The Greater Boston Chinese Cultural Association (GBCCA) hosted its annual Lunar New Year celebration on Saturday night in West Newton as a part of the 15-day celebration of the Jan. 22 holiday.
Shirley Wong, president of the GBCCA, said the organization hosted its celebration on Feb. 4 to give members ample time to celebrate the holiday in the days following Jan. 22.
“You really want to go see family because that’s where you get your envelopes, and, of course, good food,” Wong said.
The tradition of gifting red envelopes filled with money, symbolizing good fortune for the coming year, is a highlight of the holiday, according to Wong.
“The most important thing [as a kid] was waking up to that red envelope,” she said.
When it came to planning this year’s celebration, Wong said she was initially unsure if the celebration would happen.
“We started about two months ago,” she said. “Just because, you know, with the new variant coming out, we weren’t sure whether we wanted to do this virtually or in person.”
While the GBCCA held the past two years’ celebrations online, the group decided on a hybrid-style event for 2023. Performing groups who were comfortable enough, performed in person, and others opted to provide recordings of their performances.
The night began with Lion dancing, a tradition that symbolizes warding off evil spirits and having luck in the new year.
The event also featured musical performances, including performances of drums; guzheng, a wooden, stringed instrument; and the dulcimer, an instrument with up to 12 strings.
Wong said she has 20 years of experience playing the dulcimer and serves as the instructor for the drums and dulcimer classes the GBCCA offers.
Other performances included those of kung fu and diabolo—a juggling toy similar to a yo-yo—as well as a virtual performance from the Melody Dance Troupe.
Chao-Qiang Lai, GBCCA chair and former president, said there is beauty in the diversity of GBCCA’s members.
“Many people of varying talents, dedication and commitment support and contribute to the organization and community,” Lai said.
Following the performances, the GBCCA held a raffle. Three participants landed one of three prizes: a basket of snacks and an Amazon gift card, a basket of tea, and a basket of noodles.
After the raffle, the GBCCA held a buffet of classic Chinese dishes from Xiang’s Hunan Kitchen, a restaurant in Boston. Dessert featured a Mandarin orange cake from May’s Cake House in Chinatown.
Brianna Greenlaw, a close friend of Wong for over five years, joined the GBCCA community in September and has already become highly involved with the organization, now serving as an executive committee member.
“You can just see the camaraderie,” Greenlaw said. “I mean, I put all this stuff [these decorations] up like myself, but I didn’t have to take it down because everyone collectively comes together as a community, and they get the job done.”
While not a part of the Chinese community nor from Greater Boston, Greenlaw said she still feels welcomed.
“You don’t have to be a part of the Asian community or the Chinese community to be involved,” she said.
Anny Zhou, a Newton resident who serves alongside Greenlaw as an executive committee member, said the GBCCA provides a vital resource for Newton.
“I think it’s important to have a space, to have a platform for Eastern culture, Chinese culture, and Asian culture communicating with Western culture,” Zhou said.
As the youngest GBCCA president in history, Wong said she hopes to expand the GBCCA’s online presence and gain more community members from younger generations.
“I’m hoping to do a lot more social outreaches and, of course, to establish a social media presence for the building,” she said.
Regarding learning about Chinese culture, Wong emphasized that all are welcome and encourages newcomers to join the GBCCA community.
“Anyone of all ages, of all backgrounds, who wants a safe space to, you know, learn more about the culture, the heritage, all of our language arts classes, they’re open to everyone,” Wong said.
