Mei Chen: How Overseas Chinese Became the "Influencers" of Chinese New Year Culture

Writing Chinese New Year scrolls, cutting window flowers, hanging lanterns, and setting off fireworks—no matter how far away they are from home, overseas Chinese still retain their traditional customs. Harper's Monthly, a magazine reflecting the history of the United States, has been publishing scenes of Chinese people in the US celebrating the festival with firecrackers, shopping for Chinese New Year goods, and hanging colored lanterns since 1880.

The overseas Chinese community, while maintaining their cultural traditions, has also made Chinese New Year a unique opportunity for cultural exchange between China and other countries. Mei Chen, President of the New York Chinese Community Association and organizer of the Chinese New Year Folk Culture Festival, says in a recent interview with East Meets West that overseas Chinese are naturally the "influencers" of Chinese culture. By promoting the celebration of Chinese New Year, they spread the long history and deep cultural roots of China. This helps future generations of Chinese to better understand, enjoy and appreciate their cultural heritage.

Mei Chen is President of the New York Council of Chinese American Associations. The New York Council of Chinese American Associations (NYCCAA) was established in 2003 and is a registered, non-profit organization recognized by the New York State government and the federal government of the United States. It is a grassroots group composed of Chinese organizations from mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong and Macau regions. The council's purpose is to strengthen the connection and cooperation among Chinese organizations, fight for the rights and interests of the Chinese community in the United States, and use the council as a platform to promote cultural, educational, economic, and trade exchange and development between China and the United States.

What is the New York Chinese Community Association (NYCCA) organizing on 15 January 2023 for the New York Chinese New Year of the Rabbit Folk Cultural Festival? That day is the Minor Chinese New Year in the Southern China, and why did you choose this date to hold the event?

What was included in the New Year Folk Culture Festival held by the New York Council of Chinese American Associations on January 15th, 2023 to welcome the new Rabbit Year for Chinese expatriates in New York? As the “Small” New Year in the south of China, why was this day chosen to hold the event?

The New Year Folk Culture Festival for Chinese expatriates has been deeply loved by the majority of Chinese expatriates and other ethnic groups in the community since it was first held in 2015, and has been held continuously over five occasions. It was stopped for two years due to the pandemic. This year, we are once again holding the New Year Folk Culture Festival event offline.

This year's event will feature a range of diverse activities, including traditional ones such as writing Chinese New Year scrolls, painting, and paper-cutting, as well as kid-friendly activities like balloon pinching, face painting, creating candy-painted figures, and a lantern riddle quiz to help them learn about Chinese characters. A captivating cultural performance will also take place during the event, showcasing Beijing Opera, Taijiquan, martial arts, and folk dances, a lovely children's Chinese costume show, and professional singing by acclaimed singers from the US-China Musicians Association. The performers range in age from 9 to 85, aligning with the Joint Committee's mission of "Celebrating Chinese New Year for all families."

This year, January 15th is known as the "Small Chinese New Year" in southern Chinese folklore. Many Chinese families in the United States are unable to come together for the actual Chinese New Year due to their busy schedules and the fact that it is not a recognized public holiday. By holding the Chinese New Year Festival on this day, we aim to introduce overseas Chinese and younger generations to the customs and traditions of this special holiday and to bring everyone together, despite their busy schedules, through the celebration of the Chinese New Year Festival.

New York Chinese 2023 6th Chinese New Year Folk Culture Festival. Credit: interviewee

What was the original motivation behind organizing the Chinese New Year Folk Culture Festival? How involved is the Chinese community, and why are they eager to participate in these celebrations?

The Chinese New Year Folk Culture Festival serves as a crucial platform for displaying Chinese culture. The goal is to promote traditional Chinese art, regional customs, and Chinese food to the broader public in the United States and New York City during the Chinese New Year celebrations. This is the reason and inspiration for the Joint Association to continually organize the Chinese New Year Folk Culture Festival as a well-established event, allowing children to learn and preserve Chinese culture in an enjoyable manner.

Overseas Chinese, despite being in a foreign country, have a strong connection to their cultural roots and a fondness for traditional Chinese festivals. Participating in Chinese New Year cultural activities creates a festive atmosphere, helps alleviate homesickness, and provides future generations of Chinese descendants with a glimpse into traditional Chinese culture. The New Year is all about reunion, and participating in these cultural activities is a way for overseas Chinese to celebrate the holiday together in a lively manner.

People write calligraphy at the Chinese New Year Folk Culture Festival in New York. Credit: interviewee

What traditional Chinese New Year practices have been maintained by overseas Chinese, and what are the local adaptations?

Overseas Chinese have managed to preserve many traditional Chinese New Year customs, such as giving red envelopes filled with money to children, eating reunion meals with family, cleaning the house to sweep away bad luck, and decorating the house with red lanterns and banners. However, there have also been some localized innovations, such as incorporating elements of Western holiday traditions into their celebrations, exchanging gifts and decorating a Christmas tree. Additionally, some overseas Chinese communities may have adapted certain traditions to fit their local culture and customs, such as incorporating regional cuisine into their reunion dinners.

The tradition of celebrating Chinese New Year among overseas Chinese has a rich history dating back to the first migration of Chinese immigrants. During the gold rush and the completion of the Trans-American Railway in the 1850s and 1860s, early Chinese workers began to move from the western United States to the East Coast. Records show that on February 18th, 1871, these Chinese workers and their families held the first Chinese New Year celebration in the Eastern United States.

Chinese New Year is often referred to as the “Spring Festival” in China, but it is more commonly known as Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year outside of China. The event typically marks the first day of the first month in the Chinese lunar calendar. However, the celebration of the Chinese New Year is much more extensive abroad compared to China and involves three significant dates: Chinese New Year's Eve, the first day of the Chinese New Year, and the fifteenth day of the first month. Chinese people continue to uphold the traditional customs associated with the Chinese New Year, such as hanging spring scrolls, lanterns, and setting off fireworks, as well as serving dumplings or rice cakes during the Chinese New Year's Eve dinner. People also eat sweet dumplings on the fifteenth day of the first month during the Lantern Festival. During the Chinese New Year period, people visit friends and family to exchange greetings, and children receive red envelopes as gifts.

For example, in some major cities in the United States, Chinese New Year parades are held; in some European countries, Chinese New Year concerts are held; and in some South East Asian countries, Chinese families make a new "taste of the New Year" in the form of "New Year cakes" with a South Asian flavor. ...... In the process of these localized innovations, different cultures and civilizations can mingle and learn from each other.

Many children get up close and personal with the lion dancers at the lion dance event held in Bryan Park, New York, USA. Credit: Pan Liao

Is the local mainstream community involved in traditional Chinese festivals held overseas, such as Chinese New Year? How popular is it?

The celebration of Chinese New Year overseas has gradually expanded beyond Chinatown and increasingly involves participation from the local mainstream community. For instance, the well-known San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade, which started as a small gathering of Chinese laborers celebrating the holiday in Chinatown, has grown into a multi-ethnic celebration of traditional Chinese culture and is now considered one of the top ten parades in the world. Landmarks such as the Empire State Building in New York, the London Eye in the UK, and the Sydney Opera House in Australia are also illuminated in red annually to mark the Chinese New Year.

In some countries and regions, Chinese New Year has become a national or local holiday. Additionally, local governors and authorities often issue public messages in recognition of the Chinese New Year.

The streets of Manhattan's Chinatown are decorated with lights. Credit: Pan Liao

How can traditional Chinese festivals and cultural activities, passed down by overseas Chinese, serve as a means of cultural exchange between China and other countries?

New York is home to a large number of immigrants, students, and workers from China, and holidays are a time for people to feel nostalgic for their families. Traditional festivals like the Mid-Autumn Festival and Chinese New Year are becoming an integral part of local American life. Chinese New Year has become a popular holiday since New York State passed a law allowing students to stay home with their families on the first day of the holiday and be excused from school. Schools, both at the university and primary levels, celebrate Chinese New Year by teaching students how to make dumplings, write Chinese New Year scrolls, dance traditional Chinese folk dances, and perform concerts featuring Chinese folk instruments. Over time, these celebrations have become a way for cultural exchange between China and the United States.

As multiculturalism continues to develop globally, these rich and vibrant Chinese festive traditions are also appealing more to local people who are drawn to the atmosphere of the Chinese New Year and become interested in Chinese culture. Through these lively events, they gain a greater appreciation of the spiritual essence of the Chinese New Year culture, including the emphasis on reunion, harmony and beauty in the Chinese family and world at large.