The Year of the Ox: How students are celebrating an untraditional Lunar New Year

Carson Hutton
Fri, 12 Feb 2021 00:47:30 +0000
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Chinese American Student Association helps bring in dancers to perform at a show at the Ohio Union.
Credit: Courtesy of Jessica Huang

The Year of the Ox will be ushered in Friday as those celebrating the Lunar New Year face changes to traditional festivities.

Lunar New Year celebrates the beginning of the Chinese calendar and is often celebrated with decorations, extravagant meals, fireworks and gifts. This year, the traditions live on, but several student organizations at Ohio State will be celebrating the holiday in smaller settings.

Jacob Chang, a third-year in psychology and political science, chair of the International Student Council and vice president of the Chinese Students and Scholars Society, said there would usually be huge gatherings on campus.

“In a normal year, our club will throw a huge LNY performance where about 700 to 800 students will participate on campus,” Chang said. “We emphasize the sense of community for every Chinese international student at Ohio State and everyone who observes Chinese New Year.”

When students around campus are able to come together, Jessica Huang, a fourth-year in industrial and systems engineering and the leader of Ohio State’s Chinese American Student Association, said there is a wide variety of performers that are able to show up for the celebration.

“Outside of OSU, we invite Dance of Soul and Chinese Folk Music, which focus on more traditional CNY performances,” Huang said. “From OSU, we have a mix of martial art performances, dance teams and singers, consisting of both domestic and international students.”

Both Huang and Chang said that this holiday can be compared to popular American holidays and that anyone can celebrate Lunar New Year.

“The decorations throughout China are equivalent to — if not, dare I say — more extravagant than how people prep for Christmas in America,” Huang said. “CNY feasts are comparable to Thanksgiving dinners — many restaurants are booked months in advance or prepped for days in advance.”

However, because of the ongoing pandemic, the usual big festivities will be put on hold for the first time. Instead, smaller groups will gather and put their twist on the holiday.

The Chinese Folk Music Orchestra is unable to perform their normal shows for Lunar New Year but is working on video performances, Yamei Tu, a third-year doctorate student in computer science and engineering and the publicity chair for the group, said. However, she is still celebrating with decorations, a big meal and video chatting with family in China.?

Tu said one of her favorite Lunar New Year traditions is receiving “lucky money” — a tradition where children receive money from adults in red envelopes.

“Traditionally, children put it under the pillow for good luck,” Tu said. “Red can scare bad things and keep you safe in ancient stories.”

Because she is unable to travel home, Tu said her family sent well wishes and her lucky money online.

Chang, an international student, said no matter the circumstances, he is going to find a way to celebrate with his friends.

“I am unable to return home for LNY, but I never let that stop me from celebrating it with my Chinese friends here at Ohio State,” Chang said. “The pandemic stops us from having huge gatherings, so me and my two close friends are getting together to have hotpot and watch movies together.”

Hotpot is a social meal originating from Eastern Asia that consists of a large pot of simmering broth with a variety of ingredients, like beef, seafood, vegetables and noodles.?

Chang joins the ranks of a multitude of Ohio State students who had to make the most of the situation and find new ways to celebrate with family and friends both in Ohio and abroad.

“Personally, I am doing hotpot with my best friend and calling my family back home — in Ohio and China,” Huang said.

Although they could not be together, Huang said CASA rang in the new year with a Twitch stream last week, hoping to accommodate anyone celebrating from home with their families or traveling home to do so.

Chang said his favorite aspects of this time of year are the ideas of unity and importance it can promote within the country.

“It promotes solidarity among our community while spreading the joy and happiness to everyone around,” Chang said. “It is an inclusive holiday for everyone who is willing to participate and share the refreshing start of the new year with us.”

Ohio State students who are looking for ways to ring in the Year of the Ox can register for the Lunar New Year Party on the International Friendships website.