The Chinese New Year in Paris

By Ye Xingqiu

The Chinese New Year， also known as the Spring Festival， is the most important traditional festival for ethnic Chinese around the world. It is the festival through which overseas Chinese express their yearning for the motherland and their ancestral families at home. Celebrating the Spring Festival in Paris varies from year to year， as each year brings new experiences and new feelings. On the other hand， it has gradually evolved into a shared festival for Chinese in France and the French people.

In Paris， the largest Chinese New Year celebrations are usually seen in the 13th and the 3rd arrondissements （districts）.

The Chinese in the 13th arrondissement are mainly of Guangdong origin， and their observance of the Spring Festival started early. Since 1984， the Association des Résidents en France d’Origine Indochinoise （Association of French Residents of Chinese Origin， or ARFOI） has held the Chinese Spring Festival Parade in the district town hall， featuring lion and dragon dance， floats and costumes， drums and cymbals， marchers in traditional Chinese ceremonial clothing， and music and firecrackers. Initially held biennially， the ever-growing parade was later changed to an annual event. Then the local ARFOI and Tang Frères （Tang Brothers， one of the biggest Asian supermarkets in France） obtained official approval to put up roadside posters along the streets of Quartier Chinois （Chinatown）， on which are usually written auspicious phrases， including “French and Chinese One Family”， “Full of Happiness” and “Peace and Harmony” in Chinese and French， livening up the festive atmosphere and charming local residents with the Chinese New Year culture.

During the period， the Association des Chinois Résidant en France （Association of Overseas Chinese in France， or ACRF） would decorate the Quartier Chinois of the 3rd arrondissement with red lanterns and hold evening galas with the district council. Meanwhile， traditional Chinese delicacies would also be prepared for the residents. Since 1997， under the initiative of the ACRF， the numerous overseas Chinese groups of Zhejiang origin have been jointly organizing dragon dance performances and parades on the first day of the Chinese New Year in front of the Hôtel de Ville （City Hall） in Paris， attracting crowds of local residents and tourists.

As a Chinese saying goes， “amity between the people holds the key to sound state-to-state relations.” Cultural exchanges bring people closer. On February 9， 2020， Ariel Weil， mayor of Paris Center， extended his warmest greetings to the Chinese communities in France during the area’s first Chinese New Year celebrations after the 1st， 2nd， 3rd and 4th arrondissements were incorporated to form Paris Center in 2019.

In addition， writing couplets， as well as auspicious characters， especially the “Fu” （happiness） character， is also indispensable for the festivities. In the Chinese community in Paris， it is either those with a certain level of calligraphy who are invited to help with the writing， or those local painting and calligraphy associations which take up the task and organize volunteers for it. For example， the Association Long Yin （literally “dragon’s growl”）， a poetry society， and L’Association de Calligraphies et de Peintres Chinois de France （Association of Chinese Calligraphers and Painters in France， or ACPCF） are two of them. Le Président， one of the best-known Chinese restaurants in Paris， has also provided venues for calligraphers to write couplets.

Despite the disruptions caused by ongoing COVID-19 pandemic， Chinese organizations including the ARFOI， the ACRF， the Association Long Yin and the ACPCF have been gearing up for the Year of the Tiger， with assorted online events such as performances， poetry recitals and quiz shows planned. The mayor of Paris Center Ariel Weil also expressed his hope that the Spring Festival celebrations will continue to be held for the Year of the Tiger， which， however， will have to be scaled down in the wake of COVID-19; for instance， instead of the regular parade， an evening gala will become the main event. During the period， a monument commemorating the Chinese of older generations living in France will be unveiled as well.

The Chinese communities in Paris Center are among the oldest in Paris， with a history of over 100 years. They have got along well with residents of various origins and made great contribution to the economic development of the area， whose efforts have been widely recognized in France.