ANTANANARIVO, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, was celebrated Saturday in Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, with Malagasy and Chinese cultural activities on the square of the city hall.
Students and teachers of the Confucius Institute of the University of Antananarivo showed their talent in performing choreographic dances, martial arts, dragon and lion dances, as well as other artistic interpretations associated with celebrating the Chinese New Year that started Sunday this year.
A second-year student of the Confucius Institute who preferred to be identified as Ravo said this kind of cultural event helped expand the cultural relations between the two countries.
"There is a symbiosis between our two cultures. Young Malagasy people easily absorb Chinese choreography, and our Chinese friends dance the traditional Malagasy ballet very well," said Andy Malaza, a third-year student at the Confucius Institute.
This Spring Festival brought together several hundred people in the heart of the capital.
"The Chinese New Year is one of the most spectacular traditional celebrations in the world," said Jose Rakoto, a Madagascan father who came to attend the cultural events with his two children. He did not want them to miss the Chinese martial arts demonstrations, as well as the well-known dragon and lion dances that represent the spirit of China. The bad rainy weather Saturday did not prevent them from coming to enjoy the entertainment, he continued.
The Confucius Institute took the opportunity to further acquaint the audience with the Chinese traditions related to the Spring Festival.
This year's Spring Festival falls on Jan. 22. Among all the festival traditions, the feast on the eve of the Spring Festival, featuring a family gathering and sumptuous dishes, is one highlight occasion.
"The Spring Festival takes place on the first day of the first month of the Chinese lunar calendar," explained Sylviana, a teacher at the Confucius Institute. Just like the lush New Year's Eve meals or the fireworks that are supposed to scare away demons from midnight, the custom of giving a New Year's gift has also been around for ages and has become a trend.
Every year, relatives, friends and work colleagues give each other red envelopes. Once reserved only for the young and unmarried for good luck, they are now also given to the elderly and close friends, she said.
Huo Wei, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Madagascar, sent his best wishes for the New Year to all his compatriots and Malagasy friends. "At this time, spring is in full bloom and renewal is felt everywhere, while in Madagascar the flowers are multicolored and the trees are green."
He also expressed confidence in the future of relations between the two countries, predicting "a new chapter in Sino-Malagasy relations for a new period of fifty years" to embark on a new development path.
On behalf of the Malagasy government, Serge Gelle, secretary of State for the National Gendarmerie, congratulated all Chinese nationals on the occasion of the Spring Festival. "This shows the importance of the Sino-Malagasy fraternity in the service of the society and culture of both countries," he said.
He did not fail to recall the heritage that the Malagasy have received from the Chinese. "The lychee and sugar cane, for example, which have become key sectors of our economy, were imported to us by our Chinese friends," Serge Gelle added.
