As the Chinese community prepare to gather and make final preparations to celebrate the bringing in of the year of the snake, events are being arranged to help mark this very auspicious time. According to Chinese mythology, a variety of different animals took part in a race to cross a great river, of which the snake was the sixth of twelve animals which relates to the position they finished in the event.
The celebrations begin on the 2nd February and will include a wide variety of cultural events to help people maintain their traditional values and beliefs. It also helps maintain good relations with China on the whole and can benefit the UK in the future by helping to foster good trading relationships. This helps to benefit both parties and build a strong economic partnership.
In Chinese culture and tradition, this story has been handed down from generation to generation to help pass on the different traditional beliefs and cultural values which many people will have been brought up on. The history will have been taught through the educational system to ensure that children and other young people have the background knowledge which is necessary to understand why such events take place. It is spoken about in an ancient poem by Billy Hui BEM which helps to tell the story as well as explain which animals represent different years so people can identify which qualities to associate with which people, for example, the money can encompass the following years:
1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040.
People born in any of these years are said to have qualities which can make them appear very mischievous. They can also seem very intelligent and be great at influencing other people to believe their point of view or opinion.
The snake is associated with being wise and intense and can also be associated with a fiery temperament. The snake is viewed differently in different parts of Chinese culture – it can be seen as a protector but also untrustworthy.
A calendar of events have been arranged to help commemorate the bringing in of the year of the snake at Europe’s oldest China Town in Liverpool. Upcoming highlights that people will be able to look forward to will include the main annual celebrations at the great George’s Square in the shadow of the Chinese arch where there will be a large procession of the dragon, unicorn and lion as well as a funfair, street performances and lots of stalls as well as events at St. Luke’s Church and the Pier Head.
Elsewhere across the region, smaller celebrations will take , take place, including in Wirral where the popular annual lunch organised by the Wirral Chinese Association takes place earlier in the week and will be attended by the local mayor.
A flavour of the kind of events arranged for the actual day include:
Chinese New Year, Main Celebration, Sun 2 Feb, 11am – 5pm
Chinatown will once again play host to the Chinese Dragon, Unicorn and Lion procession, craft stalls, food and drink vendors, street performances, storytelling and the popular funfair.
Visitors can enjoy live performances on the Great George Square stage throughout the day. Free, family fun. Don’t miss out!
St Luke’s Bombed Out Church
Legends of Spring, Sat 1 – Sun 2 Feb, 5.30pm – 9.00pm
Join local immersive experts Focal Studios for their imaginative story ‘Legends of Spring’, which will be shown over two spectacular nights.
The free projection show will be played on repeat throughout each night. Unfolding like a video game, ‘Legends of Spring’ will level-up audiences through mythical tales of creation, harmony, and renewal. Developed in collaboration with Pagoda Arts, the story weaves traditional Chinese folklore with a celebration of Liverpool’s cultural heritage. Adding a playful touch, 8-bit retro video game artwork created by local schoolchildren and community groups enhances the narrative.
This also forms part of the system of education for people who may not be from China its self and lets them know the kind of activities and culture they can look forward to.
If you’d like to find out more about Chinese New Year celebrations, please visit:
