On Friday evening, Lan Su Chinese Garden welcomed guests after hours to celebrate the winter solstice, known as Dongzhi, with the melodies of instrumental Chinese Christmas music.
Traditionally, Dongzhi is a time to celebrate the longest night of the year with family, eat traditional food, and pay respect to ancestors. It falls on December 21, which is also the last day of Lan Su’s Dongzhi festivities, this year. The activities, which are scheduled for December 14, 20, and 21, are intended to combine traditional aspects of the Chinese winter solstice with Western festivals.
Venus Sun, vice president of culture and community at Lan Su Chinese Garden, stated, “This is the second year that we have actually opened our doors to do a nighttime event.” This year is different since we have actually begun construction on Lan Su’s winter paradise. You will witness the enchanted Chinese Garden illuminated in a variety of hues.
The nightly event, which takes place from 5 to 7 p.m., features interactive activities like a chance to take a picture with Chinese Santa Claus, sample tangyuan delicacies, decorate Dongzhi trees, and see augmented reality displays all across the garden.
Tangyuan, which translates to “soup ball,” is a rice flour dish that might have peanut paste, red beans, or black sesame fillings.
According to Kristen Thoennes, teahouse manager at Lan Su, they are frequently boiled and served in a delicious stew. They can also be prepared savory. Since it’s the holidays, these are sweet, so I created a small syrup with blood orange, ginger, Chinese five spice, and goji berries.
Tangyuan, a traditional food consumed during Dongzhi, are shaped into balls that represent solidarity and togetherness. One of the numerous ways Lan Su wants to connect, inspire, and teach tourists about Chinese culture is through this cultural component.
According to Sun, people on one side of the world celebrate festivals and customs in different ways than those on the other. We wish to introduce the concept of gathering and celebrating the holiday in a traditional Chinese manner.
Many attendees learned about Dongzhi for the first time at the event. “The event allowed Baleigh and Patia Bartlett Isaacs and their son, Robin, to be students of another culture,” Baleigh remarked.
“It’s amazing to witness,” Patia remarked. Other than being here, we have no prior experience with Dongzhi. Thus, it’s pleasant to observe the various events and festivities.
Following Robin’s school field trip to the gardens, the family became members to take part in more events held at Lan Su.
“We didn’t want to miss the lovely garden and the holiday celebration,” Baleigh added.
Augmented reality stations were scattered across the park and integrated into the garden’s ambience, giving the evening a digital component.
The tale of the ancestors who lived in and contributed to the creation of Portland’s Chinatown was told using digital overlays of paper lanterns, a dragon, and a magnolia tree, created by CETI (Creative and Emerging Technology Institute).
According to Nandini Ranganathan, founder and executive director of CETI, “We wanted to do a storytelling to honor the community that helped build Portland, that lived in this neighborhood, and brought all sorts of beautiful things like this to the city.”
In order to view various visualizations, guests were asked to scan QR codes in the garden. According to Ranganathan, the initiative is a type of public art that inspires people to learn more about Chinatown’s past and use emerging media in storytelling.
Rich white landowners gave all of our streets, buildings, and other features their names, but Ranganathan pointed out that many other individuals had contributed to the construction of this city.
Located in the center of Chinatown, Lan Su Chinese Garden’s Dongzhi activities provide a welcoming atmosphere for people from all backgrounds to learn about Portland’s history and Chinese customs.
“We want to be here to provide this little corner of traditional holiday joy, but in Chinese cultural style,” Sun added, referring to the array of alternatives available for your holiday activities. We invite everyone to join us, regardless of whether they are from a Chinese cultural background or are just visiting Portland.
Dongzhi: A Chinese Holiday Party, 239 N.W. Everett St., 5-7 p.m., Dec. 14 and Dec. 20-21, lansugarden.org/dongzhi
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Chiara Profenna discusses faith, religion, and cultural ties. You may contact her at [email protected] or @chiara-profenna on BlueSky, or 503-221-4327.
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