Leeds Businesses Get Hands-On with Chinese New Year!

Business Confucius Institute Educates Leeds Business Community on Chinese New Year

In a celebration of Chinese culture, the staff from the Confucius Institute at Leeds University took their festivities to Bruntwood SciTech at West Village Leeds,  a creative and innovative new workspace, offering flexible office space and coworking environments tailored for science and tech-based companies. This unique setting provided the perfect backdrop for an event that blended tradition and modernity.

The event marked the arrival of the Chinese New Year and featured a blend of music, hands-on activities, and cultural insights. The event began with a captivating guzheng performance by the Confucius Institute staff. The performance included “Spring Festival Suite,” a classic Chinese New Year piece filled with themes of joy and renewal. In a delightful fusion of East and West, “Auld Lang Syne,” was also performed, offering a fun connection between the two cultures' New Year Traditions.

Following the performance, guests were invited to participate in a Chinese Paper Cutting workshop. This traditional art form, often used during Chinese New Year celebrations, allowed attendees to engage with the craft and learn about the deep symbolism behind the designs—ranging from good fortune to prosperity and the representation of the year’s zodiac animal.

Throughout the event, staff shared the cultural significance of Chinese New Year, emphasizing the importance of family, honouring ancestors, and wishing for happiness and health in the year ahead. The guests were able to ask questions, explore Chinese traditions further, and deepen their understanding of this important holiday.