The Lunar New Year is a time of vibrant celebration for many communities, including Tasmania’s Chinese community. As we welcome the Year of the Horse, we spoke with Hingur Chung, president of the Chinese Community Association of Tasmania (CCAT) about the annual observance.

We are approaching the start of the Lunar New Year. What does this mean? Some of us will observe some Chinese customs. The Chinese in Tasma­nia come from so many different places in the world like Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, (at different times) and every family has their own tradition. My mother came in 1950 from Guang­dong (China) so our family celebrates in ways that are both traditional and mod­ern. There’s a lot of spring cleaning, shar­ing of meals, especially fish and oysters. We distribute cash in red packets, called Hongbao. Modern families do bank transfers. We visit the cemetery, though there are families which studiously avoid this around new year. Usually it is return to school time here in Australia so the red packets go to school expenses.

What significance does the Year of the Horse have? All zodiac animals share noble characteristics. In Chinese culture, the Horse symbolises vitality, indepen­dence, and a forward moving spirit. Its significance is rooted not only in zodiac lore but also in history. The strength of a dynasty often depended on the strength of its cavalry, and China’s most covet­ed mounts were the legendary Fergana horses from Central Asia, known as “Heavenly Horses” (汗血馬). Their mus­cular build and spirited posture appear frequently in Chinese paintings and tomb figurines, capturing the energy, prestige, and momentum they represented.

How is the Tasmanian Chinese com­munity celebrating? The Tasmanian Chinese community celebrates Lunar New Year with warmth, generosity, and a spirit of welcome, and there are many ways for readers to join in. The best sea­sonal greeting is 恭喜恭喜 gongxigongxi (Congratulations) or 恭喜身体健康 gongxishentijiankang (Congratulations and good health). Many people also say 恭喜发财 gongxifacai (Congratulations and good fortune), which is perfectly suit­able in business settings, though less ap­propriate for public servants or police, as it can sound like a wish for financial gain. Family get-togethers are all important, try to dress well and wear new things. For the CCAT we are busy training for the dragon dance and the lion dance and making preparations for the festival.

Tell us about the upcoming festival. This year we celebrate the Lunar New Year on 17 February though our festival is on 22 February. The Festival, from 10am-4pm at Parliament Lawns, in­volves lots of networking and collab­oration and will be followed up with a bigger community wide family friendly banquet celebration on 23 February. Ev­eryone is invited to come along for fami­ly fun and entertainment. The celebration features a lively stage program with non‑stop dance and music performances, along with the traditional lion and dragon dances and firecrackers to welcome good luck. The Panda Zone has lots of games, cultural stalls from the Tasmanian Chi­nese Buddhist Association, Chinese med­icine practitioners, crayon rubbings and calligraphy artists offer opportunities to learn and explore. Visitors can also enjoy information displays from community sponsors, food vans serving Asian dishes and oysters, and pony‑patting sessions with Horse Play.

We also acknowledge our collaboration with TECS, whose work promotes prac­tical tools to help families stay safe and connected. By learning, checking in, and supporting one another, we strengthen our community and help reduce social isolation and domestic violence.

The festival is a chance to celebrate cul­ture, enjoy great food and performances, and stand together as a community—ev­eryone is welcome to take part.