Strings of fairy lights at each table and three large screens projecting “欢迎” — “welcome” in Chinese — illuminated the Emory Student Center’s multipurpose rooms at Chinese Culture Night (CCN) on Nov. 16. A long line of students entered the venue, chatting as they picked up refreshments and painted traditional Chinese fans.
Emory University’s Chinese Undergraduate Student Organization (CUSO) and Emory Chinese Student Association (CSA) hosted the annual event. CCN, which required three months of planning and six and a half hours of setup, featured an elaborate dinner including zha jiang mian noodles, mapo tofu and cumin lamb, as well as dance performances, games and musical entertainment.
At this year’s event, CUSO greatly increased its audience and reach. CUSO VP of Internal Development Evan Bian (22Ox, 25C) noted the event’s growth over the past three years.
“We used to do it in the Cox Ballroom, last year we used only half the [multipurpose rooms], this year we’re using all six,” Bian said. “That’s really what we’re trying to do. We’re trying to grow the event to be able to host more attendees and share culture with more people.”
CCN had 360 seats available for this year’s event, up from 200 in previous years, according to CUSO Co-President Darlene Lai (26C). Lai said that CCN has been “really special” to her and she likes the community-building the event fosters.
“We try to make it as accessible as possible like it’s a free event, anyone can show up, they just have to RSVP,” Lai said.
At the beginning of the event, a shimmering, golden dragon appeared in front of the crowd, brought to life by a group of students who made it leap and twist to the rhythm of beating drums and clanging cymbals. Soon after, performers dressed in flowing silk robes twirled and fluttered their fans to the elegant melody of a flute. The audience erupted in cheers and applause after every performance.
The event featured performances from Georgia Tech’s Dragon Dance, +86 Chinese Acappella, Emory Mulan Dance, dance team BlaeZ and a group of Chinese traditional musicians playing the erhu, pipa and yangqin. From elegant traditional dances to energetic hip-hop choreography, the program showcased both historical and modern elements of Chinese culture.
Spandana Amirneni (26C) attended CCN this year after enjoying last year’s event. Coming from an Indian-American background, Amireni liked savoring the cuisine, attending the event with her friends and seeing the different cultural performances.
“They had a lot of good food and I'm also on a dance team here, so I like seeing the performances,” Amirnemi said.
Bian shared a similar sentiment, highlighting the cultural significance of dancers performing at CCN.
“These are fellow students, and a lot of them have similar missions to CUSO,” Bian said. “And [CCN] is a great way for [the performers] to express their passions and their art in a cultural context that’s meaningful for them.”
Katie Park (26C) came to CCN to support her friends in CUSO. Having attended the event last year, she is happy to see Asian culture represented on campus every year.
“Personally, I grew up in a really white town, so I didn’t really celebrate any Asian culture at all,” Park, who is Korean-American, said. “Coming to Emory, I’m happy to embrace that part of my identity and be able to do it with my friends as well.”
During the intermission, hundreds of students lined up to receive dinner. A mouthwatering aroma wafted through the air as servers opened the dishes. Highlights included sichuan spicy chicken and twice-cooked pork belly, which were served alongside noodles and tofu. After finishing their first plate, some students got back in line for seconds.
Lai noted the importance of the event for Chinese students and non-Chinese students alike. He emphasized how food and performances can cultivate community.
“[The mission] is to be able to showcase Chinese culture on the Emory campus and be able to spread that kind of culture while also promoting a sense of belonging,” Lai said. “There is a big Chinese community here, whether you’re international or whether you’re an American-born Chinese student. Even if you’re not Chinese at all, it’s just fun to come.”
While CUSO will not be hosting any more big events this semester, Lai advised the Emory community to be “on the lookout” for the Asian Night Market in the spring. He underscored CCN’s main purpose of bringing Chinese culture to the wider Emory population.
“CUSO’s mission is always to share Chinese culture — our culture — with the greater Emory community,” Bian said.
