Cambridge is set to host a number of events over the next week to celebrate the Chinese New Year, the most widely celebrated festival in the Asian calendar.

Yang Lan, President of the Cambridge University Chinese Culture Society (CUCCS) told Varsity: “Chinese New Year is a big thing in Cambridge. There are a considerable variety of events going on, including karaoke and cooking dumplings.”

Members of the CUCCS will be celebrating the New Year by enjoying dinner at their restaurant sponsor, Charlie Chan. The meal will include traditional Chinese dishes such as roast duck, pig’s trotters, steamed fish, and pipa tofu.

Students also have the chance to attend Cambridge’s annual Chinese New Year’s Ball, which is organised by the Chinese New Year Trust. This year’s ball will be held at the Guildhall on February 27th. The ball is loosely themed around the title ‘Sweet Spring’, and will include food, entertainment, casinos, chocolate fountains, and an after party at an unconfirmed location.

Lan explained, “Students seem really keen to celebrate. The Chinese New Year Formal at St John’s College proved to be so popular that it sold out in just two days.”

The Chinese Culture Society at St John’s also hosted an evening event involving guests bringing traditional Chinese food to share with others whilst watching the annual Chinese New Year Gala on television.

This year’s gala was held at the Corn Exchange on February 6th, and was organised by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association in Cambridge, the Education Section, and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the UK.

Every year, more than 1,000 people attend the gala, which is famed for its unique showcasing of Chinese culture. The gala involves a huge variety of different acts, including comedy sketches, performances by Chinese orchestras, magic shows, singing, martial arts, and Chinese folk dancing.

This year’s gala was the largest celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year that Cambridge has ever seen, and began with a video message from Chen Xiaodong, Minister of the Chinese Embassy in the UK. He explained that 2010 is the beginning of a new decade within the 21st Century, and he hopes that it will see Sino-British relations continue to progress and strengthen.

The Lunar New Year commences on February 14th, and will culminate on February 2nd next year. Since the New Year coincides with Valentine’s Day, Bambooty, a Cambridge-based promoter specialising in Oriental club nights, will be hosting a Chinese New Year/Valentine’s celebration at Revolution Bar.

In addition to this, traditional Cambridge pub, The Waterman will be serving a Chinese buffet for lovers. They will also be offering a free bottle of wine to any diners born in the year of the tiger. The tiger, which is the third sign of the Chinese zodiac cycle, symbolises bravery and courage.