The Nottingham Confucius Institute

Mandarin Corner: Celebrating Spring Festival

3/2/2025

Spring Festival came to life on Friday evening as 60 participants gathered at NCI’s home, the Si Yuan Centre, to celebrate Chinese New Year in a vibrant and engaging Mandarin Corner event.

Student host Liu Xiaoyan started the evening with some captivating Chinese New Year storytelling. Attendees learned about the myth of Nuwa, the snake-bodied goddess, as well as the fascinating origins of the zodiac animals and their deep cultural significance.

The excitement continued, with the Whisper Game: a fun and interactive way to learn and practice New Year greetings. Laughter echoed through the room as messages playfully transformed with each whisper. A memorable experience for all!

The festivities culminated in hands-on cultural activities, including intricate paper cutting, calligraphy and twist-sticks, a traditional craft where participants made beautiful snakes and flowers. They proved to be a great way to explore Chinese traditions in a fun and relaxing atmosphere.  

The event was a wonderful opportunity to come together and learn more about Chinese New Year traditions. As the evening wrapped up, participants shared warm wishes for the year ahead.

Highlights of the evening can be viewed here

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us—your energy and enthusiasm made this celebration truly special! Wishing you all a joyful and prosperous Year of the Snake!

~ENDS~

Posted on Wednesday 19th February 2025

Nottingham Confucius Institute

Room A23, CI Library
Si Yuan Building
Jubilee Campus
Nottingham, NG8 1BB

telephone: +44 (0)115 748 4502
fax: +44 (0)115 846 6324
email: confucius.institute@nottingham.ac.uk