The Taiwan Center in Northern California, together with its Taiwan Chinese Language Learning Center, held a special “Flying Horse Welcoming Spring” event on February 1st (last Sunday), attracting mainstream society, TCML students, and overseas compatriots to participate enthusiastically, with over five hundred people in attendance. The venue was filled with a continuous flow of people, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.
The event featured a variety of cultural performances and interactive experiences, including performances such as Taiwanese choir singing, Taiwanese-American Miss Latina dance, and more. The food area showcased Hakka cuisine and authentic Taiwanese flavors, offering a wide array of delicacies like grilled sausages, oily rice, salted porridge, candied fruits, mugwort vegetable buns, meat sticky rice dumplings, and pumpkin stir-fry rice noodles, all exuding enticing aromas.
For children, there were traditional games such as marbles, divination blocks, ring tossing, riddle guessing, and word-searching games, which were loved by both kids and adults. A cultural handicraft section allowed attendees to experience activities like writing Spring couplets, painting fans, and making paper-cut window decorations, providing a hands-on opportunity to feel the traditional festive spirit. The event also included quizzes with prizes and a surprise appearance by the God of Wealth distributing red envelopes.
Deputy Director Chu Yongchang from the San Francisco Office and Director Zhuang Yashu from the San Francisco Bay Area Chinese Cultural Center extended Lunar New Year blessings to Taiwanese compatriots and mainstream attendees, thanking the Taiwan Center for promoting and inheriting Taiwanese culture within the community. Zhuang Yashu took the opportunity to promote the “iQiao Card,” encouraging more overseas compatriots to use this specially designed discount card to enjoy various benefits in Bay Area and global partner stores, enhancing the convenience of overseas compatriots’ lives.
Chairman Liao Chunhui of the Taiwan Center in Northern California told Epoch Times that the center hosts an annual Lunar New Year event, which consistently attracts a large number of Taiwanese and Taiwanese-American families, with last year’s attendance exceeding seven hundred people.
He stated that besides the impressive scale, the event particularly drew many young people and children to participate, including a significant number of Chinese mainlanders. He believed that activities that allow more people and the younger generation to learn about Taiwan are very meaningful. Some of the traditional childhood games featured at the event are now rare in Taiwan, enabling the elderly to reminisce about their childhood memories and introducing the younger generation to early life culture. The variety of Taiwanese foods at the event also recreated a lively night market atmosphere, allowing attendees to experience familiar hometown flavors without having to return to Taiwan. He expressed hope that the event could continue annually and invited community members to actively support and participate.
Zhan Weilian, of Cantonese descent and a fifth-year student at a university in the Bay Area, described the atmosphere at the event to Epoch Times as “lively and enjoyable,” filled with a strong Taiwanese vibe. He also expressed a great liking for the on-site dishes, especially the golden rice noodles and mushroom sauce mixed noodles, which left a deep impression on him.
Sixteen-year-old Annie and her classmates volunteered at the event, finding it especially meaningful. Having been in the United States for six to seven years, seeing Taiwanese culture being introduced, recognized, and loved locally deeply touched her. She also mentioned that the games and food at the event showcased creativity and fun.
During the midpoint of the event, Director Wu Zhixiang of the San Francisco Taiwan Office made a surprise appearance. He told Epoch Times that the event held special significance, which is why he came to participate. Aside from featuring a diverse range of Taiwanese cuisine, the event also brought together many old friends and compatriots to enjoy hometown flavors and exchange friendship, creating a joyful and heartwarming atmosphere.
The Taiwan Center in Northern California also took the opportunity to introduce enrollment information for Taiwan schools and the Taiwan Chinese Language Learning Center TCML to attendees, encouraging more people to join the language and cultural learning ranks.