Xavier University of Louisiana Impacts Community
Through a Grand Chinese New Year Celebration
Xavier University of Louisiana, through the Confucius Institute, reaches out to Greater New
Orleans communities by hosting a grand Chinese New Year celebration on February 15, 2013 in
the University Center Mary & William McCaffrey Ballroom. Over 400 Xavier University
students, faculty, and staff, and friends from different ethnic groups of the New Orleans area
joined this celebration and welcomed the arrival of Spring 2013.
Among the dignities who attended this event were Xavier President Norman C. Francis,
Jefferson Parish Councilwoman Cynthia Lee-Sheng, The Times Picayune columnist and local TV
hostess Tina Soong, the Principal of the Academy of Chinese Studies in New Orleans Hu Jing,
the President of A La Carte Specialty Food and member of the Confucius Institute Board of
Directors Karl Turner, Executive Vice-President of Romano Culinary Institute Stanley Su, and
past president of Asian Pacific/American Society Patricia Ellzey. From Xavier’s administration,
Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Marguerite Giguette, Vice President for Study
Services Joseph Byrd, College of Arts and Sciences Dean Anil Kukreja, and College of Pharmacy
Dean Kathleen Kennedy also came to the event.
Xavier University Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Loren Blanchard offered his
opening remarks and recalled how Xavier was able to establish the first Confucius Institute
among America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities and in the State of Louisiana. Dr.
Blanchard thanked the Confucius Institute for making excellent community outreach, offering
language instructions to Xavier students, showcasing Chinese culture and history, and lastly but
not least, ordering delicious food for the audience!
As the first celebration of the Chinese New Year on Xavier campus, this event consisted of three
parts: Chinese cultural activities, Chinese food, and performances with Chinese folk music,
poem recitations, and dances.
The celebration engaged all spectrums of the attendees. Among the many fun activities,
participants were encouraged to write spring couplets, championship gongs, lantern riddles,
chopsticks, paper coloring, table tennis, shuttlecock kicking and so on. Guests of the
celebration were amazed at the variety of the activities. Some learnt to use Chinese brushes
and write Chinese couplets to express the blessings of the coming New Year. Others focused on
the riddles and enjoyed the intellectual challenge and the reward such a challenge brought
after successfully deciphering riddles using their knowledge of Chinese history and culture. The
two table tennis games drew many people to play, reminding one of the “ping pong” diplomacy
between China and U.S. in the early 1970s. Another hugely popular game was using chopsticks
to catch glass balls from one bowl to another.
One of the highlights of this celebration was Chinese food. Combining different tastes, colors,
smells, and shapes, the Confucius Institute made multiple food choices that illustrate the
variety and beauty of traditional Chinese cuisine.
After enjoying food, guests were thoroughly drawn into ten Chinese folk shows that
demonstrated the talents of Confucius Institute students and local school kids. Jasmine Flower,
the world-famous song of China, was sung by the students of Confucius Institute at Xavier
University. Guests in the hall even echoed the melody. Rebecca Nuss, a student of
International High School of New Orleans, fascinated the audience with her high-pitched “I Love
You, China” song. One climax of the performances was Face Changing, the essence of Sichuan
Opera. It was performed by Li Libo, a National First Class actress in China. Everybody marveled
at the beauty and glory of Li’s presentation and her high skills in changing face masks with an
otherworldly speed. Li’s act pushed the celebration to a glorious end.
With the highly successful celebration of the Chinese New Year on Xavier campus, Xavier
University established a closer bond with the surrounding communities, particularly the
Asian/Chinese communities. By showcasing the variety and beauty of Chinese culture and
history, Xavier also laid a solid foundation for the Confucius Institute to further promote
Chinese language teaching on campus in the future. This is particularly important, given the
fact that China has the second largest economy in the world, and is a major political power.
Learning Chinese and understanding Chinese culture will prepare Xavier students well for their
career development.
In short, the Chinese New Year celebration marked an auspicious start for Xavier University of
Louisiana in 2013.
Xavier University of Louisiana Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Loren Blanchard Opening
Remarks
Guests Engaged with Cultural Activities
An African-American Girl Learning Writing Chinese for the First Time!
Attendees Enjoying Chinese Folk Performances
Xavier University Confucius Institute Students Singing “Jasmine Flower”
泽维尔大学孔子学院春节联欢晚会
轰 动 大 学 校 园，震 撼 周 边 社 区
2013 年 2 月 15 日，农历大年初五，美国路易斯安那州泽维尔大学孔子学院邀请
当地华人华侨、社会各界人士和泽维尔大学师生 400 多人欢聚一堂，用欢歌笑语与声声
祝福共同庆祝中国春节的到来。
此次活动得到了当地各界人士以及泽维尔大学校方的大力支持和关注，路易斯安那
泽维尔大学校长诺曼.弗朗西斯博士莅临晚会，常务副校长劳伦.布兰查德博士出席并讲话。
布兰查德博士在讲话中回顾了孔子学院的成长历程，感谢汉办和社会各界对泽维尔大学孔
子学院的帮助，并充分肯定孔子学院为泽维尔大学提供的高水平汉语教学项目及开展的广
泛社区联系。同时他夸奖晚会上的精彩游戏和美食。杰斐逊县著名华裔 Cynthia LeeSheng 议员、知名电视节目主持人暨本地最大报纸《新奥尔良时报》专栏作家宋刘田、
新奥尔良中文学校校长胡静、路州特色食品公司卡尔.特纳董事长、新奥尔良罗马诺烹调
集团执行副主席苏震、以及前亚太亚美协会会长丘英玉等政商界人士出席晚会。泽维尔大
学学术第二副校长 Marguerite Giguette 博士，主管学生副校长 Joseph Byrd，文理学院
院长 Anil Kukreja 博士及药学院院长 Kathleen Kennedy 博士也共享这一盛事。
首届泽维尔大学孔子学院新春晚会分为三个部分：体验中国传统文化活动、品尝中
国美食和欣赏中国文艺表演。
为贯彻老少同乐、中外同乐的晚会宗旨，借新春晚会之机更好的宣传中国文化，孔
子学院精选了包括写春联、状元锣、猜灯谜、夹筷子、乒乓球等中外友人乐于参与又能代
表中国传统文化的活动作为晚会的一部分，深受中外客人的喜爱。很多美国客人在春联桌
前一试身手，模仿书法老师写下新春的祝福；彩灯下人头攒动，享受着灯谜中的玄机与猜
出灯谜后的喜悦；客人们在乒乓球桌前一比高下，完美的弧线更是架起了中外友谊的桥梁；
其中，筷子夹彩珠最受中外客人的青睐，客人们几人一组比试着用筷子的娴熟，当然对于
更多的美国友人来说是一种学习实用筷子的经历。
当晚六点，在热气腾腾、香味扑鼻的中国年夜饭前，大家自觉排起了长队，中国美
食体验正式开始。来宾对中国美食赞不绝口，或一家人在一起，或和朋友边攀谈边品尝，
整个会堂充满了年夜的味道。
最后的中国文艺表演部分将整个晚会推向了高潮。为了激发本地区汉语学习者的积
极性，孔子学院从新奥尔良开设中文课的学校精选了十个节目，再加上泽维尔大学孔子学
院学生准备的《茉莉花》构成了一台精彩的文艺演出。新奥尔良中文学校的舞蹈《天路》
揭开了演出的序幕，天籁般的乐曲和优美的舞姿让大家领略到了中国西藏的美丽。当地国
际高中的学生 Rebecca Nuss 的一首《我爱你，中国》，以歌曲优美的旋律和她精彩的
演出赢得了全场热烈的掌声。最后，来自四川省曲艺团的国家一级演员李莉波的《变脸》
表演将观众的热情带到了最高点，观众对中国变脸技艺的绝妙惊叹不已。整台晚会充满了
节日的祥和喜悦的气氛，观众们完全沉浸在欣赏节目的快乐中。
晚会结束后，来宾纷纷祝贺泽维尔大学孔子学院成功举办此次活动，并表示日后会
继续关注泽维尔大学孔子学院的系列活动。
通过此次活动，泽维尔大学孔子学院很好的贯彻了汉办为推广普通话所作的努力。
晚会取得如下杰出效果：1，泽维尔孔子学院刚刚于 2012 年 10 月揭牌，春节晚会极大的
提高了孔子学院在当地华人与其它群体、社区的知名度；2，各种兴趣活动、美食、精彩
的表演等为孔子学院积累了很高的人气，为将来开展更多面向社区传播中华文化的活动打
下了良好的基础；3，有关中国的对联、诗歌朗诵、灯谜、民族音乐和舞蹈等增强了当地
民众进一步了解中国文化和学习汉语的热情。春节晚会极大增加了孔子学院在当地的影响。
泽维尔大学常务副校长劳伦.布兰查德博士致开幕词
晚会来宾饶有兴致参加文化活动一角
黑人小女孩第一次书写中文
各方来宾欣赏晚会文艺表演
路易斯安那泽维尔大学孔子学院中文学生演唱《茉莉花》