Asian Studies Workshop Celebrates Lunar New Year

The University’s Asian Studies Program will hold an Asian New Year Festival and Workshop on campus Feb. 24.
The Asian Studies Program/concentration at The University of Scranton will host Asian New Year Festival and Workshop on Feb. 24 that includes hands-on lessons on Chinese calligraphy and Japanese origami. Registration is required to attend the program which begins at 6 p.m. in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall. From left: Declan Maurer, White House Station, an accounting major and a student in an advanced Chinese class; Prof. Peter (Chun Sheng) Su, instructor of Chinese classes who is from Taiwan; Devin Perry, Sterling, Massachusetts, a communication major and student in an intermediate Chinese class; and Jenyah Cunningham, Brooklyn, New York, a secondary education – English major and a student in an intermediate Chinese class.
The Asian Studies Program/concentration at The University of Scranton will host Asian New Year Festival and Workshop on Feb. 24 that includes hands-on lessons on Chinese calligraphy and Japanese origami. Registration is required to attend the program which begins at 6 p.m. in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall. From left: Declan Maurer, White House Station, an accounting major and a student in an advanced Chinese class; Prof. Peter (Chun Sheng) Su, instructor of Chinese classes who is from Taiwan; Devin Perry, Sterling, Massachusetts, a communication major and student in an intermediate Chinese class; and Jenyah Cunningham, Brooklyn, New York, a secondary education – English major and a student in an intermediate Chinese class.

University of Scranton students, faculty and staff can learn about the ways in which different Asian cultures and traditions celebrate the Lunar New Year at the Asian New Year Festival and Workshop on Feb. 24. The program will include a chopstick competition and hands-on lessons on Chinese calligraphy and Japanese origami related to the Year of the Tiger. The workshop begins at 6 p.m. in the Rose Room of Brennan Hall.

Many Asian cultures celebrate the New Year differently, however, there is more consensus around the meaning of the tiger in the Chinese zodiac.

“The tiger is a symbol of courage and fortitude that wards off all evils,” said Ann Pang-White, Ph.D., director of Asian Studies and professor of philosophy at the University.

The evening event will include three presentations about Asia’s chopstick culture and the meaning of chopsticks, how new year is celebrated in Japan, and how it is celebrated in China and Taiwan. Instructors and students from the Japanese and Chinese classes will also assist with the hands-on portion of the workshop.

Seating is limited and registration is required to attend the event. University community members can register for the workshop here.

The workshop is co-sponsored by the departments of Asian Studies and World Languages and Cultures.

For additional information, contact Dr. Pang-White at ann.pang-white@scranton.edu or 570-941-6312.
  • alt placeholderImage of an origami tiger from the University’s instructor for Japanese Kentaro Fukube.
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