KARACHI: Even if you did not understand the language, the joyous song and musical performances with the lucky red and gold, well mostly red, decorations told you that it was a happy occasion.

That’s how the Chinese New Year was being welcomed at a local hotel on Saturday evening.

The award-winning Inner Mongolia Art Troupe presented the ‘Happy Chinese New Year’ by playing traditional instruments, performing dances with a bit of acrobatics with a delicious Chinese buffet on the side to complete the picture.

There were solo performances and dramatic pair acts all receiving well-deserved applause from the audience, who were treated to further thrill when the performers happily posed for pictures with them after the show.

The Chinese refer to their new year as the Spring Festival. The Chinese spring festival is the most joyfully celebrated traditional festival in Chinese folk culture. The Chinese follow the lunar calender.

According to Chinese tradition each Chinese year is named after an animal. There are 12 such animals — rat, cow, tiger, hare, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. On Jan 28 this year the Chinese are ushering in the Year of the Rooster while saying goodbye to the Year of the Monkey.

Published in Dawn January 23rd, 2017