Presenter(s): Evelyn Woo—Psychology, International Studies
Co-Presenter(s): Tina Chan
Faculty Mentor(s): Matthias Vogel
Session 5: It’s a Small World After All
This project explores generational gaps in celebrating Chinese New Year, which is arguably the most important holiday in China . Also known as the Spring Festival, traditional rituals include the family reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve, putting up lucky red decorations, handing out red envelopes to children, and setting off firecrackers . In the last decade, many new forms of commemorating Chinese New Year have developed among young people, such as sending virtual red envelopes for online money transfers via WeChat, a popular messaging app, and watching the extravagant Chinese New Year Gala on screens rather than participating in small festivities with family . These technology-driven changes are of particular concern to some elders who think that the younger generation is turning away from traditional family values and customs . The purpose of this project is to examine attitudes toward the Spring Festival and question whether it is losing its authenticity . We debate in how far this transition is indicative of a larger restructuring of Chinese society and contrast different generational perspectives by analyzing Western and Chinese news outlets, social media blog posts, and websites . We expect to find that with China’s rapid urbanization, cultural traditions are not lost but simply changed, which some may see as growth, while others interpret it as a disappearing act . Our project has strong social significance, as it points out schisms in Chinese society and issues China faces in its process of modernization .