Dance of the lion, year of the fire horse

Leicester’s Lunar New Year celebrations began at DMU on Sunday afternoon and ended with a big show in the city centre.

DMU hosted a key part of Leicester’s Lunar/Chinese New Year celebrations at the weekend, with Sunday’s festivities beginning on campus.

The large crowd gathered outside the Food Village at 3pm were treated to a spectacular lion dance from members of Leicester’s Chinese Martial Arts Society, before moving to Jubilee Square for the start of the procession.

Hundreds made the journey down High Street, with the lion leading a parade containing dragons, giant puppets, Buddhas and symbolic figures from Chinese tradition. The procession culminated in Town Hall Square with a finale performance containing live music, pyrotechnics and fireworks.

Lunar New Year is a significant cultural moment for DMU’s Chinese students and the wider Chinese community in Leicester, as well as other communities, including Vietnamese, South Korean and Thai, who also celebrate. The Year of the Fire Horse marks the start of a new cycle for the Chinese zodiac and only comes around every sixty years.

Yi Zhang, Co-Director of the DMU Confucius Institute which supported the event, said:

“Chinese New Year is the most important traditional festival in China, and locally a meaningful bridge between the Confucius Institute at DMU and the wider community. It is a valuable opportunity for us to share Chinese culture, deepen mutual understanding, and strengthen friendship. For local residents, it offers a vibrant and authentic experience of Chinese traditions, bringing people together in a spirit of celebration and inclusiveness.

“We are proud that the Confucius Institute is a co-organiser of the celebration, and would like to express our sincere gratitude to DMU for its longstanding and unwavering support. The event represents an important opportunity for DMU, through the Confucius Institute, to engage with and serve the wider community, demonstrating its commitment to cultural exchange and public outreach.”

DMU’s Confucius Institute exists to celebrate Chinese language and culture among students, staff and the wider community. It runs courses, public events and activities to foster better relations between China and the UK.