“Jade Rat Welcomes New Year” –2020 Latvian Spring Festival Successfully Held
“金猪摇尾辞旧岁，玉鼠探头迎新年。”当地时间2020年1月25日14至18时，“拉脱维亚2020年新春联欢”活动在拉脱维亚大学大礼堂隆重举行，中拉两国民众齐聚一堂，载歌载舞，同庆中国新春佳节。本次活动由拉脱维亚大学孔子学院、拉脱维亚留华同学会、里加中国文化中心、拉脱维亚华侨华人联合会和拉脱维亚武术协会共同主办，来自中国驻拉脱维亚大使馆、拉脱维亚外交部、里加中国文化中心、拉脱维亚留华同学会、拉脱维亚华侨华人联合会、拉脱维亚武术协会、拉脱维亚大学孔子学院和大使馆下设20个教学点、新华社、飞笔工作室等单位的近千名代表参与其中，其乐融融。本次活动分为两个部分：“新春联欢会”和“新春文化体验”。
中国驻拉脱维亚大使梁建全先生发表致辞，向各位来宾送上新春佳节的祝福。他说， “欢乐春节”活动不仅是中国传统文化的一张名片，也是增进中拉两国人民相互了解、拉近两国人民心灵距离、加深两国传统友谊的一座桥梁。
拉脱维亚大学孔子学院中方院长尚劝余教授和外方院长贝德高教授致辞说，“不须迎向东郊去，春在千门万户中。”春，就在千门万户中，就在每个人的心里。所有拉脱维亚的汉语和中国文化爱好者欢聚一堂，共庆佳节。
来自里加道家瓦河口中学的维卡是个小“中国粉”，经常参加和中国有关的活动，每次参加演出都特别认真。这一次，她身穿一件传统的大红旗袍，别有中国韵味，一曲《美好新年》的演唱字正腔圆，艳惊四座。现在，越来越多的拉脱维亚人渴望了解中国、了解中国文化。在当地，学习中文的人数也越来越多。
火红的灯笼和中国结把拉脱维亚大学礼堂装扮得年味十足。下午2时，新春联欢会在歌曲《神话》的优美乐声中拉开帷幕。里加34中学表演的《宫商角徵羽》、《茉莉花》、《恭喜恭喜》和《新年好》等歌舞以及传统与现代交融的书法和街舞节目《我的新衣》，显示了中拉文化艺术的巧妙融合。拉脱维亚武术协会带来的舞狮表演更是让观众惊叹折服。随着《越人歌》旋律响起，在场华人华侨也随声哼唱，陶醉其中。汉语教师志愿者们演出的中国现代舞《舞娘》，也引来阵阵掌声，观众们齐声叫好。
中国二胡、扬琴、琵琶、笙箫等民族乐器合奏的中国名曲《春潮》引来观众的热烈掌声和欢呼喝彩。民乐团还演奏了黑龙江地区经典乐曲《送你一支玫瑰花》、《塞北的雪》、《战马奔腾》等。悠扬婉转的琵琶、令人惊叹的中国鼓……来自中国黑龙江的艺术家们在拉脱维亚首都里加为拉脱维亚民众和当地华人华侨奉献了一场独具民族特色的视听盛宴。
除新春联欢会外，活动还包括中国文化体验环节，当地人纷纷学习编中国结、画脸谱、剪“春”字，不仅在志愿者教师的帮助下书写了自己的中文名字，还体验了汉服文化等，感受了浓郁中国年的风情。
今年通过“新春联欢会”和“新春文化体验”相结合的形式，为中拉两国人民呈现了一场别开生面的文化体验之旅，既让参与者深深地感受了中国新春的浓郁氛围和中国文化的深刻魅力，又拉近了中拉两国人民的距离。愿中拉两国友谊长存！
“Golden pig shakes his tail and retires, and the jade rat probes to welcome the new year.” On January 25, 2020 at 14:00 to 18:00, the 2020 Chinese New Year Event was held in the auditorium of the University of Latvia. The people of China and Latvian gathered together to sing and dance, celebrating the Chinese New Year. The event was co-sponsored by the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia, the Latvian Association of Chinese Students in Latvia, the Riga Chinese Cultural Center, the Latvian Overseas Chinese Association, the Latvian Martial Arts Association. Nearly a thousand representatives from the Chinese Alumni Association, the Latvian Overseas Chinese Association, the Latvian Martial Arts Association, the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia and the embassy, as well as 20 teaching sites, Xinhua News Agency, Flying Pen Studio and other units participated in it. This event is divided into two parts: “Chinese New Year Party” and “Chinese New Year Cultural Experience”.
Mr. Liang Jianquan, Chinese Ambassador to Latvia, delivered a speech and sent the guests the best wishes for the Spring Festival. He said that the “Happy Chinese New Year” event is not only a business card of traditional Chinese culture, but also a bridge to enhance mutual understanding between the people of China and Latvia, to close the spiritual distance between the two people and to deepen the traditional friendship between the two countries.
Professor Shang Quanyu, the Chinese Director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Latvia and Professor Pildgovics, the Foreign Director said, ” There is no need to welcome the eastern suburbs. Spring is in thousands of households.” Spring is in thousands of households, in everyone’s heart. All Chinese and Chinese culture lovers gather together to celebrate the festival.
Vicka from the Riga Daojia Wahekou Middle School is a small “Chinese fan” and often participates in China-related activities. Every time she participates in the performance and takes it seriously. This time, she wore a red traditional Chinese cheongsam with a unique Chinese charm. The song “A Beautiful New Year” sings in a positive tone and is full of surprises.
The flaming lantern and Chinese knot decorate the auditorium of the University of Latvia. At 2 pm, the Chinese New Year party opened with the beautiful music of the song “Myth”. Songs and dances such as “Palace of the Merchants’ Corner”, “Jasmine”, “Congratulations” and “Happy New Year” performed by Riga 34 Middle School, as well as traditional and modern calligraphy and hip-hop “My New Clothes”, show the culture and art of China and Latvia Ingenious fusion. The lion dance performance brought by the Latvian Martial Arts Association is even more impressive. As the melody of “Vietnamese Song” sounded, the overseas Chinese present also sang in unison. Volunteers of Chinese modern dance “Dancing Girl” performed by volunteer Chinese teachers attracted applause.
Chinese famous song “Spring Tide”, which is an ensemble of Chinese erhu, dulcimer, pipa, sheng flute and other national instruments, attracted warm applause and cheers from the audience. The folk ensemble also performed classic songs from Heilongjiang, “Giving You a Rose”, “Snow in the North”, and “War Horse Pentium”. The melodious and gentle pipa, the amazing Chinese drum … Artists from Heilongjiang, China presented a unique audio-visual feast for Latvian citizens, local Chinese and overseas Chinese in Riga, Latvia.
