A Spring Festival celebration was held in Chinatown in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, on Tuesday, featuring dragon and lion dances, performances, and cultural activities.
Dances, music, traditional costumes, vibrant colors, and rich customs define this celebration, bringing together members of the Chinese community and Argentinians eager to explore the gastronomy, traditions, and rich culture of China.
The celebrations featured a fusion of tradition and cutting-edge technology when traditional dragon dancers shared the stage with a robot dog.
City officials commended the strengthening bond between the two cultures.
"For us, this city of Buenos Aires would be inconceivable without the Chinese community, which for decades has been so involved in our daily lives, in its commerce, its gastronomy, and its cultural festivities," said Gabriela Ricardes, Buenos Aires' Minister of Culture.
"We have a Chinese community throughout our city. We share, we coexist; the city of Buenos Aires doesn't tolerate, it coexists, it shares its life with others," said Santos Gastón Juan, General Director of Immigrant Communities for the city of Buenos Aires.
Attendees also enjoyed an array of artistic performances, including tango, Argentinian folklore, traditional Chinese music, dances from various regions of China, and martial arts, among others.
"We are thrilled because this has been the best Chinese New Year celebration we've ever held in Argentina. Why is it the best? The incredible turnout speaks for itself: over 120,000 people attended, according to police data. Both Chinese and Argentine authorities were present, along with significant media coverage. This contributed greatly to our success. The horse brought such positive energy. As we say in Chinese, 'Ma Dao Cheng Gong', when the horse arrives, success follows swiftly. The integration we experience is genuine. Each year, new people learn the story of the dragon, and as they do, they come to respect us as Chinese individuals and our rich culture," said Carlos Lin, one of the event organizers.
To accompany the festivities, iconic monuments of the city were bathed in red light.
"Us performers of traditional lion and dragon dances are here to extend our best wishes and blessings, sharing the positive energy of this Year of the Horse with everyone," said Germán Bermúdez, a dragon and lion dancer.
Spring Festival celebration held in Buenos Aires’ Chinatown
