Students, neighbors ring in Year of the Tiger with festival

The Chinese New Year celebration included music, games and exhibits at the University Museum Saturday afternoon. Local children and University students alike cut, carved and laughed in the faces of lions, tigers and dragons in celebration of the Chinese New Year at the University Museum Saturday afternoon. Although the festival took place over the weekend, this year's official Chinese celebration of the new year -- the Year of the Tiger -- will be held Wednesday. Saturday's five-hour festivities attracted families and students from all over Philadelphia with exotic art workshops and traditional Chinese performance art. Clusters of fascinated tots paraded through the museum's halls, waving red pepper dragons and brussels sprout flowers created in the popular vegetable-carving workshop. The Naulty family from Philadelphia proudly displayed their carvings -- all except for 4-year-old Jon, that is, who ate his heart-shaped grape right after the demonstration. Chemistry Department Chairperson Hai-lung Dai directed the Chinese Musical Voices, a choral group that performed during the day. The Chinese Student Association sponsored several new attractions, including a game called the Chopstick Challenge and an exhibit on the Chinese actor and martial arts expert Bruce Lee. Karen Au, a College sophomore and member of the CSA, calmly assisted the frenzied players of the Challenge, who used their chopsticks to pick up as many beans as possible before their time ran out. Rows of backs could be seen bent over Au's table as people fumbled with the red beans and blacks sticks all day. "The children usually pick up about three, and the adults manage about four beans," Au said. Penn students hovered around games of Chess, Go and Mahjong. College freshman Tara James described Mahjong as "Chinese Gin Rummy." Chan explained that Chinese New Year is traditionally celebrated as a festivity that encompasses elements of Thanksgiving, New Year's and the fourth of July. "At midnight, we burn firecrackers and have lion dances. Parents give red packets filled with money called hong bao to their children for good luck," Chan explained. "Families pay visits -- bainian -- to friends and relatives. There is also a family dinner the night before and relatives often come from afar."