” in the UK, the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, and the Burj Khalifa in the UAE. Vast fireworks displays and building decorations are accompanied by networks of food stalls and performances highlighting traditional Chinese culture.
While most people think of China in terms of expanding industrial or economic development, it is important to remember that China is an ancient civilization, with a long cultural legacy. Chinese culture is vast and complex, absorbing a wide range of historical experiences and China’s own regional and ethnic diversity. China and its culture continue to open up to new participants, a major reason why increasing numbers of students are taking part in Chinese language courses, and even putting themselves to the test through the HSK exam. These new learners are sure to act as a bridge between China and the world. One of my best experiences in China was as an elementary Mandarin student in the University of Macao’s Confucius Institute where we marked the coming of the new year by writing calligraphy with the Mao Bi, a traditional paintbrush. The experience taught us patience and to focus on the good things in the present as well as those to come.
With China taking on a more prominent role in world affairs, the link between the past and the present demonstrates the enduring vitality of Chinese culture. China’s culture is a rich resource and is one of the many reasons China and the Chinese people feel increasingly optimistic. A survey by The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation found that both Chinese adults and youths believe that the current generation will have a more positive impact on the world than would their parents’ generation and that the current generation is better off in terms of their well-being. While it would be easy to explain this data with rising economic performance, as President Xi noted in his speech at the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference in 2019, “A country, or a nation, cannot be devoid of soul.” This soul is undoubtedly at the center of people’s optimism.
At the 19th CPC National Congress, President Xi stressed that “cultural confidence represents a fundamental and profound force that sustains the development of a country and a nation.” As people worldwide take an interest in Chinese language and culture and celebrate the Spring Festival this year, we are reminded again of the emerging importance of China on the world stage, and the vital role that Chinese culture plays in China’s development.
–The Daily Mail-CGTN News Exchange Item
