Editor’s Word: Celebrating the Lunar New Year

As the Gregorian New Year concludes, we welcome the Lunar New Year, the most significant traditional festival for Chinese communities. Known as “Sui Shou,” meaning the year’s beginning, the special event signals the renewal of life. Rooted in ancient Chinese wisdom, the Lunar New Year aligns with natural cycles developed over millennia. As in the past, Chinese people worldwide celebrate this day with grand festivities, aspiring to find a fortunate and prosperous year ahead.

In this special Lunar New Year edition, we hope to share the joy and blessings of this ancient festival with everyone by exploring the rich artistry of Chinese cultural heritage, offering wisdom, resilience, and adaptability as we transition into the new year.

Drawing inspiration from ancient Chinese symbols of good fortune, like mythical creatures and flowers, we’ve carefully curated a selection of gifts for your loved ones. These tokens of goodwill are showcased in a traditional Chinese storage cabinet, the “duobao ge,” often referred to as the “Emperor’s toy box.” We hope these cherished items bring prosperity and good luck to your beloved friends and family.

Traditional ink painting is a unique and distinctive aspect of Chinese cultural heritage. Its unrestrained and dynamic brushstrokes resonate deeply with viewers. With Hou Xiantang’s idiosyncratic brushstroke, he reveals a whimsical world in ink and wash. The towering exaggerated mountains in his paintings evoke a sense of wonder, offering audiences an escape from the mundane constraints of daily life.

Tony Dai, a seasoned collector and connoisseur carrying a family legacy across four generations, further explores the aesthetic depths and wisdom inherent in traditional ink paintings. He decodes seemingly inscrutable concepts like “expressing the spirit through form,” “leaving blank spaces,” and “freehand brushwork.” These ancient principles, illuminated by Dai’s insightful scrutiny, provide ever-relevant wisdom to uplift our present-day lives.

Nestled within serene rural landscapes surrounded by expansive rice paddies, Taiwanese sculptor Iutian Tsai transforms the spirit of traditional ink painting into modern metal sculptures. Drawing inspiration from the age-old philosophies of ancient China, his creations infuse an otherwise cold, unyielding metal with a warm, soulful essence.

When Bella Fan, a principal dancer with Shen Yun Performing Arts, takes the stage at the global Chinese classical dance competition, her body transforms into a brush on the canvas of the stage, elegantly portraying the exquisite artistry of traditional Chinese culture. Handling the demands of her role as a dancer, she maintains a strict training schedule, overcoming fatigue and vulnerability through her ancient meditation practice. She recommends tickets to Shen Yun—a captivating performance that blends ancient tales with contemporary heroism—as a special Lunar New Year gift.

We hope the art and narratives in this edition will spark a renewed sense of motivation in the new year, empowering you on the journey of self-discovery and unlocking the doors to your untapped potential.

Wishing everyone a Happy Lunar New Year!