Tag Archives: Spring Festival

Celebrating CNY at Queen’s and in Belfast

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Celebration CNY at Queen’s

With the Year of the Horse fast approaching, Queen’s University Belfast has released its celebration programme, alongside a few civic Chinese New Year (CNY) celebrations. In this post, we would like to highlight the events and activities that may generate shared interest.

Queen’s colleagues are warmly invited to take part in a range of cultural activities celebrating the Year of the Horse. The celebrations will highlight a Launch Event on Friday 13 February, 12:00–1:00 pm, at One Elmwood Cube, followed by a Dragon Parade and Cultural Fair in the One Elmwood Foyer and Cube areas throughout the afternoon.

Online Exhibitions

We are grateful to have collected paintings from ArtEast Club members in the 6th consecutive year and the photos of China with intercultrual reflections from three Queen’s photographers.

The coming weeks’ highlights are:

Student-led activities (Friday 06/02)

  • CNY Arts and Crafts Workshop & Drawing Competition
    1:00–4:00 pm, The Cube, One Elmwood
  • Chinese Singing Competition
    7:30 pm, Harty Room, Music Building

Culture Talks (Monday 16/02 – Thursday 26/02)

Beginning from Monday 16th, there will be a cluster of culture talks contributed by Queen’s academics, research students and guest speakers from a wide range of subject areas and professional backgrounds, as below:

Fun Time with Table Tennis (Saturday 28/02)

Sponsored by QUB iRise Staff Network and One Elmwood Student Engagement Team, we would like to invite all staff members and students, and their families as well, to join this fun and friendly event to engage with this popular sport among the Chinese communities, as well as providing an opportunity for enhancing student and staff wellbeing through sport. Both beginners and more advanced players are welcome to sign up for the fun event, with an appreciation of its unique culture, as well as developing some practical skills in body movements and mediation.

Launch of Bridges to China Project (Sunday 01/03)

Finally, it is worth recommending this launch of Bridges to China Project, which is a collaboration between Queen’s researchers and their civic partners including Chinese Welfare Association, National Museum NI and AvliaMedia on creating a repertoire to enhance public understanding of Chinese heritage and culture in Northern Ireland. It also aims to foster community partnerships leading to further collaboration and community engagement around the longstanding links between Northern Ireland and China.

For more information and registration, please visit the full programme below. You are all very welcome to join us and enjoy the cultural celebrations of the Year of the Horse. If you would like to help with us in any of the events and activities, you may consider filling in the volunterring form below.

CCP2026 Homepage
Volunteering to Support CCP2026 Programme

Celebrating CNY in Belfast

If you would like to know more about CNY celebration events outside Queen’s, we hope you find the following information useful.

Monday 16/02 by CCC NI and CWA NI

The annual Spring Festival Gala, jointly organised by the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, N.I. and Chinese Welfare Association N.I., returns this year to the Europa Hotel. Save your date on Monday 16th February at 6pm.

Friday 20/02 by East Side Arts (with Artsekta and Belfast Film Festival)

Celebrate the Year of the Horse at Templemore Baths Heritage Centre with a creative workshop and light hearted action packed film. 

Sunday 22/02 by Success Dragon and Lion Dance Association

The Chinese New Year Celebration returns to the Ulster Hall Belfast on Sunday 22nd February 2026 celebrating the Year of Horse. Come to enjoy a day is full of fun and joy, rich in Colours and Culture. With over 12 global dances and music not to be missed.

Saturday 28/02 by ABCP NI

值此佳节来临之际，全英华人教授协会北爱尔兰地区诚挚邀请您参加2026年春节庆祝活动，共庆团圆，同贺新岁！本次活动旨在促进学术交流、增进友谊，并为在北爱工作学习的华人学者及家庭提供一个温馨团聚的平台。我们期待与您共度一个充满知识与欢笑的下午，并在晚宴中共叙情谊、喜迎新春。如您计划出席，请于 2026年2月14日（星期六） 前报名。参与对象： 北爱尔兰地区大学老师、学者、博士生、访问学者及家属。

Happy Year of the Horse! 马年快乐！

CNY2026 Fun Time with Table Tennis

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Date: Saturday 28 February 2026
Time: 12:00 – 15:00
Venue: Main Hall Table Tennis Court, QUB PEC

About the Event:

This event is part of the Chinese New Year Celebrations (Year of the Horse) at Queen’s. Sponsored by the QUB iRISE Staff Network, supported by One Elmwood Student Engagement Team and The Language Centre, we would like to invite all staff members and students, and their families as well, to join this fun and friendly event to engage with this popular sport among the Chinese communities, as well as providing an opportunity for enhancing student and staff wellbeing through sport.

Both beginners and more advanced players are welcome to sign up for the fun event, with an appreciation of its unique culture, as well as developing some practical skills in body movements and mediation. We hope this fun game will also demonstrate the charm of the table tennis playing. We will provide basic equipment such as rackets and balls, and feel free to bring your own equipment and wear properly. Children must be attended by parents or guardians. 

This 3-hour-long event is free for all as non-PEC members’ entry fees are covered. Booking is needed due to capacity (up to 40 players) and access request. Please complete the registration form below. 

Car Parking Parking at the PEC is free for the initial 3 hours of your reservation. After that period, there is a fee of £1.80 per hour. Please register your car at the terminals inside the main PEC Building. To avoid this inconvenience, you may wish to park your cars outside the parking area, alongside the River Lagan Annandale Embankment.

CCT-MBurnett

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Shakespeare, Cinema, China
《莎士比亚  · 电影 · 中国》

Monday 16th February 2026
13:00-14:00 
Auditorium, The McClay Library

Speaker:
Professor Mark Thornton Burnett is Professor of Renaissance Studies at Queen’s University Belfast, UK. He is the author of Masters and Servants in English Renaissance Drama and Culture: Authority and Obedience (Basingstoke: Macmillan, 1997), Constructing ‘Monsters’ in Shakespearean Drama and Early Modern Culture (Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2002), Filming Shakespeare in the Global Marketplace (Basingstoke: Palgrave, 2007; 2nd ed. 2012), Shakespeare and World Cinema (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013) and ‘Hamlet’ and World Cinema (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019). He is series editor of the Arden Shakespeare series, ‘Shakespeare and Adaptation’.

Full profile  

Abstract:
In this talk, I explore the deep connection between the uses of Shakespeare in cinema and China’s evolving cultural, economic and social significances. Shakespeare figures variously in Chinese cinema – as echo and adaptation, as allusion and full-blown transposition, as semi-quotation and vernacular rewrite, as prompt for comic business, and as an exercise in nostalgia. Introducing a broad sweep of historical examples, and centring on two recent Hamlet adaptations – The Banquet (dir. Feng Xiaogang, 2006) and Prince of the Himalayas (dir. Sherwood Hu, 2006) – I argue that Shakespeare and China share a fruitful and exciting relationship, one allied to the past, rooted in the present, and enlivened by continuing intercultural exchange.

CCP2026 Homepage

CNY Arts and Crafts Workshops

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Welcoming the Year of the Horse at QUB!

1. CNY Arts and Crafts Workshops

To celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Horse, The Language Centre and Student Engagement Team One Elmwood are delighted to organise two CNY Arts and Crafts workshops scheduled for QUB students, staff and their families to attend on

  • Monday 19th January and
  • Friday 6th February

At the workshops (1-4pm), there are also opportunities to do hands-on Chinese calligraphy and paper crafts for the festive decoration.

2. Drawing the Horse Competition and Exhibition

Alongside the workshops, there is the “Drawing the Horse” competition, accompanied by an online exhibition showcasing submitted entries.

In Chinese culture, the Horse symbolises vitality, perseverance, freedom, and success. It is associated with forward momentum, aspiration, and the courage to pursue new horizons -qualities that resonate strongly with learning, creativity, and global engagement within the QUB community.

We invite students and staff to explore these cultural meanings through art and express their own interpretations of the Horse, whether traditional or contemporary, literal or symbolic. All submitted artworks will form part of an online exhibition celebrating creativity, cultural diversity, and the shared spirit of the New Year.

Join us in welcoming the Year of the Horse through drawing, imagination, and cross-cultural appreciation.

Requirement

Participants are encouraged to employ diverse drawing styles and mediums (e.g., sketching, oils, watercolor, sculpture, etc.) as long as they effectively convey your perceptions of the Horse 马/馬 within your own cultural context or Chinese culture. We welcome authentic forms and techniques of presentation, excluding AI-related works.

Submission

Submissions should consist of one drawing per participant, saved as an electronic copy (JEPG/JPG/PNG format, no exceeding 4MB). Please submit your artwork via the provided submission form, accompanied by a brief bio, including your name, status (e.g., educational/professional background), and a concise description of your illustration.

Submission

CNY2026 Info Session and Celebrating Int’l Volunteer Day

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5th December is International Volunteer Day. We warmly invite Queen’s students and societies, staff and service teams, along with civic and community partners, to join this information session to celebrate International Volunteer Day and to explore ways to contribute to Queen’s Year of the Horse celebrations.

Come join us at 1 pm on the day in the iconic Great Hall for a get-together and sharing of celebration information and ideas.

All is welcome and registration is required.

Registration

In Pictures: Lantern Festival Celebration

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We are deeply grateful to all of you – students (including alumni and visiting students), staff members (including visiting academics), and their families – for your support in making the Year of the Snake celebration a success over the past weeks. This has been a truly remarkable celebration, bringing together diverse communities at Queen’s and beyond, fostering intercultural exchange and deeper understanding among people from different cultural backgrounds.

CCP2025 Homepage

We take great pride in hosting this grand celebration, the very first of 2025 at Queen’s, which also marks the beginning of the University’s 180th Anniversary celebrations. We look forward to welcoming you to an exciting lineup of events as part of Queen’s 180th Anniversary celebration programme – stay tuned for more opportunities to engage and celebrate together!

Lantern Festival Celebration

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As the Lantern Festival falls on Wednesday, 12th February, we would like to take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to all colleagues and students who have supported our celebration programme in various ways.

To mark the conclusion of the Year of the Snake Celebration Programme, recognise the winners of the Drawing the Snake Competition, and express our gratitude to our volunteers and contributors, we warmly invite you to our “Lantern Festival” stands in the foyer area of One Elmwood on Wednesday, 12th February, from 12:30 to 13:30. Join us for a special gathering and award ceremony, where we will celebrate your contributions, share joyful moments, and reflect on the unforgettable highlights of this year’s festivities.

Fun Time with Table Tennis

As part of our celebration tradition, we host a Table Tennis Event around the Lantern Festival to promote networking and community building as a key highlight of the Lantern Festival celebration. Sponsored by the QUB iRISE Staff Network, this event warmly invites students, staff members, and their families to take part in a fun and friendly gathering. It offers a chance to engage with one of the most popular sports in Chinese communities while also fostering well-being through physical activity and social interaction.

Additionally, we invite you to explore the ArtEast Online Exhibition, showcasing a diverse collection of artworks by local Chinese artists. The artists would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions to further enhance their presentations.

Thank you for your enthusiastic participation! While our Chinese Culture Forum 2025 will continue to present events and activities in the future, we look forward to celebrating with you again next year as we welcome the Year of the Horse!

Happy Spring Festival

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With the Snake succeeding the Dragon (Loong) on Wednesday 29th January, we are now embracing the Chinese New Year, or 春节 (Chūnjié, Spring Festival) in Chinese communities – 春节快乐！Happy Spring Festival!

Lanyon Building in Red

To mark the Chinese New Year 2025 celebrations on Wednesday, 29th January — the first day of the Year of the Snake — Queen’s Lanyon Building was officially illuminated in red.

The Success Lion Dance Club, led by Master Alan Lui, delivered a spectacular lion dance performance, a traditional way of celebrating the Spring Festival in Chinese communities. The lions danced together and interacted with the audience, spreading blessings and good fortune for the year ahead.

Students, staff members, and their families were invited to join group photographs at the end, posing alongside the lions.

Drawing the Snake Competition

Congratulations to the following winners! A full exhibition can be viewed from Drawing the Snake Competition page.

  • Children 1st – Maysee Wei
  • Children 2nd – Cassie Zuo
  • Children 3rd – Xiyue Wu
  • Adult 1st – Xingge Sun
  • Adult 2nd – Yating Hu
  • Adult 3rd – Fuheng Qu

ArtEast online exhibition

Thanks to four ArtEast Club members’ contribution to the online exhibition this year, there are over 30 pieces of artworks we can view from their gallery.

ArtEast 2025 Exhibition

Culture Forum Talks

We would like to thank Luyao and Sinong for their engaging and interesting talks and welcome the upcoming talks delivered by Tong, Siyang, Mi and Tianpeng. Save the dates in your diary and don’t miss out!

CNY entertainment

QUB international student societies are hosting their own events (Open House and CNY Dinner) for the celebration of the Chinese New Year. They welcome both members and non-members to join in their events.

Wishing all staff, students, alumni, and the wider community a joyful and prosperous Year of the Snake!

Happy Year of the Snake

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Launch of the Chinese New Year celebrations (Wednesday 22 January) – open to all students and staff

With the arrival of the Year of the Snake on Wednesday 29 January, we would like to send our best wishes to all those who celebrate it and its variations (Lunar New Year in some Asian countries) and invite staff and students to join together on Wednesday 22 January for the main launch event, as below.

This is a collaborative event, organised by The Language Centre, One Elmwood Student Experience Team, Queen’s Students’ Union, CSSA, MSSNI, Ppi Belfast, and Queen’s iRISE Staff Network, supported by People and Culture Diversity and Inclusion team.

  • 12:00 – 13:00      Welcome Reception (Auditorium, McClay Library) – please register for this here.
  • 13:00 – 13:30      Dragon Dance and Parade – departing from McClay Library through Lanyon, finishing at One Elmwood Student Centre and Students’ Union)
  • 13:30 – 16:00      Cultural Fair and Performances (One Elmwood Foyer – Ground Floor) – no registration required

Chinese Culture Forum

The celebration of the Year of the Snake also announces the start of our Chinese Culture Forum in 2025, with the following talks contributed by Queen’s staff and students, including visiting academics and students from a range of disciplines. Check the programme button and book the events that you are interested in.

CCP2025 Homepage

More events to be uploaded

We are open to proposals for a variety of events that you would wish to help with or contribute to developing our CCP2025 programme. Please do not hesitate to submit your proposals via the form below and we will get in touch with you in due course after your submission.

In Pictures: Pre-CNY Workshops

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The Pre-CNY Workshops commenced with great enthusiasm, setting the tone for the celebrations ahead.

On the afternoon of Monday, 13th January, the Blue Sky Room at One Elmwood welcomed a diverse audience from various cultural and academic backgrounds. Attendees gathered to participate in three engaging workshops — Drawing the Snake, Chinese Calligraphy, and Paper Crafts — in preparation for the arrival of the Year of the Snake.

The Language Centre, in collaboration with One Elmwood Student Experience Team and Queen’s Students’ Union, is keen to invite students and staff members, as well as members of the public, to attend a wide range of events in the coming weeks, featuring

  • The launch of the Chinese New Year celebrations (Wednesday 22 January)
  • Year of the Snake Fair (Wednesday 22 January)
  • Culture talks
  • Film seminar and screening
  • Art exhibitions

For more information and to register click the button below

CCP2025 Homepage

Happy Year of the Snake! 蛇年快乐！