Young Chinese New Zealanders embrace traditional arts to celebrate Lunar New Year

Lion dances, Peking opera performances and shadow puppetry are an integral part of Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinese culture.

In New Zealand, an increasing number of young Chinese New Zealanders are embracing these traditional arts, not only as a way to reconnect with their heritage but also to fulfil their families' expectations of preserving and passing these traditions on.

Lion dances

Auckland's E-PACS Lion & Dragon dance group is preparing to dazzle audiences at the 2025 Chinese New Year Festival & Market Day at Auckland Showgrounds on 25 January.

While many dance groups predominantly feature adult performers, E-PACS stands out for its youthful energy, boasting more than 30 young Chinese Kiwi dancers, some as young as five years old.

With dozens of performances scheduled for the Lunar New Year, these young dancers have been gathering every weekend in a small warehouse in East Tāmaki for rehearsals.

Chengde Liu is the founder of E-PACS troupe. His students have been affectionately calling the sprightly 72-year-old "Master Peter Low" for years.

Liu began learning lion dance movements in Singapore at the age of 11.

After immigrating to New Zealand in 1987, he opened an Asian supermarket and soon started teaching lion dance moves in Auckland, passing on the traditional art form to a younger generation.

Nowadays, a small warehouse next to his supermarket has become the ideal venue for sharing his skills.

Since 1988, more than 300 students have learned lion dance movements under Liu's guidance.

Reflecting on his 36-year journey, Liu feels a sense of responsibility to pass on his knowledge.

"I would regret it if I didn't pass on what I've excelled at to these children," he says.

Liu doesn't charge students to join his classes and provides the dance costumes free of charge, tailoring them to fit the participants' bodies.

"I am 72 years old, and I am racing against time," Liu says. "I will keep training these young kids and never give up. ... I will keep teaching until the very end."

Cerry Sim, a Malaysian Chinese who has lived in New Zealand for nearly 22 years, grew up in a family with deep connections to lion dance culture.

Two years ago, Sim enrolled her three children in Liu's lion dance classes.

"I don't want to see lion dance culture disappear in my children's generation," Sim says.

"I hope my children can help pass on lion dance culture in New Zealand," she says, noting that her two older children had specifically told her they would pass their knowledge on. "Hearing that makes me feel very happy and proud of them."

Nine-year-old William McKenna has been learning lion dance movements with Liu for about six months.

Despite describing himself as a novice, he has already played the cymbals as well as operated the lion's tail and poles.

"It is challenging sometimes," he says. "When you learn something for the first time it's difficult, but then you get the hang of it."

McKenna's Malaysian Chinese mother, Elaine Ho, is supportive of her son's lion dance journey.

"I think it's very important [for him to learn lion dance movements]," she says, noting her son's Chinese heritage. "While William is in this class, he also learns how to be respectful, learn a little bit about the culture, what it means to receive a hong bao (red envelope containing gift money) and the etiquette of Chinese tradition.

"It's good that he's exposed to [Chinese culture], because at home we're mostly surrounded by Western culture, and so it's hard for him to learn [about his Chinese heritage]," she says.

Peking opera

Peking opera, also known as Beijing opera, is another traditional art form that young Chinese New Zealanders are participating in as a way to reconnect with their heritage.

It combines instrumental music, vocal performance, mime, martial arts, dance, and acrobatics in a captivating spectacle.

In Auckland, the New Zealand Baiyun Beijing Opera Society has scheduled a series of performances to celebrate this year's Lunar New Year, including an appearance at the Auckland Lantern Festival from 13-16 February.

Nine-year-old Victoria Li, the youngest member of the Baiyun Beijing Opera group, will perform alongside a senior artist in the role of Lao Dan (Older Woman). Together, they will present two classic repertoires: Diao Jin Gui and Beating the Dragon Robe.

Victoria Li's grandmother, Shuyun Zhang, has lived in New Zealand for about 11 years.

Zhang says she encouraged her granddaughter to study Peking opera to spark an interest in the Chinese language and deepen her appreciation of traditional Chinese culture.

"[Victoria] was born in New Zealand and speaks fluent English, but her Chinese is limited," Zhang says. "Our whole family loves Peking opera, so we encouraged her to learn it, hoping she could inherit this traditional art form and also improve her Chinese."

Zhang says performing Peking opera demands precise pronunciation and rounded accents, which has helped her granddaughter practice and refine her Chinese skills.

Seventeen-year-old Jiaye Chen will also perform at this year's Auckland Lantern Festival, portraying the role of Qingyi (Middle-aged Woman) in the classic repertoire Jin Yu Nu.

Growing up in a household steeped in Chinese opera, Chen said her interest in the performance art began at the age of 12.

"I particularly love the costumes and melodies of Peking opera," Chen says. "The opera tunes tell so many stories ... each tune and performance represent a unique character."

Now a Year 11 student at Long Bay College in Auckland, Chen wants to help spread the art form internationally.

"Every time I perform at school, my teachers always show great respect and appreciation," she says.

Shadow puppetry

Sixty-six-year-old William Hou hosted a Chinese shadow puppetry workshop ahead of Lunar New Year celebrations on Auckland's North Shore, aiming to connect with young Chinese New Zealanders.

Shadow puppetry is a traditional form of theatre in China, featuring colorful silhouette figures crafted from leather or paper, performed alongside music and singing.

Hou's professional journey in shadow puppet carving and performance began at the age of 18, when he joined the Tangshan Shadow Puppet Troupe in China.

He says shadow puppetry has a rich history in China.

"Shadow puppetry was the main form of entertainment during Lunar New Year before the 1970s in China," he says.

"At that time, there were few cultural activities, so people in villages and towns would celebrate the Spring Festival with shadow puppet performances."

After immigrating to New Zealand, Hou said he felt a responsibility to introduce the Chinese art of shadow puppetry to his new home.

His collection includes hundreds of Chinese shadow puppets, some of which date back to the Qing Dynasty.

Hou brings these treasured artifacts to schools across Auckland, running workshops to showcase the unique charm of this traditional art form.

"After discovering that shadow puppetry doesn't exist in New Zealand, I wanted to introduce it here to fill that cultural gap," he says.

"Shadow puppetry is a unique art of light and shadow. It is the pioneer of film, the originator of animation and a living fossil of theatre. It is truly worth preserving and passing down."

Hou has garnered strong support from the Chinese community in New Zealand.

Zongna Ji, a Chinese mother in Auckland with a six-year-old daughter and a five-year-old son, says she is always seeking activities to help her young children connect with their Chinese heritage.

"Chinese shadow puppetry has a history of more than 2000 years," she says.

"It's not just about preserving historical stories but also about passing down the craftsmanship and artistry behind them.

"I hope my children will understand where they come from, embrace their roots and feel proud to be Chinese."