Year of Rabbit Begins With CSA Celebration

Today begins the Year of the Rabbit, year 4697 in the Chinese lunar calendar.

The Chinese Students Association (CSA) celebrated the year's beginning Friday night in Leverett Dining Hall with a 12-course catered banquet and a cultural show.

About two hundred people attended the event, which sold out for the sixth consecutive year, according to CSA officials.

1999 CSA Co-Presidents S.L. Thomas Yu '00 and Tony Yung '00 emceed the cultural show, which began with a Tai Chi sword dance performed by the Asian American Dance Troupe.

Elaine C. Kwok '02, an incoming CSA social/cultural chair, then performed two pieces on the zheng, a traditional Chinese instrument with 21 steel strings.

Angela Y. Lin '02, a new educational/political committee chair, followed with a ribbon dance entitled "Welcoming the New Year."

Ivan Y.H. Leong '99 changed the tone of the show with his performance of three Chinese pop songs originally sung by "Jackie Cheung, not Jackie Chan," as Leung explained.

"Through the songs that I am singing tonight I hope to introduce more modern Chinese culture to you," said Leong, who is the 1998 Massachusetts Intercollegiate Karaoke Competition champion.

Leong's performance prompted some audience members to present him with the flower centerpieces of their tables.

After a charades-style game that involved the audience, the dance troupe took the stage for the finale, a traditional fan dance.

CSA outgoing presidents Andrew G.W. Chung '99 and Harrison W. Lin '99 concluded the celebration by recognizing the organization's outgoing officers and presenting incoming officers to the group.

They also presented the CSA Officer of the Year award to Jessica A. Eng '01, outgoing public relations chair and incoming vice president.