Asian center to celebrate 'year of the monkey'

The Asian Culture Center will host a celebration of the Lunar New Year today in the Grand Hall of the Neal-Marshall Cultural Center. Each year, the Chinese Cultural Center invites IU students and Bloomington residents to sample the Asian culture through Chinese performances and cuisine.\nTheresa Chen, organizer of the Lunar New Year event, said she is excited about the chance to spread Asian culture throughout the IU campus. \n"It is not just a celebration for a select group, it is for everyone," Chen said. "We really want to stress that the Lunar New Year is an important holiday for all Asian cultures and is an exciting event that all can participate in."\nThe event will include traditional Asian dishes, dance and music, and will feature IU students from Singapore, China and Vietnam who will make presentations explaining the cultural importance of the holiday. \nMelanie Castillo-Cullather, director of the Asian Culture Center, said the festivities which bring in the Lunar New Year will be exciting.\n"The event will have wonderful activities that all can participate in," she said. "We are looking forward to a successful evening."\nThis year, the Asian Cultural Center will celebrate the year of the monkey. Each year, one of 12 animals and one of five elements are chosen to symbolize that year. In addition to the monkey, this year is a wood year, also known as the green year. \nThe cycle is comprised of 12 animals that are associated with a year every 12 years. The sequence of the animals is a popular myth in the Asian culture. It is said that the emperor let 12 animals race through a forest, with the winner's name assigned to the first year on the calendar. The order the remaining animals finished is the order they appear on the calendar. This year's branch, the monkey, is the ninth animal in this cycle. \nThe year of the Green Monkey, or 2004, is the 21st stem-branch in this system, meaning that the full 60-year cycle will be complete in the year 2043.\nCastillo-Cullather said she expects there will be interest in the festivities from the faculty, staff and student population at IU. She said she believes the celebration of the Lunar New Year will be greatly received by all who attend. \n"I am very excited for the event to take place," Castillo-Cullather said. "The culture and festivities are sure to be enjoyed by all."\n-- Contact staff writer Kourtney Schepman at kschepma@indiana.edu.