The Chinese and Korean communities in Bahrain and around the world are commemorating the arrival of the Year of the Rabbit.
Chinese expatriates have organised a Spring Festival Carnival, which will feature traditional dances, calligraphy workshops and a martial arts display.
Set up by the Bahrain University Confucius Institute, today’s festival and gala event will be hosted at Bahrain Polytechnic, Isa Town from 4pm to 8pm.
“The lunar new year is the most celebrated event in China,” Bahrain University Confucius Institute director Dr Qianwen Zhou told the GDN.
“The Spring Festival Carnival, which will be home to numerous cultural activities, is supported by the Chinese Embassy in Bahrain and several Chinese companies.”
Korean New Year or ‘Seollal’, falling on January 22 this year, is also a festival and national holiday.
It is a cultural event too, which has its roots in traditional Chinese Confucianism and is celebrated on the first day of the Korean lunar calendar. It usually lasts three days – the day before, New Year itself, and the day after.
Hae Kwan Chung, ambassador of the Republic of Korea, told the GDN of the importance of the event to his country and added: “It is a special celebration where families get together and exchange presents.”
Each year represents a different animal and the cycle is repeated every 12 years. The 12 animals are the mouse, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. The order of the animals is thought to have been based on the sequence in which they were invited to see Buddha, believers say.
Many Koreans are convinced that the animal representing the year that a baby is born may attribute certain characters and qualities to that baby. There are even some parents who plan the birth year of their children in accordance with this belief.
2023 is the Year of the Rabbit – ‘a kind, energetic and resilient animal’ that represents patience and treating others with respect.
The rabbit is the symbol of longevity, peace and prosperity in Chinese culture, thus 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope.
As Chinese shoppers trickle back to tourist hotspots for Lunar New Year holidays, malls aim to lure them into stores with red lantern displays, special dances to mark the Year of the Rabbit and discounts, Reuters reports.
The overall number of international flights from China is still just 12 per cent of pre-pandemic levels due to slow capacity increases. But retailers in popular destinations are desperate to take advantage of the return of a first wave of Chinese tourists as the country reopens borders after three long years of Covid-19 curbs.
As well as malls, most Asian restaurants across the kingdom are also marking the occasion too with special menus and celebrations.
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