The celebrations for Chinese New Year took place in the Obelisk throughout Saturday, January 21, where members of the oriental community carried out an artistic intervention that filled the area located in front of the icon of Buenos Aires with color, which was illuminated in red. In this way, with the traditional figure of dragons, they welcomed the year of the water rabbit.
During the afternoon the festivities were concentrated in the Chinatown, where stands with typical gastronomy and a stage where various artistic presentations were made. Around nightfall, a bus left from there in the direction of the Obelisk, where the members of the community exhibited the figure of one of the dragons that provided color throughout the caravan.
In total, more than 80 Chinese cultural artists gathered in front of the Obelisk where they celebrated the arrival of the Chinese New Year. This time the historic monument was chosen as the venue for the celebration in homage to the Argentine soccer team, since it was there the epicenter of the celebrations for winning the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
In this regard, Carlos Lin, a reference for the Chinese community in Argentina, remarked that the Obelisk, beyond its popularity, became a reference for World Cup celebrations. “The Chinese saw and admired how the Argentine people took to the streets in the World Cup final and the Obelisk became the protagonist, as much as (Lionel) Messi,” he said.
As part of the presentation, the figures of two dragons were exhibited; one red representing fortune and good luck, and another yellow representing the Chinese imperial color. While the dragons danced to start the year of the Water Rabbit, the “Fu” lions of fortune and two guard dogs did the same to the sound of the Gu, an instrument that simulates a drum.
In addition to the representative figures of the community, there were also traditional Chinese dances and a demonstration of martial arts such as Kung Fu and Shaolin. In addition, to honor the country, an Argentine man and a Chinese woman danced tango during the event that was broadcast live through different media.
In this way, the celebration for the year 4721 according to the lunar calendar that governs the Asian country, began in Chinatown and closed the night with the Obelisk in the background, since “it is the image that will reach China , since we are broadcasting it live and international media have come,” said Lin, who explained that the festivities will continue this Sunday.
As it is the New Year of the Rabbit, Lin remarked that it is an animal of the horoscope that “has as its main characteristic that it jumps” for this reason, it is considered that it is “the year to jump over the obstacles that you could not overcome last year. It has to do with transition and procreation.”
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During this Sunday, the festivities will not only continue in Chinatown, but a stage will be added in the Parques Nacionales Argentinos square (Avda. Figueroa Alcorta, between Sucre and Echeverría), which accompanies the neighborhood’s programming with the 11th edition of BA Celebrate Chinese New Year, organized by the Buenos Aires government.
Starting at noon and throughout the afternoon there will be about 50 stands with typical dishes of the Chinese community. In addition, there will be craft proposals, decorative objects, including feng shui and clothing. Among the cultural activities there will be samples of Chinese calligraphy. And in addition, talks on traditional medicine are planned.
The vice president of Phoenix Dorada International Media Company, Carolina Shang highlighted that “for a few hours the stage will be filled with color and music and for a few hours we will be able to live in Buenos Aires, what thousands of people live in China.” In fact, there will also be concerts of ancient instruments such as the guzhen, which once had about 500 strings, although now the most popular have 21, the drums and the erhu, also called a two-string Chinese violin, which will be played by both adults and adults. like for boys
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