With a view to enhancing the deep understanding of China and Chinese traditional culture and strengthening the friendly relations between Chinese and South African peoples, the Embassy of P. R. China will host a Grand Gala of seeing the Year of Rooster in on February 7th, 2005, in cooperation with National Cultural History Museum of Pretoria (a national museum of the Northern Falgship Institution) at the said Museum.

The Spring Festival, or the Chinese Lunar New Year, is the mother of all Chinese festivals. To the Chinese people it is as important as Christmas to the people in the West. 2005 is the Year of Rooster. Preparations for the New Year begin the last few days of the last month, when houses are thoroughly cleaned, debts repaid, hair cut and new clothes purchased. Houses are festooned with paper scrolls bearing auspicious antithetical couplets and in many homes, people burn incense at home and in the temples to pay respects to ancestors and ask the gods for good health in the coming months. At midnight at the turn of the old and new years, people used to let off fire-crackers, which serve to drive away evil spirits and to greet the advent of the new year.

In order to let the local South African friends enjoy the cheerful atmosphere of celebrating the Chinese Spring Festival, the Grand Gala will include the following: ① Photographic Exhibition of the Chinese Spring Festival; ② DVD Documentary Show of "The Spring Festival"; ③ Dragon and/or Lion dances; ④ Performances by local Chinese community and staff members of the Women's Club of the Chinese Embassy; ⑤ Demonstration of making Dumplings and ⑥ Tasting traditional Chinese food: dumplings, spring rolls and fortune cookies and so on. Those who show interest in the Chinese Zodiac can check to which of the 12 animal symbols he or she belongs on the spot or may log into the website of the Chinese Embassy: www.chinese-embassy.org.za.

The Opening of the Grand Gala - the Year of Rooster, is scheduled to start at the National Cultural History Museum (African Window) at 16:30 hrs. on February 7th, 2005. Invitations are required at the entrance of the Museum. Please keep the invitation and get a Chinese souvenir.

(Chinese Embassy)