The Year of the Pig is here and Lunar Festival 2007 is off to a spectacular start in Hangzhou with the Three Kingdoms hood tour led by some of the Orient's most esteemed deities - not to mention a demon! The Chinese New Year festivities at the Zhulong Teahouse hosted by Shibori Murasaka and Jia Li Shen Chi are also a big hit. The first night opened the traditional way with a banquet fit for a king, followed the next night by the first part of the ancient opera tale, Legend of Lady White Snake, set in Xi Hu's romantic West Lake district. Don't miss the second half tonight! And there's so much more to see and do in Hangzhou! While you're there you can take the Orient Pig Quiz, try your luck at the Fortune Cookie Booth and shop at the Chinese New Year Souvenir booth.
But wait! There's more!
The big news is that Bao Bei is back. Yes, that's right folks. Our missing panda has finally returned to the Orient...sort of. He sent us a telegram asking for our help and has promised to come home just as soon as we help him find the "treasures" he lost in his travels around the world. While we wait and wonder what constitutes a panda treasure, we have several sleuths searching high and low for his things. They've also promised to write stories about where Bao has been this past year. The contest runs for the duration of the Lunar Festival, so it's not too late to sign up for the fun. To stay tuned to the further adventures of Bao Bei at Panda Central.
Who are those fat men and what are they doing?
They're sumo wrestlers and they're inviting you to become the first Yokozuna (great champion) in AW's history. All you have to do is correctly answer all the questions - fast! What's the name of this crazy game and how do you play? It's called Wrestle Your Way To the Top and you defeat your opponents by answering trivial questions at lightening speed.
The contest goes live on February 22, at 18.00 AWT. 15 questions will be asked, and contestants having up to four minutes to post the right answer. Each participant is only allowed one post per question. And since the judges know how crazy you can go waiting for the right answers, they will be post after the four minutes are up, before the next question. The winner will be the one who has been fastest and has the most correct answers. Check out the contest thread for more exciting details.
And don't forget: you can sign up for both contests at any time during the festival
Coming soon!
Next on the agenda is a celebration of Setsubun in the Flying Pig Teahouse, a continuation of the Three Kingdoms Tour and other delights. You've already met Jun Di, the Buddhist goddess of light. Now you can hang out in Kamakura, Japan with Shoki the Demon Queller and Oni, his intrepid sidekick. You can learn more about this unlikely duo by visiting the hood and reading their bios. And while you're there, drop by the Flying Pig Teahouse to experience a Japanese tea ceremony. No need to worry if you don't know the first thing about the etiquette involved. You hostess, the gracious Rachana Khan, will gracefully take us through each custom while serving delicious green tea.
More on Setsubun
For those who like a challenge, test your learning skills by taking the Japanese Tea Ceremony History Quiz. And be sure to drop by the Setsubun Souvenir Booth for more fine festival gifts.
Keep your eye on the Calendar of Events for more wondrous things to do and the Orient Festival Guide for updates and the next issue of the Lunar News. I'll have lots more to report and more links to share, including a list of great new articles that highlight our three festivals.
