On February 1st, when the iconic facade of Regent House is lit up in red, I will think back to an unusual 3.20pm business class in school. Our teacher, desperate to centre our attention on anything, suggested a pig-drawing exercise that would reveal key aspects of our personality. If you draw the pig toward the top of the page you are an optimist, to the bottom, a pessimist. The longer the tail is, the more intelligent you are. Whether the pig was facing right or left could expose if you believed in tradition or innovation.
The exercise, forgiving of its inaccuracy, credited the pig with a certain amount of power that seemed somewhat alien to me – an undervalued animal if ever there was one. Thankfully however, in the Chinese calendar, there are 365 days set aside every 12 years to celebrate the pig. This year, my secondary school business teacher will be thrilled to hear, is in fact, the year of the pig, and celebrations kickstart on February 1st.
Dublin is ringing in the Chinese New Year with a myriad of events to celebrate the pig in all its glory, and the festival will be running until February 18th. Not only will buildings across the city be lit up in red, but Asian food markets and even Chinese square-dancing classes will be organised for the city to enjoy. With a number of events running each day, and a somewhat overwhelming number of dumpling-related affairs organised, it will be difficult to narrow down which ones to go to. Fear not however, for we have investigated some of the celebration’s most enticing and curious events.
The first week certainly sets the tone for the festival, jam-packed with events galore to cater for all interests – on the first day alone there are six events taking place. Possibly the most tempting affair on offer however (I speak as a food-obsessed human), is Dumpling Day at Asia Market on Drury Street. Visit the Asian food store to catch a glimpse of the process involved in making this tasty Chinese delicacy, before getting the chance to sample a few. This free event might not be a bad drop-in experience for the ever-broke, and ever-hungry student. Even better, stick around for another 24 hours and enjoy the Chinese New Year Food Extravaganza on February 2nd, also hosted by Asia Market, for free sampling of an even wider range of Asian foods.
The following day, February 3rd, Meeting House Square in Temple Bar will be playing host to one of the festival’s annual delights: Chinese square dancing. A tradition rooted in Chinese history, but one which has gained contemporary popularity, Chinese square dancing offers everyone the chance to increase the heart rate and dance off the excessive amount of dumplings possibly consumed in the 24 hours prior.
As a nation, we take pride in our celebration of tea – there’s an entire culture surrounding it, almost cultish in its divisiveness, to the point where families have been torn apart by the Barry’s–Lyon’s debate. However, the Irish tea tradition is admittedly amateur when compared to that of the Chinese. Thankfully, the National Gallery of Ireland, located just across from the College on Clare St, is hosting a Tea Ceremony on Thursday, February 7th, to celebrate all things tea and its position in Chinese culture. You might need to sneak in a packet of digestives, but there will be plenty of tea to go around.
Nearing the close of the celebrations, on February 15th, Ken Cheng, winner of the Funniest Joke of the Edinburgh Fringe, is bringing his show to Dublin for the first time at The International Comedy Club on Wicklow St. The Cambridge mathematics drop-out rose to fame when he reached the final of the 2015 BBC Radio New Comedy Award and has been lauded for his satirical comedy sets. Tickets are only €10 and will gain you entry to a night that promises many laughs and yet another way to celebrate Chinese culture and success.
