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Chinese New Year celebrated at Volunteer State

Last updated on March 18, 2015

by Ann Roberts// Editor-in-Chief

On Tuesday, Feb. 24, the Chinese New Year was celebrated in the Ramer Great Hall of Volunteer State Community College from 1 ñ 2:30 p.m.

Qi Yang, Chinese instructor, led her Chinese class who performed and recited in traditional dresses from China.

They sang songs and recited greetings and poems in Chinese.

ìI think the girls did a wonderful job. Especially what made me impressed was that they could recite and read the Chinese poems, which are usually for educated Chinese careers not for people who can know a few basic things. So thatís something made me feel very much impressed,î said Yiping Cui, official director of the Confucious Institute of Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU).

Cui sent Yang to Vol State to work for the Chinese language program last year.

ìThis [Chinese New Year event] was coordinated primarily through Qi Yang. . . . She coordinated it through International Education and then we had several classes that came and supported it, said Anne-Marie Ruttenbur, coordinator of International Education.

Vol State’s Chinese language program is in its second year and growing.

Another thing that made me feel so much impressed [with the presentation at Chinese New Year] is their pronunciation.

And usually a lot of non-native Chinese find this very much baffling to pronounce the Chinese because Chinese has different intonation, which is very foreign to people like you. But the girls’ pronunciation [was] so good, I can understand perfectly what they are reading, said Cui.

It’s very inspirational to me to see students at a community college have the opportunity that students at universities have to have the exposure to international activities that I’ve seen happen at other universities and it’s a big thing to have right here in Gallatin. It makes me very proud, said Ruttenbur.

At the Chinese New Year Celebration there was hot tea, dumplings and egg rolls afterward at the reception.

Ruttenbur estimated 70 people in attendance for the event.

ìIt was really nice. It was very creative. It had nice energy and good atmosphere. I loved it. It was my first time experiencing the Chinese New Year,î said Nzingha King, a Vol State freshman.

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