1. Spring Festival
Education Pack
Oral History Project
London Chinatown

2. Legend story of nian年 Time Place Characters The pass of nian
New Year’s Eve
Place
Peach blossom village
Characters
A mysterious old beggar
Nian monster

3. What do you think the Nian Monster would look like?
VIDEO

4. Origin and legend Festive Food Customs Chinese New Year
—Spring Festival
Origin and legend
Customs
Festive Food

5. Celebration in London Chinatown

6. Lion Dance 舞狮 ➹ Have you watched the lion dance performance?
➹ Where and when?
➹ What do you think of it?
➹ How much do you know about it?
Tell your classmates about your experience .
Click to watch a video

7. The Lion Dance performance is closely related to the introduction of Buddhism.
Lion Dance is a combination of martial art and dance. There are different styles: northern, southern and Taiwanese.
The Chinese southern dance is more symbolic. It is usually performed as a ceremony to scare away evil spirits and to summon luck and fortune.
Click to watch a video

8. Xīn nián kuài lè
新年快乐
Gōng xĭ fā cái
恭喜发财

9. Let’s sing a song 新年好 Xīn nián hăo

10. Chàng gē
唱歌 (singing)
Tiào wǔ
跳舞 (dancing)

11. zú
足 (Foot)
Radicals
kŏu
口 (Mouth) 唱 跳

12. Chūn jié
春节 (Spring Festival)

13. 年夜饭 (New Year’s Eve Feast)
Chú xī yè
除夕夜 (New Year’s Eve)
Nián yè fàn
年夜饭 (New Year’s Eve Feast)

14. (Write the spring couplets)
Xiě chūn lián
写春联
(Write the spring couplets)

15. (Paste the ‘Fu’ character)
Tiē fú zì
贴福字
(Paste the ‘Fu’ character)

16. 放鞭炮 / 放爆竹 红包 (Red packet) Fàng biān pào / Fàng bào zhú Hóng bāo
放鞭炮 / 放爆竹
(Set off firecrackers)
Hóng bāo
红包 (Red packet)

17. How much festive food can you list for Spring Festival?
Which one is your favourite?
Do you know how to make them?

18. Do you know the names of these foods
Do you know the names of these foods? What are the connotations behind the names?

19. Tāng yuán/ yuán xiāo
汤圆 / 元宵

20. Jiǎo zi
饺子 (Dumpling)

21. Jīn jú
金橘 (Kumquat)

22. Nián gāo
年糕 (Rice cake)

23. Jī
鸡 (Chicken) Yú
鱼 (Fish)

24. CUSTOMS 腊八节 Xiaonian 小年 New Year’s Eve 除夕夜 Lantern Festival 元宵节
Laba Porridge Day
腊八节
Xiaonian 小年
New Year’s Eve
除夕夜
Lantern Festival
元宵节
8th Lunar December
Laba Porridge
23rd Lunar December
The Kitchen God
Rice dumplings
Lantern show
Guessing Lantern riddles
CUSTOMS
29th/30th Lunar December
The Family Reunion dinner

25. * How to write
the character ‘Fu’

26. * How to write the Character ‘Chun’:

27. Thank You

28. London Chinatown Acknowledgement:
Produced as part of the London China Town Oral History Project with materials from CMHA and Ming-Ai (London) Institute. Lesson plan designed by Ming-Ai (London) Institute.
Oral History Project
London Chinatown

29. Picture references: London Chinatown Oral History Project
Oral History Project
London Chinatown