A child tries Chinese calligraphy during Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations in Houston, the United States, on Jan. 25, 2020. The Asia Society Texas Center in Houston held Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations Saturday. Local Americans and Chinese participated in the event. (Photo by Lao Chengyue/Xinhua)
HOUSTON, Jan. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Asia Society Texas Center in Houston held Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations Saturday with local Americans and Chinese participating in all kinds of art and craft activities and performances.
Activities such as Chinese calligraphy, New Year card making, paper cutting and Chinese food tasting were arranged to welcome all families.
Organizations from Japan, Vietnam, South Korea and other Asian countries also participated in the activities.
Attending the event, Chinese Consul General in Houston Cai Wei sent New Year greetings to all participants and offered children red envelopes -- a monetary gift given during holidays or special occasions.
Maria Gonzalez and her husband brought their two sons to the event. Watching her sons practising Chinese calligraphy, she said this was a wonderful opportunities for the family to learn and understand Chinese culture.
At the event, local art group Huaxing presented a collection of Chinese music and dance. From modern ballet to classic folk dancing, the show highlighted a variety of performance, including traditional Chinese dance, traditional Chinese music, and a sand painting performance, among others.
This was the fourth year that Huaxing jointly with Asia Society Texas Center presented Lunar New Year performance to the communities. The Lunar New Year, or the Year of the Rat, fell on Jan. 25 this year.
Founded in 1956, Asia Society is a nonpartisan, nonprofit institution with major centers and public buildings in New York, Hong Kong, and Houston, and offices in other nine cities worldwide. It is an educational organization dedicated to promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States in a global context.
