Happy Lunar New Year to all members of the UC Community who celebrate! According to Chinese Zodiac, 2015 is the Year of the Sheep/Goat/Ram.

On February 13th Langsam Library hosted a wonderful Lunar New Party. Sounds of traditional Chinese tunes performed by Tsun-Hui Hung, Adjunct Professor of Musicology at CCM, set the tone for the gathering. Dean Xuemao Wang welcomed the guests and talked about the exciting upcoming events and projects at UC Libraries. Picking up on the lunar theme, Head of Archives and Rare Books Kevin Grace talked about moon folklore and New Year customs in the Appalachian region. Probably the most memorable part of the program was the Lion Dance presented by students of the Chinese Language School. Professor Gergana Ivanova introduced the audience to haiku and following the presentation of the artist Frank Satogata, whose art combines calligraphy and abstract impressionism, several members of the audience wrote their own haiku poems and shared them with the public. After enjoying the food the guests participated in multiple activities, including calligraphy, karaoke, origami, and games. Several guests recorded video greetings for family and friends using the props in the STRC green screen room. The event also featured an exhibit of Chinese paper cutting.

The party definitely gave us enough warm memories to cherish during the cold days that followed. Please enjoy glimpses of the party, whether you were part of the celebration or missed it.