Celebration marks Year of Snake?

A standing room only crowd gathered Jan. 27 in the Multipurpose Room of the Trabant University Center to celebrate the Chinese New Year with a buffet dinner and an evening of traditional Chinese entertainment.

The event, which marked the beginning of the Year of the Snake, was sponsored by the Chinese Students and Scholars Association at UD and began with a lion dance, a symbolic ritual said to drive away the evil spirits and bad omens of the previous year.

U.S. Rep. Michael N. Castle; Jack Markel, state treasurer, and Maxine Colm, UD vice president for administration, were on hand to thank members of the Chinese community for their many contributions to the local and national community.

After enjoying a meal that included traditional Chinese dishes, such as spring rolls, pork fried rice, mushrooms in hot sauce and crab meat in lobster sauce, guests were treated to performances including a cello and flute trio, a dulcimer solo, and a bamboo flute (dizi) solo.