Winterguide 2015 | view this story as a .pdf

The Year of the What?
Ring in the Chinese New Year February 19.

by Claire Z. Cramer

First, the controversy. If you google Chinese New Year 2015, you’ll find the date it begins–February 19. But its designated symbol? Among the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, the eighth symbol is a bit tricky. Its Chinese name is yang, which translates to an assortment of cloven-hoofed ruminants. Just don’t jump to conclusions and call them sheep.

“Although it symbolizes caring and compassion, many are afraid those born under the sheep will prove too weak for a cruel, unforgiving world,” according to Thehumanist.com.

“No one wants a baby born in…the dreaded Year of the Sheep,” according to the Washington Post’s Asia & Pacific correspondent William Wan. “Sheep are meek creatures… Babies…will grow up to be followers rather than leaders.” Wan provides evidence that some Chinese women are even making drastic contraception plans to avoid giving birth in 2015.

But opinions vary. “The Year of the Sheep should be peaceful and [in] harmony,” says Jing Zhang, director of Maine’s Chinese Language and Culture Center (CLCC). “In the year, people will be very healthy and friendly; the weather will be warmer than other years; and farmers will have a very good harvest. I hope Chinese and American people will be even closer this year and do more together to make the world peaceful.”

Lynne Eustis, assistant director of International Programs at the University of Maine Farmington, polled visiting Chinese faculty and students in residence there. “Most agree we’ll call it the Year of the Goat. One professor offers this: ‘The goat symbolizes such character traits as creativity, intelligence, dependability, and calmness… Goats enjoy being part of a group, but prefer the sidelines rather than the center.’ Another professor suggests we go with the Chinese name, ‘The Year of the Yang, because Yang can mean sheep, goat, ram, or lamb. Yang represents kindheartedness, peace, and fairness.’”

“The Year of the Ram is also known as the year of the goat or sheep,” says Cindy Han, of the Chinese and American Friendship Association of Maine (CAFAM). “The Chinese word yang translates to any of those animals. We choose the ram because it sounds impressive.”

On to the Party

“Lions dance and ribbons twirl” at CAFAM’s festival is February 7 at the Westbrook Performing Arts Center, says Cindy Han. “There will be performances of traditional Chinese dance by students of the CAFAM Chinese school, plus music, martial arts, crafts, demonstrations, and a variety of delicious Chinese food.” CAFAM claims to put on Maine’s premier Chinese New Year celebration, and this year they’re teaming up with the Confucius Institute at USM to host the event. Adults, $6; children, $4; 471 Stroudwater Street, Westbrook, westbrookpac.org/cafam-chinese-new-year

“The Lunar New Year begins February 19. It’s traditionally celebrated for at least one week,” says Han. “Customs range from lighting firecrackers to scare off evil spirits to gathering with family to eat foods that symbolize good fortune, including fish, dumplings, and sticky rice treats.”

At the University of Maine in Farmington, “We’ll hold Chinese New Year events February 11 at the Olsen Student Center dining hall,” says Lynne Eustis. “It’s free and open to the public. Beyond delicious, traditional food prepared by our visiting Chinese professor and students, we’ll have Chinese calligraphy, mahjong, paper-cutting, and painting displays along with traditional music.” UMF is celebrating 25 years of exchanging students and faculty with schools in Beijing and Shanghai. “This year, Hui Liu from Beijing University of Technology [is in Farmington, teaching] Chinese language and culture classes.” umf.maine.edu/international/news-and-events

The Chinese Language & Culture Center of Maine will celebrate the new year February 8 at 53 Cumberland Street, Bangor; and February 28 at 340 County Road, Westbrook; with “traditional Chinese holiday food, performances, dragon dance, firecrackers, crafts, and door prizes,” says Jing Zhang. There will be “a Chinese New Year  parade in Bangor with dragons, band, Chinese and American flags, and cars.” bangorchinese.com

Feast Day

“We’re celebrating at Bao Bao and at Tao Yuan,” says chef Cara Stadler of her restaurants in Portland and Brunswick. “Chinese New Year is dumplings, so at Bao Bao we’re going to run special, fun ones we don’t usually make–from the 19th through the weekend. We’ll celebrate on the 19th at Tao, and then on Sunday the 22nd–which is when we serve formal, coursed family dinners from 4 p.m. from different regions of China–we’ll incorporate the Chinese New Year celebration.”

“Come see us,” says manager Tiffany Tang at the Golden Lotus on Congress Street. No matter your zodiac, “You’ll love our special menu.”