Earlier this month, students and staff at Minnetonka Middle Schools East (MME) participated in a school-wide Chinese New Year Spring Festival celebration, dedicated to honor the start of the lunar new year.

Organized by the MME Chinese Immersion department (Xiaochuan Zhang, Jiawei Shen and Ann Kubusek), the celebration took place on February 1. 

“It was a great opportunity for the Chinese community to share their culture with the school community,” said Xiaochaun Zhang, Chinese Immersion Teacher and Chinese Immersion Coordinator at MME. “All MME staff were involved by either supporting the morning show, wearing red, or learning to speak Spring Festival blessings with students. Principal Pete Dymit showed his support by wearing a red suit that day!”

At MME, all students and staff celebrated the Spring Festival by wearing red, and they were taught how to say basic new years blessings in Chinese. If they said a new year's blessing to one of the Chinese teachers in the hallway, they were given a red envelope with chocolate coins inside. 

“Chinese Immersion students were proud to be immersed in such a great environment, and they were excited to participate in lots of fun activities in the classroom!” added Zhang. 

About the Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)
Chinese New Year, or also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important celebration in Chinese culture. The festival originated during the Shang Dynasty in China (1600 to 1100 BC), when people prayed for good harvests for the coming new year. Now, the celebration has evolved into a time of feasting and reunion with family!

To celebrate the Spring Festival, people traditionally wear and decorate their houses with the color red, which signifies good fortune, luck and prosperity. The time is also spent with family, where a reunion dinner is held on the night before the lunar new year. Children are expected to say new years blessings to their elders, who give them “紅包” (hóng bāo), or red envelopes, in return. These red envelopes are filled with money inside, and are given to signify good wishes and prosperity to the recipient. 

Additionally, traditional activities, such as setting off firecrackers and watching lion and dragon dances, are also done to celebrate the Spring Festival. 

Want to learn more about Chinese Immersion at Minnetonka? Click here.