Getting the Goat

CHINESE NEW YEAR is one of the most colourful occasions of the year. It is not only celebrated in China, but around the world, including in Thailand where there are many of Chinese descent. 

This year, Chinese New Year falls on Thursday and this auspicious occasion is also celebrating the 60th birthday anniversary of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and 40 years of Thailand-China diplomatic ties. 

A mega-event to mark the Year of the Goat is already in full swing at CentralWorld. Called the Ditan Cultural Temple Fair and brought to Bangkok by the Thai-Chinese Council, it runs until Monday night and aims to promote the Chinese culture through the form of an original temple fair which takes place annually in Beijing.

The temple fair is divided into four zones – Ways of Life, Authentic Products, Local Traditions, and Entertainment.

The Ways of Life zone features 15 items that represent Beijing culture, such as cloisonne (Jingtailan) and silverware, which are two of Beijing’s famous four. Also on show is Qinghai’s Rebkong art inspired by Tibetan Buddhism, Chinese knotting, silk dolls, silk flowers, paintings rolled in a bottle, starch dolls, paper flowers, velvet flowers and birds, glass grapes, swallow kites, gold silver and copper threading, and Beijing Chinese opera costumes.

The Authentic Products zone features four leading brands from Dongcheng District: the centuries-old Tong Ren Tang Chinese medicine and herb store, Sheng-Xi-Fu Hat Company, which made headwear for many world leaders such as Mao Zedong, Indonesia’s former President Sukarno, and Cambodia’s Norodom Sihanouk, the Wu Yu Tai Teashop, and roast duck restaurant Bian Yi Fang, which boasts more than 600 years of history.

The Local Traditions zone features Chinese artists who will showcase traditional arts such as sugar art, sugar painting, clay dolls, Yunnan minority art, walnut engraving art from Suzhou, Beijing traditional food, and other Chinese performances.

The Entertainment zone features acrobatic art, Beijing Chinese opera and Chinese dance. 

The shows include acrobatic performance and umbrella performance, “Cai Shen” |(God of Wealth) Chinese |opera performance, mask |dance from Sizhuan, and other performances by China National Opera and Dance Drama Theatre and Beijing Dancing Academy .

Three tour companies are on hand to introduce tourist routes in Dongcheng. Visitors can win prizes such as tickets to Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Lama Temple as well as vouchers for hotels in Beijing, three-night tour packages, and vouchers for |5-star hotels on Wangfujing Street.