Plainsboro Public Library will throw open its doors Saturday, February 4, to welcome everyone to celebrate the Year of the Dragon. The afternoon festivities begin at 1 p.m. with a reception for “Moment in Time,” a photography exhibit by Lucy Lu focusing on the region of Xinjiang, China, the most northwestern region of that country, where she was born.
“The uniqueness of the people, vast blue skies, mountain ranges, and river valleys are firmly grounded in Ms. Lu’s memories, and provide much of the subject matter for these exquisite photographs,” says Donna Senopoulos of Plainsboro, the curator of the exhibit. “Included will be large format panoramic landscapes and many detail shots with intriguing abstract qualities.”
After graduating from the Normal University of Hangzhou, majoring in piano performance, Lu taught at the Xinjiang Art Institute until 1995, when she moved to the United States.
In 2001, while traveling through Europe, she became fascinated with and inspired by the landscape to provide boundless imagery. For the past decade, Lu has been immersed in the traditions and multi-cultural lifestyles of different countries in large cities and small villages to create moments in time. Since 2004, she has exhibited her creations at the Asian Cultural Center in Edison, at Princeton University, in Beijing, China, the Xinjiang Art Institute in Urumqi, and the Xinjiang Art Museum in Calamaji. The show will be on view through February 29.
Jin Hou Long, the library’s own gold fire dragon, awakens from his winter slumber at 3 p.m. Weather permitting, he will dance in front of the library, but if the sun is not shining on his golden scales, he will perform inside the library. The colorful dragon was given honorary naturalization papers by Plainsboro Mayor Peter Cantu in 2005. The Dharma Drum Mountain Drum Team will provide the music and the beat.
Musical performances begin at 3:20 p.m. in the community room. Performers include the Happy Singers, Yingchao Zhang’s One Man Band, a young soloist, Audrey Ma, and more.
From 3 to 5 p.m. everyone will have hands-on opportunities to sample Chinese cooking, courtesy of Plainsboro’s Asian Food Market. Activities include Chinese calligraphy with Yuchen Chen, May Lee, Michael Shiue, and Howard Ye; Chinese knotting with Allison and Grace Kwok; craft projects for children, including painted porcelain cups by Pat Helck; and David Lee, the Dough Man, presents his creations.
Games begin at 5 p.m. in the community room with many chances to win Chinese prizes. Adults are welcome to join in the library’s adaptation of the Lantern Riddle tradition. There will also be hundreds of puzzles, in both Chinese and English, waiting to be solved.
Sponsors have worked with great ingenuity to preserve one of the major New Years’ traditions — the red envelopes. Usually containing gifts of money, the envelopes, filled with golden chocolate coins, and oranges, will be distributed by Deputy Mayor Neil J. Lewis, Senator Linda Greenstein, and library trustee Iris Chang. Admission is free.
The library has one of the largest Mandarin collections in the Mercer-Middlesex County area. In addition, it boasts a major collection of English language books about Chinese art and Chinese translations of classic American authors.
Chinese New Year’s Celebration, Plainsboro Public Library, 9 Van Doren Street. Saturday, February 4, 1 to 6 p.m. Art reception, entertainment, hands-on-activities, and Chinese New Year’s traditions. Jin Huo Long, the GoldFire dragon who lives at the museum, awakens at 3 p.m. to announce the start. Chinese and English books for sale. Free. 609-275-2897 or www.lmxac.org/plainsboro.
