A golden ball spinning on a pole pursued by a swirling golden dragon in the village green is part of Tauranga's Chinese New Year in February. Behind it a red lion leaps and weaves.

The entire Tauranga Historic Village will be lit up with lanterns creating a ‘Han and Tang Dynasty Cultural Street' while nine dancers, all fluidly moving to drumming and music, wrap a long colourful dragon body into a giant coil to try and trap the ball.

The local branch of the New Zealand China Friendship Society is excited to be bringing the Han clothes culture and traditional Chinese dance and musical performances together from noon until evening on February 4 for a bright and dazzling Lunar New Year festivity.

Chance to learn

NZ China Friendship Society Tauranga president Tina Zhang says it's an opportunity for people to hop onto their time machine and learn about Chinese culture.

'Are you interested in knowing what ancient Chinese people eat? What did they wear? What kind of customs and culture did they have?” says Tina.

'Would you love to experience the feeling of walking through the ancient streets with hanging lanterns to indulge the beauty of ancient China of thousands of years ago in the Han and Tang Dynasties?”

The global celebrations are an explosion of light and sound, involving bell ringing, lighting firecrackers and watching traditional lion dances. Chinese families gather together for a reunion dinner on New Year's Eve, and clean their houses to sweep away bad fortune on New Year's Day.

Traditionally, kids would be given red envelopes stuffed with ‘lucky money' and positive wishes on New Year's Day.

Chinese New Year takes place on a different date each year, because it is based on the lunar calendar. New Year's Day normally falls between January 21 and February 20.

The Han and Tang dynasties were the periods when civil and military power and international prestige of China were the strongest, so people refer to the flourishing periods that occurred during these dynasties collectively as the Han-and-Tang dynasties. It was also during this period that paper-making was invented in China.

It is unclear when exactly the celebration of the New Year began in China. It is said to have originated during the Shang Dynasty of 1766BC-1122 BC.

The lion and dragon have a long history in Chinese culture.

'Chinese people like to say we are dragon people,” says Tina. 'So that's why at every Chinese New Year we have the dragon dance and the lion dance.”

She imported the dragon costume from China.

'Normally we would have a longer dragon. You would usually have 11 or 20 people; we have nine.

'The dragon wants to catch the ball, so he always chases it.”

The lion

The lion is a significant part of the Dragon and Lion Dance, which will start 8.15pm on February 4.

Following the dance there will be a lighting ceremony at 8.30pm with people dancing together.

Tina has lived in NZ for about 15 years, originally coming from her home city of Shen Yang in China to study here when she was about 20 years. She now teaches Chinese language and manages the Tauranga Chinese Language School in Bethlehem. Both Kiwi and Chinese children attend the school, and it's open to anyone who wants to learn the language.

Tina says when she was talking with the Tauranga City Council Community Development advisor Haidee Kalirai in 2019, Haidee asked her why they don't have a Chinese New Year celebration.

'The Chinese population has increased here so it would be good to let people know more about our culture,” says Tina, who thinks there are about 2000-3000 Chinese living in the Tauranga region.

'This New Year's event will provide you with exciting cultural dance and traditional Chinese musical instruments performances through the day, interactive events and mini games loved by families and children, and a variety of food stalls selling different kinds of Chinese foods to satisfy your stomach.”

Children's activities, hand crafts, Chinese calligraphy, lantern riddles, ferrule, free candy floss, face painting, folk music, dance performances and the traditional Chinese wedding hydrangea thro and food stalls will also feature.

The Tauranga Chinese New Year Festival is next Saturday February 4, from 3pm-9pm at The Historic Village, 17^th Ave, Tauranga. Admission is free.