Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and while the real festivities don’t kick off until the end of the month, International Newcomer’s Network (INN) has invited local cultural education staples, Black Sesame Kitchen and Cultural Keys, to host a celebration next Monday (January 13), at their monthly meeting location on the third floor of the Capital Mansion Athletic Center in Chaoyang District.
Black Sesame Kitchen will introduce folks to the foods associated with Chinese New Year and Spring Festival, including demonstrations on how to make dumplings, the most important dish of the holiday, and yuan xiao — or tang yuan — a clear broth soup with sweet rice dumplings.
Likewise, Cultural Keys will be covering the basics of Spring Festival, from the history of the event to modern temple fairs, as well as the practice of giving and receiving red envelopes (hóngbāo), and the modern practicalities of the festival.
The event will last from 10am to noon, and entry costs RMB 60, which includes coffee, tea, pastries, and holiday treats. After the presentations, everyone is invited to join the Lunch Bunch for an informal gathering of food and socializing, at Fu Man Lou Chinese restaurant, a short walk away from the Athletic Center.
According to co-organizer, Maria Renee Cruz, “INN is all about spreading love and holiday spirit, plus making it educational and interesting for everyone.”
All tickets for the event will be sold at the door.
For more information, contact INN by email at innbeijing16@outlook.com, WeChat: innbeijing16, or phone, 8486 2225 ext. 12.
Capital Mansion Athletic Center, 3rd Floor, No. 6 Xin Yuan Nan Lu, Chaoyang District
Photos: Pixabay, INN
