HOUSTON, February 11, 2019 — Asia Society opened the Lunar New Year with three consecutive days of family-friendly activities, performances, and special demonstrations to celebrate the Year of the Pig.

The festivities kicked off with a Friday evening performance featuring zhangtou (rod-based) puppetry by the Puppet Troupe of the Henan Opera and Dance Theater. A sold-out crowd enjoyed nine historical tales and folk legends such as The Butterfly Lovers, Tortoise and the Crane, and Snow White, in addition to traditional silk and fan dances.

About 2,000 guests visited the Center on Saturday to make Mongolian camels, design Japanese greeting cards, and more. In addition to demonstrating Chinese calligraphy and handkerchief dances, Huaxing Arts Group presented a variety of performances touching on Mongolian and Chinese traditions alike. Visitors learned to make traditional hanbok origami with Korean American Society of Houston. The Shaolin Academy Lion Dance Team energized the crowd with lively lion dances as Ambassador Li Qiangmin greeted visitors and gave traditional red envelopes to children.

Pondi served special cookies inspired by the Lunar New Year in addition to their usual innovative Indian-inspired fare. Hungry guests also enjoyed snacks and bubble tea from Café Allure, fusion burgers and fries by Foreign Policy Food Truck, Vietnamese eats by Mobile Mai’s Food Truck, and authentic Sichuan dishes by Pepper Twins, in addition to mochi ice cream treats.

In addition to two docent-led tours of Asia Society’s exhibition New Cartographies, visitors also enjoyed special presentations by traditional Chinese artists as part of Charm of Hangzhou. The artists, who came from China especially for Asia Society’s festivities, demonstrated techniques such as fan painting, Hangzhou embroidery, bamboo paper-making, boxwood carving, woodblock printing, and paper umbrella making.

The celebration continued with arts and crafts, performances, and games at The Galleria on Sunday. Performing groups included Filipino Young Professionals, Huaxing Arts Group, and Sanggar Tari Citra Indonesia.

The fun resumes this weekend with additional performances by Kim Kuja Dancers, Huaxing Arts Group, Shaolin Academy Lion Dance Team, and Dance of Asian America.

View more photos on Flickr.

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About Asia Society Texas Center

With 13 locations throughout the world, Asia Society is the leading educational organization promoting mutual understanding and strengthening partnerships among the peoples, leaders, and institutions of Asia and West. Asia Society Texas Center executes the global mission with a local focus, enriching and engaging the vast diversity of Houston through innovative, relevant programs in arts and culture, business and policy, education, and community outreach.