Helsingin kaupunki, kulttuurin ja vapaa-ajan toimiala

Chinese New Year to be celebrated in Helsinki at Kansalaistori and in Oodi on 4 February 2019

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Dancing dragons and lions abound in the Chinese New Year outdoor event on Monday 4 February 16:00–20:00 as the Year of the Dog changes to the Year of the Pig in accordance with the Chinese zodiac. In addition to dragons and lions, the celebrations at Kansalaistori and in Helsinki Central Library Oodi will feature performances from skilled groups of artists arriving from Beijing. Naturally, the wintry festivities will also include a Chinese New Year market, complete with food stalls. During the event, participants will also have the opportunity to watch a live broadcast of the Chinese New Year’s celebration in Beijing. The festivities culminate in fireworks at Töölönlahti.
Dance for the New Year. Photo: K. Rosenberg
Dance for the New Year. Photo: K. Rosenberg

Programme at Kansalaistori and in Oodi
Helsinki’s Chinese New Year celebration adds some Finnish influences, colours and flavours to traditional Chinese New Year’s traditions. For example, the traditional lion and dragon dances will be performed by Helsinki based martial arts clubs.

The programme on Kansalaistori includes, among other things, an excerpt of the famous Kun theatre play The Peony Pavilion, as performed by the renowned Beifang Kun Opera Theatre. Beifang Kun Opera Theatre is an upholder of Kun opera, one of the oldest forms of Chinese opera, which was added to UNESCO’s Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2001. The celebration will also feature performances by a group of dancers from the Beijing Dance Academy, who will be showcasing aesthetically and precisely honed dances full of traditional Chinese influences. The musical performance of China’s Central Conservatory of Music, meanwhile, will feature traditional instruments such as the plucked string pipa, the two-stringed bowed erhu, the free reed instrument sheng and the guzheng, a type of Chinese zither. Those interested in martial arts can also look forward to demonstrations by the Martial Arts Club from Beijing, featuring styles such as tai chi and kung fu as well as various weapons. There will also be additional Chinese New Year’s events on the day of the celebration in the facilities of Helsinki Central Library Oodi.

The Year of the Pig promises good fortune
On the first day of the Chinese New Year, one of the twelve zodiac animals – the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey, the Rooster, the Dog or the Pig – is assigned to preside over the upcoming year, with each animal presiding over its own year in turn in a repeating 12-year cycle. In addition to animals, Chinese astrology is characterised by the five nature elements, namely metal, water, wood, fire and earth, which all have their own effect on the animal signs.

The Year of the Pig, starting on Monday 4 February, is associated with the element of wood, promising a period of wealth and good fortune. The pig is a major part of Chinese culture, not only in terms of the zodiac, but in other areas of life as well. One example of this is the Chinese character for ‘home,’ jia, which consists of the character for pig under the character for roof. Especially in rural China, a home was not historically considered a real home without reared pigs. In other words, a pig under a roof provides happiness and safety. Throughout history, the pig has been seen as a symbol for strength, abundance and wellbeing. Different types of pigs also symbolise money and wealth, which we can still see today in the form of piggy banks. In China, the pig also symbolises fertility and wealth. As such, those born in the Year of the Pig are believed to grow up lucky and wealthy.

Celebrations hosted by Helsinki and Beijing
Helsinki’s Chinese New Year celebrations, being held for the thirteenth time this year, are hosted by the cities of Helsinki and Beijing. Event production is being handled by the City of Helsinki Culture and Leisure Division’s Cultural Centre Caisa in collaboration with the Finland China Society.

Helsinki’s Chinese New Year
Monday 4 February 2019 16:00–20:00, Kansalaistori and Oodi, Helsinki
Entry to the event is free of charge!

Programme
16:00 Dragon dance * Performed by the ZhFi pupils of Meilahti Comprehensive School
16:30 China’s Central Conservatory of Music: Jasmine Flower music performance * Year of the Pig greeting from Helsinki Zoo * Martial Arts Club: Flags of Victory * Beijing Dance Academy: Lotus dance performance* Lion dance
17:30 Martial Arts Club: Tai chi * Beijing Dance Academy: The Qin Warriors dance performance * Dragon dance * Lion dance * New Year’s speeches
18:00 The year changes! * Beijing Dance Academy: Dance for the New Year
18:15 China’s Central Conservatory of Music: The Phoenix Spreads its Wings music performance * China’s Central Conservatory of Music: A Rose for Me music performance * Martial Arts Club: Animal Kung Fu * Dragon dance
19:00 Beifang Kun Opera Theatre: An excerpt from the The Peony Pavilion opera * Lion dance * Beijing Dance Academy: Han Tang dance
19:30 China’s Central Conservatory of Music: Joyful Night music performance * Dragon dance * Beijing Dance Academy: Dance for the New Year * Martial Arts Club: 18 martial arts * Lion dance * Beijing Dance Academy: Umbrella Love dance performance
20:10 fireworks at Töölönlahti

Keywords

Contacts

Additional information:


Johanna Rissanen
johanna.rissanen@hel.fi, 040 334 1086
Cultural Producer / The Cultural Center Caisa / City of Helsinki, Culture and Leisure Division


Johanna Kumpulainen
johanna.kumpulainen@hel.fi, 050 461 8209
Communications Planner, Marketing Services/ City of Helsinki, Culture and Leisure Division

Images

Dance for the New Year. Photo: K. Rosenberg
Dance for the New Year. Photo: K. Rosenberg
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Year of the Pig 2019. Illustration: Anna-Kaisa Jormanainen
Year of the Pig 2019. Illustration: Anna-Kaisa Jormanainen
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Chinese New Years Festival in  2018. Photo: M. Rantalainen
Chinese New Years Festival in 2018. Photo: M. Rantalainen
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Dragon Dance. Photo: K. Rosenberg
Dragon Dance. Photo: K. Rosenberg
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New Years market stalls in  2018. Photo: K. Rosenberg
New Years market stalls in 2018. Photo: K. Rosenberg
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Beijing Dance Academy: Umbrella Love dance performance.
Beijing Dance Academy: Umbrella Love dance performance.
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Beifang Kun Opera Theatre.
Beifang Kun Opera Theatre.
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Beijing Dance Academy: The Qin Warriors dance performance.
Beijing Dance Academy: The Qin Warriors dance performance.
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Beijing Dance Academy: Han Tang dance.
Beijing Dance Academy: Han Tang dance.
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China’s Central Conservatory of Music.
China’s Central Conservatory of Music.
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