On February 12, 2025, a bright and colorful concert dedicated to the celebration of the New Year according to the lunar calendar was held in the Assembly Hall of Francisk Skorina Gomel State University. The event, organized by the Confucius Institute, brought together students, teachers, students of Chinese language courses, as well as city residents to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of a traditional Chinese holiday.
The concert was opened by the hosts - Chinese language teacher Song Zhuotao and student of the Philological Faculty Evgeniya Ershova. They warmly welcomed the guests and spoke about the importance of this holiday for Chinese culture. The Director of the Confucius Institute from the Chinese side Zhang Aijun, the Rector of the University Sergey Anatolyevich Khakhomov and the Director of the Confucius Institute from the Belarusian side Alexander Vladimirovich Rogachev addressed the audience with welcoming words. They congratulated everyone on the New Year and wished health, happiness and success in their studies and work.
The concert program was rich and varied. The audience was able to enjoy both traditional Chinese numbers and performances that harmoniously combined Belarusian and Chinese cultural elements. Particular attention was drawn to the dragon dance performed by Chinese language teachers, which became a bright opening of the festival. No less impressive was the dance of the Han Dynasty, performed by a graduate student of the Faculty of Physical Education Zheng Ruixue. This ancient dance, more than two thousand years old, transported the audience to the era of greatness and wisdom of Chinese history.
The musical part of the concert also left no one indifferent. Chinese language teachers Zhang Shuwen and Wang Menya performed the popular Chinese melody "Blue and White Porcelain" on the piano and guzheng, and Varvara Shilova, a student of Gymnasium No. 46, delighted the audience with the song "Beautiful Far Away" in Russian and Chinese. Particular admiration was caused by the flute performance of postgraduate student Zhong Dongsheng, accompanied by the graceful dance of student Yuliana Karmazina.
One of the most memorable moments of the concert was the performance of the "Kaihua" ensemble from the Gomel branch of the international university MITSO. The students-sinologists under the direction of Natalia Filimonova presented the audience with amazing group dances, which amazed with their synchronicity, the beauty of the costumes and the use of traditional Chinese attributes. Their performance became a real highlight of the evening and caused a storm of applause.
The young participants of the concert did not stay aside either. Students of Gymnasiums No. 14 and No. 10, School No. 28, as well as pupils of Children's Art School No. 6 presented their numbers, including poems, dances and theatrical scenes. Secondary School No. 28 with a musical focus delighted the audience with instrumental performances: a children's violin ensemble performed graceful melodies, and the cymbalist ensemble "Zhuravinka" presented two bright numbers, adding the unique flavor of Belarusian folk music to the program. The performance of Gymnasium No. 10 student Arina Mishenina was especially touching and memorable. She read the poem "The Taste of the New Year" in Chinese, accompanied by a video sequence that immersed the audience in the atmosphere of the traditional New Year celebration in China. Translation of the lines into Russian helped the concert guests to feel the meaning and beauty of the poetic work more deeply, creating a harmonious combination of visual and verbal art.
The concert ended with a performance by Chinese language teachers, who sang the song "Love Each Other". This final chord became a symbol of friendship and mutual understanding between the cultures of Belarus and China.
The festive concert dedicated to the Chinese New Year became not only a bright cultural event, but also an important reminder of the need to preserve and strengthen intercultural ties. Thanks to such events, students and residents of Gomel get a unique opportunity to get to know the traditions and art of China more deeply. This concert also emphasized the wonderful tradition of the university - to unite people through music, dance and art, creating a space for mutual understanding and friendship between cultures.
