January 21 was a special day at the West Windsor Library — a celebration of the Year of Dragon. People of all ages came to participate. West Windsor Mayor Shing-fu Hsueh explained that this year, the year of the dragon, was the most important of all the 12 animal years because the dragon was the only legendary animal. The dragon is so symbolic that it is the official symbol of the emperor.
The afternoon began with a glamorous Lion Dance performance by the Princeton Chinese Language School. With a drum-roll, the three lions swept in, head bobbing, prancing from one end of the room to the next. The six people in the lions seemed to bring the lion to life, weaving, clashing, and even roaring. Then, with a final drumbeat, they disappeared as subtly as they had come.
After this great traditioncame a performance by the Ying Hua International School Choir, where children from everywhere around the world gave a performance together, as one. The Chinese New Year Dance then brought us into the familiar New Year spirit, and the voices of the Plainsboro HuaXia Chinese School Choir spread through the room.
The PCLS kung-fu group brought us back to reality with a stunning show of punches and blocks. They swept in and out, their fists flashing through the air. The young stars concluded their act with a final, intimidating pose. Magician Ping Li then gave an incredible, humorous magic show, pulling coins out of nowhere, producing umbrellas under handkerchiefs, and making a wine bottle out of an empty cone. He pulled out toys from a pot, and threw them out to the audience. He even taught a kid to cough out money.
The next performers gave us a different kind of magic show. First, the ZiZhu group enchanted us with traditional Chinese music, showcasing traditional Chinese instruments such as the Dizi (Chinese traditional flute), the Gaohu, and the Guzheng in three pieces. We were then taken on a fantastic journey by the Chinese Culture and Art Association dance group to rural China, where the only sources of entertainment are usually dancing and singing. They danced three Chinese traditional dances, all playfully giving us a tour of what it’s like in the China that’s not Beijing. The young performers were greeted by the loud applause from the audience. “It feels so good to show people some culture of China. We have been learning Chinese folk dancing for years. It is a great honor to be here,” said one of the girls. “And many thanks to Mrs. Greenberg, the library manager, and all the workers and performers to let us have such an enjoyable afternoon,” an audience member added.
The last performance of the festival was the show we all anticipated: the Chinese Yo-Yo performance by PCLS. Five students twirled their yo-yos up, down, and even sideways. The five students were like masters, enabling the yo-yos to look as if they were defying all laws of physics.
This ended the performance portion of the Year of The Dragon Festival, but the actual Festival had not ended. Activity centers were set up throughout the library, including Brush Painting, a chopsticks game, and Chinese knotting. Everyone left the library looking confidently toward the New Year: the year of the Dragon.
The writer is an eighth grade student at Community Middle School in Plainsboro.
