People in Chinese-American neighborhoods in Chicago ushered out the year of the ox and welcomed the year of the tiger Sunday with outdoor celebrations on the chilly streets of Chinatown and of the New Chinatown in Uptown.
With temperatures in the teens and wind chill factors dipping to minus 10 degrees, young men in traditional lion costumes began the festivities at 11 a.m. in the 1100 block of West Argyle Street.
With puffs of their frosty breath looking like smoke from fiery nostrils, the men danced to the insistent beat of drums and gongs, their fever building as the reports from strings of firecrackers filled the air.
After the opening dance, the costumed entourage, followed by a crowd of perhaps 200, made its noisy way east through the three-block business district. Many shopkeepers hung out leaves of lettuce and offerings of paper money along with their strings of firecrackers.
”Lucky, lucky,” said a woman standing in the door of the Indochina Medical Clinic. ”Lucky money.”
Later, the men in the lion costumes–two per lion–danced in and out of many shops along the street in a traditional gesture that is meant to bring prosperity and good fortune.
”It is like the American Christmas and New Year`s together,” said Tony To, watching the parade outside the Honkee Chinese restaurant. ”It is a time for new beginnings, for families to get together and celebrate.”
Children waved little plastic Nationalist Chinese flags, and adults wore buttons wishing everyone a happy 4684, the new year.
The date of the Chinese New Year is fixed according to the Chinese lunar calendar and falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice. Years are named, in order, after the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. The day is the most important of the Chinese festivals.
Hundreds lined the parade route in Chinatown for the 1 p.m. celebration along Wentworth Avenue.
The parade was a somewhat Americanized salute to the year of the tiger, including such elements as a Chicago Police Department brass band, a group of bagpipe-playing Highlanders and the clown mascot of a well-known franchise restaurant that does not serve Chinese food.
The four-block long parade also included the lovely yet very chilly Miss Chinatown, resplendent in a white fur, flag-waving squadrons of schoolchildren and a paper serpent supported by 11 men carrying sticks.
Mei Mui, a Chinatown resident who was squiring her children, aged 11 and 6, to the celebration, said she has taken them to the parade for several years. ”It`s getting better and better,” she said.
