Lunar New Year – A tale of two capitals

( Chinaculture.org ) Updated: 2016-01-22 17:36

By Colin Speakman, who won the third prize of the 2015 Just Share It contest.

Lunar New Year celebrations are an example of globalization. While the tradition goes beyond China to other Asian countries as an historic celebration, it also has been embraced by the West with the largest festival outside Asia Pacific being in London, and the largest in the USA in San Francisco. Last year I celebrated Lunar New Year in London’s Chinatown and this year in Beijing – a very big Chinatown! I offer some comparisons.

London 2013

New Year’s Eve was on a weekday, with locals working, so the main events were held on the Sunday following. More people were free to attend, yet everything was open including a wide range of Chinese and other Asian restaurants in Chinatown just behind Leicester Square. Hometowns were far too far away to return to! Fireworks were not the main show, but instead a parade of Dragon Dancers, Lion Dancers, that big yellow duck, and on top of an open-top bus, dancers from a children’s Beijing Opera group. Plenty of temporary stores to buy souvenirs and snacks stood alongside stages where singing and dancing groups performed. The weather was a little chilly but not wet and no snow! Good crowds but much open to serve them.

Lion Dance in London. [Photos provided by Colin Speakman]

Peking Opera in London. [Photos provided by Colin Speakman]

Me in London’s Chinatown. [Photos provided by Colin Speakman]