Happy Chinese New Year Happy Chinese New Year (February 04, 2005)

Celebration, second Chinese Culture Day lined up
by Teresa C. Brown

Bringing a small glimpse of the vibrant Asian culture to the Tri-Valley and in celebration of the Chinese New Year, the Chinese American Cooperation Council will hold its second Tri-Valley Chinese Culture Day from 3:30-8:30 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 13, at the Shrine Event Center, 170 Lindbergh Ave., Livermore.

This year's festivities, which organizers expect to be the largest Chinese event to take place in the Tri-Valley, include exhibits, a children's movie and games, dinner and a two-hour stage performance of comedy, magic, Chinese opera, dancers and instrumental music.

Among the highlighted performers are tenor Minsheng Yang, who has sung with Vigado Interoperett Music Company in Hungary and was the 1990 silver-award winner in the National Opera Contest in China; flutist Jian Ding; and percussionist Wang Wei, whose music was featured in the film "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

Also appearing will be Larry Zhang, Cheyenne Lu and Bingo Zhu, lead performers from the Hua Yi Performing Group; Shanghai Conservatory graduate Sally Huang, a lyric coloratura soprano; Larry Wright, also known as the "Zappo Magician"; and the Rong Rong Singers.

The CACC is a nonprofit community organization whose goal is to cultivate friendship while promoting Chinese culture.
Welcoming Year of the Rooster

What: Tri-Valley Chinese Culture Day Who: Chinese American Cooperation Council Where: Shrine Event Center, 170 Lindbergh Ave., Livermore When: 3:30-8:30 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 13; stage performances begin at 4:30 p.m. and the New Year's dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Cost: $12 for adults; $8 for seniors and children, ages 3 and older, includes dinner Tickets: Available on Sundays, Jan. 23, Jan. 30 and Feb. 6, at the CACC Chinese School held at Hart Middle School, 4433 Willow Road; or e-mail newyear@caccusa.org. Additional information is available online at www.caccusa.org.
Chinese lunar calendar

The Chinese Lunar New Year is the longest chronological record in history, dating from 2600 B.C. The Chinese Lunar Calendar is a yearly one, with the start of the lunar year being based on the cycles of the moon. This year it falls on Feb. 9. A complete cycle takes 60 years and is made up of five cycles of 12 years each.

The Chinese Lunar Calendar names each of the 12 years after an animal: Rat 1924 1936 1948 1960 1972 1984 1996 Ox 1925 1937 1949 1961 1973 1985 1997 Tiger 1926 1938 1950 1962 1974 1986 1998 Rabbit 1927 1939 1951 1963 1975 1987 1999 Dragon 1928 1940 1952 1964 1976 1988 2000 Snake 1929 1941 1953 1965 1977 1989 2001 Horse 1930 1942 1954 1966 1978 1990 2002 Sheep 1931 1943 1955 1967 1979 1991 2003 Monkey 1932 1944 1956 1968 1980 1992 2004 Rooster 1933 1945 1957 1969 1981 1993 2005 Dog 1934 1946 1958 1970 1982 1994 2006 Boar 1935 1947 1959 1971 1983 1995 2007

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