Celebrating Chinese New Year with Liverpool

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Members of the public doing Chinese Calligraphy with LCI staff at Chinese New Year celebrations in Chinatown
Members of the public doing Chinese calligraphy and woodblock printing with LCI staff in Chinatown.

During the first weekend of February 2025, Liverpool celebrated Chinese New Year across the city, with parades, street fairs and events exhibiting Chinese culture. LCI was proud to be a part of the festivities in Chinatown and at the Victoria Gallery and Museum (VG&M).

The events both attracted many local residents and tourists, who showed a keen interest in directly engaging with and experiencing Chinese culture. Through practical activities and interactions, participants gained a comprehensive understanding of China’s traditional crafts.

Child doing Chinese Calligraphy at the VG&M Chinese New Year Event

Chinese Culture and Craft Family Day at the VG&M

The event on 1st February aimed to showcase the charm of Chinese traditional culture through a variety of interactive activities which attracted a large number of participants. Several cultural experiences were set up, including calligraphy, paper cutting and woodblock printing. Participants not only had the opportunity to try their hand at these traditional crafts but also gained a deeper understanding of the cultural significance behind them through interactive sessions with the CI staff. Additionally, the event featured Gu Zheng and Chinese song performances, offering the audience a festival ambience.

In the calligraphy session, participants, guided by Confucius Institute teachers, tried their hand at writing Chinese characters with brushes, experiencing the artistic beauty of Chinese calligraphy. The paper-cutting session showcased the intricacy and delicacy of traditional Chinese paper-cutting art. The woodblock printing was also very popular, as participants printed their own works featuring traditional Chinese patterns, enjoying the fun of ancient printing techniques.

Culture Liverpool Event in Chinatown

On February 2, 2025, LCI hosted a Chinese cultural booth in Liverpool's Chinatown. This event was aimed at showcasing the essence of traditional Chinese arts to the local community while fostering deeper cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between China and the UK.

Similar to the VG&M event, the booth featured Chinese calligraphy where participants had the opportunity to try writing with traditional Chinese brushes, and teachers and volunteers were available to write participants' names in Chinese. Teachers and volunteers also provided detailed explanations of the artistic value and cultural background of Chinese calligraphy, enhancing attendees' appreciation and understanding of this art form.

Additionally, the woodblock print exhibit drew widespread attention, allowing visitors to glimpse the history and craft of this ancient art form and experience the joy of hands-on creation.