STORY: The Met immerses American families in Chinese New Year traditions
SHOOTING TIME: Feb. 4, 2024
DATELINE: Feb. 5, 2024
LENGTH: 00:05:32
LOCATION: NEW YORK, U.S.
CATEGORY: CULTURE

SHOTLIST:
1. various of dragon dance
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): HEIDI HOLDER, The Met's Chair of Education
3. various of visitors making wearable blossoms
4. various of live show of woodboard printing
5. various of U.S. children learning woodboard printing
6. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): RUAN JING, Director of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Center
7. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): KRYSTAL WOLFARD, Museum visitor
8. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): GRACE WOLFARD, Museum visitor
9. various of performance by AAPI Jazz Collective
10. SOUNDBITE 5 (English): PETER LIN, Leader of the AAPI Jazz Collective
11. various of "Celebrating the Year of the Dragon" exhibition
12. SOUNDBITE 6 (English): HEIDI HOLDER, The Met's Chair of Education

STORYLINE:

Hundreds of American parents and kids enjoyed a rare glimpse of China's intangible cultural heritage -- traditional woodblock printing -- at the Year of the Dragon celebrations staged by The Metropolitan Museum (The Met) of Art on Saturday.

Artisans from the Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Center showcased the intricate artistic process, offering visitors a close encounter with one of the most vibrant traditions of the Chinese New Year.

Heidi Holder, The Met's Chair of Education, told Xinhua that the museum has become a sought-after destination for those who want to celebrate the Lunar New Year.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): HEIDI HOLDER, The Met's Chair of Education
"This is the 6th year in a row. It was super popular last year. We had 18,000 people here at The Met. If you wanna celebrate the Lunar New Year, this is the place to be."

"I think it really does create a very easy or enjoyable point of entry for people who are not familiar (with the Lunar New Year culture)," she added. Ruan Jing, director of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Center, expressed delight in the fact that American children enjoyed a hands-on experience of the ancient printing technique.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): RUAN JING, Director of Zhejiang Provincial Cultural Center
"We believe a live show of Chinese traditional cultures here could enhance China-U.S. cultural exchanges and give local children a more intuitive feel of the Chinese New Year traditions."

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): KRYSTAL WOLFARD, Museum visitor
"I've just heard of the Lunar New Year but we've never celebrated it before, and I was excited that there's so much culture here, and just wanted to learn about it."

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): GRACE WOLFARD, Museum visitor
"I am interested in the culture and maybe someday I'm going to China."
    
The event also featured lively performances, interactive activities, and artist-led workshops for all ages.
   
SOUNDBITE 5 (English): PETER LIN, Leader of the AAPI Jazz Collective"I think that's part of the mission of the AAPI Jazz Collective. It's that we're trying to bring our own culture to a new audience. This is kind of the entrance point for them to learn more about our culture and there is no better way in my opinion than through music, especially for the Chinese New Year."
   
In addition to the festivities, the museum presented an exhibition showcasing over two dozen works of dragon from the museum's permanent collection.
   
These works, spanning various mediums, illustrated the dragon's significance as a symbol of imperial authority, a force dispelling evil influences, and a benevolent deity bringing auspicious rain.
   
SOUNDBITE 6 (English): HEIDI HOLDER, The Met's Chair of Education"The main point of it is Lunar New Year so there are a lot of people from around the world who have come here, who are in New York City, who are not home to celebrate Lunar New Year, so it's a place where if you are away from home especially, this is the place to be."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from New York, U.S.
(XHTV)