Presbyterian College hosted a Chinese New Years reception on Thursday, Feb. 26 in the Harper Center for the Arts. Organized by the Confucius Institute, the event included guest speeches, videos and authentic Chinese cuisine.

Dr. David Liu, professor and director of the Confucius Institute, began the evening with an anecdote:

“The Chinese president, Mr. Xi Jinping, talks about the Chinese Dream. My wife and I just recently realized our American Dream. We find a home in town, through which I become what the Chinese would call a ‘fangnu,’ or a slave to the home mortgage.”

“I also gained a better understanding why Americans are in so much debt!” he added.

Ultimately, the theme of his speech was one of unity; between Presbyterian College and its partner Guizhou University, and more broadly the U.S. and China.

“As more and more people in China are becoming proud homeowners…it occurs to me that the American Dream is also the Chinese dream, or it is rather a universal dream of the mankind,” Liu said.

The Confucius Institute, he explained, “is not to teach how unique the Chinese are, but rather how similar we are in our common pursuits of happiness.”

Following his speech were videos on the history of the tradition and of Presbyterian College students studying Mandarin and Tai Chi.

Dinner then consisted of pork dumplings, spring rolls, tilapia, and other Chinese dishes.

While people ate, senior Graham Hope gave a presentation in Mandarin on his experiences in China. For English speakers, his teacher Cuiyan Guo translated. Hope placed third in the statewide Chinese language contest, the Palmetto Chinese Star.

Sophomore Brenda Namwawu said, “Celebrating Chinese New Year was fantastic, there was great food, and the culture is awesome.”