The Year of the Ox will be ushered in with great gusto at Plainsboro Public Library on Saturday, February 7, from 3 to 6 p.m. The gala celebration promises hands-on activity, spellbinding entertainment, and a myriad of Chinese New Year’s traditions. Preceding the event from 1 to 3 p.m. will be a reception to honor Chinese artist Ho Mang Hang, whose rarely presented work will be featured in the library’s gallery through February 27. Both events are free.
An outdoor presentation by Plainsboro Huaxia Chinese School’s 20-member marching drum corps will launch the event. Their performance will announce the return of Jin Huo Long, GoldFire Dragon, who “lives” permanently at the library. The colorful dragon was given honorary naturalization papers by Mayor Peter Cantu in 2005. Carefully choreographed by master James Lee, the dragon team will cavort on the Plaza.
Fresh from a performance at Columbia University is Maestro Xinlai Zhou, performing as the popular Monkey King of Beijing Opera fame. Zhou will entertain the crowd with selections from China’s most popular stories, recounted in song, dance, mime, stage fighting, and acrobatics.
Among other attractions will be a continuous demonstration by “Doughman” David Lee, an artist whose talents have been enjoyed by the likes of former President George W. Bush and basketball superstar Shaquille O’Neal. The artist forsook his serious “fine arts” profession to work with dough, because “it’s more fun,” he says, and it makes kids happy.
Ana Yee, a Hong Kong native and owner of American Development Trading, will present an afternoon of extraordinary folding art, using ribbon and materials not usually considered substance for origami art. The artist, who creates dazzling flowers and captivating geometric forms, taught herself by reading books.
Throughout the afternoon, visitors will have hands-on opportunities to explore Chinese cooking with representatives of Plainsboro’s Asian Food Market; Chinese calligraphy; paper cutting with Allison Kwok, Chinese knotting with Grace Kwok, and a lavish orchid exhibit and sale by Ping Li. The ever popular games begin at 5p.m. in the library and the municipal building, with chances to win Chinese prizes. Adults are welcome to join in the library’s adaptation of the Lantern Riddle tradition. There will be hundreds of puzzles, in both Chinese and English, posted throughout the municipal building’s community room waiting to be solved.
Sponsors have worked to preserve one of the major New Years’ traditions — the red envelopes, which traditionally contain gifts of money. Elders and politicians, including Mayor Peter Cantu, Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein, and library trustee Iris Chang, will be on hand to pass out the traditional red envelopes filled with golden coins — chocolate, of course. Mounds of tasty oranges round out the traditional fare.
The library has one of the largest Mandarin collections in the Mercer-Middlesex county area and an expanding collection of videos, DVDs, and CDs. In addition, it boasts a major collection of English language books about Chinese art and Chinese translations of classic American authors.
Chinese New Year Celebration, Plainsboro Public Library, Municipal Complex, 641 Plainsboro Road, 609-275-2897, www.lmxac.org. Saturday, February 7, 3 to 6 p.m.
