Chinese New Year, or the Spring Festival as it is more commonly referred to in China, is almost upon us. Celebrate the New Year in Berlin with a spectacle of Chinese tradition and culture at the Europa Centre.
The Year of the Rat
2020 is the Year of the Rat. In the Chinese zodiac, the rat is the first of all the animals. According to the myth, the Jade Emperor said that the order of the zodiac would be determined by the order in which the animals arrived at his palace. The rat won the race by hitching a ride on the back of the ox; when the ox neared the finish line, the rat jumped off his back and over the line.
This year, like every Chinese New Year, the festivities will be in full swing all around the world. Preparations for the New Year start on January 17 and last up until New Year’s Eve on January 24. Chinese New Year starts on January 25, with the festivities starting from the minute people wake up.
Bright colours, traditional music, firecrackers and lanterns characterise this festival, which culminates on February 8 with the mesmerising Lantern Festival, as celebrants release thousands of fire-lanterns into the sky.
Celebrate Chinese New Year at the Europa-Center
In Berlin, Chinese New Year festivities centre on the Europa-Center in Charlottenburg. For the first time this year, the shopping centre will transform into a wondrous expression of Chinese culture as it celebrates the Year of the Rat along with the Chinese Cultural Centre Berlin.
There is an exciting and varied programme in place to ensure that there is something for the whole family, including music, dance and demonstrations of traditional martial arts! The Chinese Cultural Centre will also be offering mini workshops on calligraphy, Chinese languages and ink drawing.
In addition to vibrant displays of Chinese culture there will be a craft market and exhibitions that aim portray the wide variety of Chinese art, music, and literature, from the biggest cities to the smallest villages.
A performance group featuring both singers and dancers will perform renowned pieces of music with traditional Chinese instruments. There will also be performances of the world-famous and breathtakingly beautiful Dragon and Lion dances, a spectacle that is definitely not to be missed.
Visiting the Europa Centre
This year marks the first year that the Europa Centre will host Chinese New Year Celebrations, which are normally hosted at Potsdamer Platz Arkaden. It may get a little busy, so we recommend taking public transport.