Discover Chinese culture in Sydney

Sydney will come alive with Chinese culture this February, with an exciting program of Chinese New Year talks and tours set to usher in the Year of the Rabbit. “The City of Sydney’s annual Chinese New Year Festival celebrates the diverse cultures that make Sydney such a vibrant and lively City,” said Lord Mayor Clover Moore MP. “This year, we’re welcoming the Year of the Rabbit with an extensive Festival program that has something for everyone.” Sydneysiders and visitors have the chance to learn about Chinese customs and traditions with an interactive digital treasure hunt in Chinatown, fascinating temple tours, and forums on Chinese film, economics, history and more:

China Heart

A young woman’s plans to marry are stalled when she receives a mysterious engagement present. Help her solve the puzzle of her family and cultural history, guided by dramatic clues, oral histories and historic re-enactments downloadable to your mobile phone. China Heart by d/Lux/MediaArts meshes real-world art installations and performance with a rich GPS location-based learning environment set in Sydney’s Chinatown. From the Powerhouse Museum to the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Darling Harbour, get ready to discover the hidden secrets of Chinese Australia’s past in this unique digital treasure hunt.

30 January – 13 February, 10am – 5pm at Powerhouse Museum – FREE

For more information, visit: http://www.chinaheart.org.au/

History of the Chinese Communities in Alexandria and Waterloo

Join City Historian Lisa Murray to find out more about the role of Chinese communities in the development of two of Sydney’s most unique villages, Alexandria and Waterloo.

5 February, 2pm – 3pm at Waterloo Library – FREE

For more information and bookings, call: (02) 9288 5688

Chinatown Historical Tours

Discover Chinatown’s hidden past and learn more about the people and cultures that have shaped one of Sydney’s most fascinating precincts. In this tour you’ll visit local stores and enjoy a delicious yum cha lunch (extra cost).

9, 11 and 13 February, 11am – 1.30pm at Entertainment Centre – gold coin donation

For more information and bookings, call: 0403 302 578 or email percy.wk@gmail.com

Temple Tours – for more information and bookings, call: (02) 9246 7682

• Yiu Ming Temple Tour –

Retreat Street, Alexandria

4 and 11 February, 11am – 12pm – FREE

• Sze Yup Kwan Ti Temple Tour –

Edward Street

, Glebe

8 and 10 February, 11am – 12pm – FREE

• NSW Evergreen Taoist Church Tour

7 and 9 February, 11am – 12pm – FREE

Chinese Garden of Friendship Open Day

In celebration of the Year of the Rabbit, the Chinese Garden of Friendship is holding a free open day. Initiated by the local Chinese community to share their rich cultural heritage and celebrate Australia’s 1988 Bicentenary, the Chinese Garden is the result of a close bond between the sister cities of Sydney and Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, China.

6 February, 9:30am – 5pm at Chinese Garden of Friendship, Darling Harbour – FREE

China Now: Key Questions in Debate

Join China scholars, industry professionals and media experts for a discussion on contemporary China’s domestic economy and national development. This fascinating two part forum will look at the Chinese mining economy and its overseas interests, expansion into the Asia-Pacific region, nationalism and the impact on the international arena.

2 February, 7pm – 9:30pm at University of Technology, Sydney – FREE

For bookings, call: (02) 9514 2977

Chinese Film Forum

Take a behind the scenes look at Chinese filmmaking in this free public forum presented by the University of Sydney Confucius Institute and the Sydney Chinese Film Festival. Join Chinese and Australian filmmakers and film academics to compare and contrast the art of

filmmaking from Chinese and Australian cultures.

8 February, 2pm – 3:30pm at University of Sydney – FREE

For more information and bookings, email: confucius.institute@sydney.edu.au

Feng Shui

This ancient Chinese practice is believed to combine the laws of heaven (astronomy) and earth (geography) to improve life by receiving positive Qi (energy). Find out more about how Feng Shui can work for you in this seminar at Customs House Library

9 February, 10:30am – 11:30am and 12pm – 1pm at Customs House Library – FREE

For more information and bookings, call: (02) 9242 8555

About the Year of the Rabbit - Chinese new year Australia

People born in the Year of the Rabbit are kind and loving, with grace, culture and beautiful manners. Although they may appear frail, Rabbits are in fact strong-minded and strong willed. They pursue their ideals in a precise and orderly fashion and, as cautious characters, act slowly and deliberately. They often make ideal diplomats or politicians. 2011 is the Year of the Metal Rabbit, with Metal giving Rabbits a more resilient demeanor.

Zodiac Years – Rabbit

1927

1939

1951

1963

1975

1987

1999

2011

Rabbit lucky gemstone

Pearl

Rabbit lucky colour

Green

Most compatible signs for Rabbits

Sheep, Dog and Pig

Most incompatible signs for Rabbits

Rooster and Horse

Famous People who were born in the Year of the Rabbit

Slim Dusty (singer)
David Moore (photographer)
Orson Welles (director)
Ingrid Bergman (actress)
Bart Cummings (racehorse trainer)
Arthur Miller (playwright)
Ray Barrett (actor)
John Howard (former Prime Minister)
Brett Whiteley (artist)
Phillip Adams (broadcaster)
Angelica Huston (actress)
Dusty Springfield (singer)
Evonne Goolagong Cawley (tennis player)
Geoffrey Rush (actor)
Angelina Jolie (actor)
Tina Turner (singer)
Alexander Downer (politician).

Chinese New Year Traditions and Customs

Like most festivals Chinese New Year also has many traditions and customs. Here are the Top 11 traditions and customers for Chinese New Year celebrations in 2011.

1.                   Greet people with "Kung Hei Fat Choy", or "Gong Xi Far Tsai" (Happy New Year) to bring good fortune and prosperity.

2.                   Come together with family and friends to celebrate over traditional New Year foods, keeping an empty seat to symbolise the presence of family members who can't be there.

3.                   Eat traditional foods such as fish, dumplings and the vegetarian Buddha's delight to usher in wealth, happiness and good fortune. Many of the dishes served over New Year have Chinese names that can represent other words such as prosperity, bounty and luck.

4.                   Clean your house and sweep out the bad luck of the previous year.

5.                    Before New Year, say farewell to the Kitchen God, the guardian of the family hearth. As he reports to heaven on the behaviour of the family over the past year, make sure to feed him sweet foods and honey, either as a bribe, or to seal his mouth and prevent him from saying bad things.

6.                   Pay off all debts and cast all grudges aside.

7.                   Do not use knives or scissors on New Year's Day as this may cut off fortune.

8.                   On New Year's Day wear new clothes and be on your best behaviour, as actions on this day set the tone for the year to follow.

9.                   Let the old year out by opening every door and window in the house on the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.

10.               Ward off bad luck by draping red cloth on your doorway.

11.               Give red lai-see "lucky money" envelopes to pass on prosperity and good luck.