By Ruby Ng
Chinatown in Lower Manhattan is filled with art that highlights the beauty and the hard-working people that live in this neighborhood. Local mom and pops shops are filled with customers who buy affordable delicious Chinese food. Everything is so convenient, and this neighborhood has such a rich history making it so unique.
Lunar New Year is always a festive and heartwarming day because everyone gathers with their families to celebrate. While gathering, we all eat and enjoy traditional home-cooked meals made with love. People dress in red and bright colors since red represents good luck. Homes are decorated with lots of different new year decorations purchased locally. Fresh fruit like tangerines and oranges are popular, as well as bright vibrant flowers. Incense is burned as a custom to our ancestors as we celebrate the new year. We receive red envelopes from family members and head outside to watch the Lunar New Year festivities that take place.
One of the most exciting things that I look forward to during Lunar New Year is the lion dancing. Chinatown is always packed with people coming from different places to see the lion dance. Some dances happen inside local Chinatown stores and others occur around the neighborhood in public spaces. No matter what, it’s always a good time. You know there’s a lion dance happening when you hear the loud beating drums, followed by a crowd. The performances require a lot of skill and practice, and it really is an amazing opportunity to witness the dances in real life. Everyone performing has a role and has all trained hard to perform the dances for their community to enjoy. The lion heads are also beautifully designed and super colorful. Many people also blast confetti cannons that sprinkle colorful confetti all over the ground. The colorful confetti-filled ground is another unique and iconic sight for Lunar New Year. Most importantly, I love that this holiday brings everyone together to Chinatown and that everyone is genuinely enjoying their time in Chinatown taking pictures of the festivities.
The beautiful lanterns that hang down over Chinatown were placed there as a sign of hope and recovery from the impact of the pandemic. Many local businesses had to shut down and were financially hit hard because of a decrease in business. Xenophobia and anti-Asian hate also brought a lot of fear to the neighborhood. The lanterns were placed to attract more people into the neighborhood and to show that Chinatown is still alive and thriving. Every time I walk down Chinatown, I always appreciate the lanterns since it lights up the streets and ensure that Chinatown is still the same Chinatown I’ve always known. While heading to Chinatown on Lunar New Year with my family, we brought some confetti cannons to participate in and took lots of pictures. We tried to capture every bit of the festivities but also tried to live in the moment and just fully embrace all the exciting sensations and art. We listened and bopped to the beat of the drums and followed the crowd to see a red lion head peeking back and forth. We tried catching some confetti and strings that shot down from the blasting cannons. We even bought bubble tea and mochi donuts while walking around.
Although the celebrations are taking place during a pandemic, it doesn’t stop the festivities from happening. Lunar New Year always brings back a nostalgic and familiar feeling to me. Chinatown is a neighborhood that continues to be a safe place where people can learn more about Chinese culture. I’m extremely thankful that I’m able to celebrate this holiday and see how it could also attract people from other cultures.
