The Confucius Institute hosted the Chinese Lantern Festival last Thursday in the Markee Pioneer Student Center. The Lantern Festival finds its origins as early as the Han Dynasty.
“The gathering was highly educational and very immersive. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with a different culture and connect with other people,” senior criminal justice major Mack Brock said.
This holiday marks the first full moon of the season, and it is also the last day of the Chinese New Year. Just outside the Wisconsin Room, there were displays of traditional Chinese tea such as green, jasmine and oolong.
The presentation was a lovely display of porcelain glassware and the art of pouring tea. Inside the Wisconsin Room there were featured activities such as mask painting, writing in Chinese calligraphy and making paper lanterns.
“We were pleased with how well-received the Lantern Festival was with students, staff and community participants who enjoy the cultural displays of Chinese tea, Chinese lantern making, Chinese calligraphy and Chinese Peking Opera masks,” Confucius Institute’s Cultural Coordinator Marie Whisment said.