Red lanterns have brightened the winter landscape of the Depot Building in Lexington Center since February 5, part of the inaugural Lantern Festival sponsored by the Chinese American Association of Lexington (CAAL). The large lanterns on the front façade were removed Thursday; the small ones at the rear of the building will remain in place for the time being.
The festival is the culminating event of a three-part Lunar New Year Celebration Series that provides what Melanie Lin of CAAL calls “a full Lunar New Year experience” where visitors are immersed in the treasures of Asian culture.
This year’s celebration kicked off with a Chinese Painting and Calligraphy Exhibition presented by CAAL and LexArt. Part two was a cross-culture fair and gala performance with 200 entertainers at Cary Hall on January 22, Chinese New Year’s Day. Lin estimates that thousands attended the events which were staged thanks to the efforts of hundreds of volunteers.
Partner organizations for the series included Artisan Dance Academy (ADA), Korean American Organization of Lexington (KOLex), Lexington Historical Society, New Legacy Cultural Center and the Town of Lexington.
Author Zhuqing Li will discuss her new memoir, Daughters of the Flower Fragrant Garden: Two Sisters Separated by China’s Civil War. She will share the journey of her two maternal aunts who were accidentally separated when China split in 1949. The two sisters refused to submit to the random power of history and fought their way to the elite echelons of the two opposing societies after China’s split.” A question and answer session will follow.
Zhuqing Li was a longtime Lexington resident. She is currently a visiting associate professor of East Asian Studies and faculty curator of East Asian Collections at the Brown University Library. Her main field of research is Chinese linguistics, especially dialectology. She has authored three academic books on Chinese linguistics and one on Chinese returnees. Her latest book has received rave reviews from the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, among others. More information can be found on Lizhuqing.com
In-person attendance is on a first come basis.
Copies of the book will be available for purchase from Maxima Book Center.
莱镇作家李竹青是布朗大学东亚系的客座教授, 兼为布朗大学图书馆的东亚馆学术馆长。《花香园的女儿们》(The Daughters of the Flower Fragrant Garden)是她根据自己非凡的家族故事而创作的最新著作。该书被”Five Books” 选为2022年最好的五本中国书之一,并获得布朗大学图书奖.
Shout out to Dr. Bin Wu, board members of CAAL and Lexington Symphony, and his family for sponsoring the Feb 4th Serious Romance concert in recognition of CAAL. What a perfect Valentine gift to the community!
“Lexington Happenings” is a bilingual monthly blog by Chinese American Association of Lexington. Please click the link and scroll down to read the February issue in English and discover the highlights of events in Lexington this month.
Join us for a grand celebration at Depot Building. Lexington are being transformed for the first ever Lantern Festival on Feb 5. We are celebrating and making history together! Please find details on the event website.