Chinese New Year shared by everyone
Reflections on festival’s local celebrations
The parade included Chinese dancers, firecrackers, a lion and a dragon, and left from outside 2 High Street to St John Street then South Street and finally to Norie-Miller Walk.
The new Chinese consul general Ma Qiang also made his first ever visit to Perth for the festival.
Over the last few years the festival has grown thanks to a partnership between PKC, the Consulate of the People’s Republic of China and the Perth Chinese Association.
Chairman of the Perth Chinese Association Andy Chan said: “Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 we are not able to celebrate in the same way and there are online concerts and events organised by the consul general of the People’s Republic of China in Edinburgh Mr Ma Qiang.
“However, this does give the events team and myself another year to plan an even bigger and better celebration.
“I think that in Perth the Chinese community is part of all our lives.
“I was born here, my brothers, sisters, cousins and most other Chinese-Scots my age all consider themselves to be equal parts of both cultures.
“We really have grown up with the best of both worlds.”
Also known as the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year is marked by the lunisolar Chinese calendar, which is why the date changes from year to year.
Usually the festival period lasts for 16 days, starting from New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival, and this year will last from February 11 to February 26.
Andy added: “I remember Chinese New Year as a magical time where Chinese family and friends came together to celebrate at organised private events.
“Through the years, because of the efforts of Perth Chinese Association and Perth and Kinross Council, I have been delighted to see the Chinese New Year celebrations in Perth grow and grow to be an event where all the diverse communities of our area can share in the joy and appreciate the Chinese culture and celebrations.
“We now have the biggest and most attended public Chinese New Year event in Scotland, which is attended by people from all over the UK.
“I will conclude by saying, may the year of the Ox bring you joy, health and prosperity.”
To mark the occasion for 2021, Smeaton’s Bridge will be lit up in yellow and red.
Provost Dennis Melloy feels the celebrations that have been held in Perth make it “the best in Scotland”.
“There is no doubt 2020 will be a year none of us will ever forget, as we have all been impacted by this dreadful COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
“On February 2 last year, at a civic reception marking the Chinese New Year, I welcomed the newly-appointed consul general Ma Qiang to Perth.
“I asked him to send our prayers and good wishes to the people of China who were fighting this dreadful coronavirus.
“Never in my wildest dreams did I expect that we would also be fighting this dreadful virus with the rest of the world.
“But out of this darkness there has been a ray of light shining throughout all of our communities, as volunteers of all nationalities have gathered together throughout Perth and Kinross to give up their time and ask for no reward tirelessly distributing vital supplies to people’s homes.
“Unfortunately, this year we will miss or famous dragon and lion dance winding its way through the streets of Perth to the Norrie Millar Lights along the River Tay.
“As I said last year, a big thank you must go to the Perth Chinese Association which has worked in partnership with PKC and PKAVS.
“In particular I would like to mention the chairman Andy Chan for all his hard work behind the scenes as the local Chinese community is extremely important to us here in Perth and Kinross as it’s the longest established minority ethnic community having been here since the early 1960s.”
We now have the biggest and most attended Chinese New Year event in Scotland