Confucius Institute at Ateneo celebrates Chinese New Year 2026 with cultural programs and community partnerships

福到，好运到！新春马年，马到成功!
Fú dào, hǎo yùn dào! Xīn chūn mǎ nián, mǎ dào chéng gōng!
When fortune arrives, good luck follows; in this Spring Festival of the Year of the Horse, may success come swiftly.

The Confucius Institute at Ateneo de Manila University (CI-Ateneo) celebrated the 2026 Chinese New Year (CNY) through a series of cultural and educational activities held from 29 January to 3 March 2026. The celebrations brought together students, professionals, cultural organizations, and members of the public through workshops, performances, and cultural exhibits that highlighted Chinese traditions and strengthened cultural exchange between the Philippines and China.

The series of events began on 29 January 2026 with a Chinese calligraphy workshop for the contestants of the Mr and Ms Chinatown Global pageant. Participants were introduced to the cultural meaning of the “Fu” (福) character, a traditional symbol of happiness, blessings, and good fortune commonly displayed during the Lunar New Year. Guided by CI-Ateneo teachers, the contestants practiced writing the character, and their Chinese names using traditional calligraphy brushes and ink.

The celebration continued on 5 February 2026 during the Mr and Ms Chinatown Global Gala Night, which featured a guzheng performance by Ms Zhao Xiaoyang, guzheng instructor and Mandarin teacher at the Institute. The performance showcased the elegance of traditional Chinese music as part of the evening’s cultural program.

From 13 to 15 February 2026, a Chinese Painting Exhibition organized in partnership with OPUS Mall was held as part of the CNY celebrations, presenting traditional Chinese painting and artistic expressions of the Institute’s students to a wider audience.

On 13 February 2026, CI-Ateneo also conducted a Chinese paper-cutting and calligraphy session organized in collaboration with China Airlines. The activity formed part of a CNY event hosted by China Airlines for travel agencies and industry stakeholders, where participants were introduced to traditional Chinese festive decorations and calligraphy associated with the Spring Festival.

The Institute also held its annual CNY Kids Corner on 17 February 2026, where children participated in storytelling sessions about Chinese New Year traditions and hands-on cultural activities such as Red Packet (Hongbao) crafting and other festive arts and crafts.

On the evening of 17 February, the eve of Chinese New Year, members of the CI-Ateneo team gathered for a hotpot dinner, celebrating the Spring Festival together in a spirit of fellowship and community.

On 18 February 2026, a Chinese knots workshop was held in collaboration with students from De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, where participants learned the symbolic meanings behind traditional Chinese knot decorations and created their own festive ornaments.

During the same period, the Institute conducted a two-day Chinese calligraphy workshop for employees of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Manila. The activity was organized as part of the company’s CNY event, where staff members signed up to participate in cultural workshops organized by the Institute. Participants learned about the cultural meaning of the Fu character and practiced writing it using traditional Chinese calligraphy brushes and ink.

Students from the Institute’s Cycle Mandarin classes celebrated CNY on 21 February 2026 through a variety of interactive cultural activities. The celebration featured dumpling making, Hongbao crafting, traditional Chinese costume photo sessions, and a festive photobooth. A highlight of the event was “CI Café,” where students practiced their Mandarin language skills by ordering tea, and coffee in Chinese, while also learning about Chinese tea culture.

The Institute also participated in the 22nd Philippine-China Traditional Cultural Festival held on 22 February 2026 at the Chinese Garden in Rizal Park (Luneta), Manila. Organized in partnership with the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, local government partners, and other cultural organizations, the festival featured several cultural booths and demonstrations organized by the Institute, including Chinese calligraphy, Chinese knot making, and Gongfu Cha (traditional Chinese tea preparation).

Visitors also enjoyed guzheng musical performances, cultural exhibits including a photo exhibition highlighting Philippine-China relations, and opportunities to experience Chinese festive culture. Local Chinese food specialties were also distributed to festival visitors.

As part of the celebration, the Institute also distributed CNY tokens to partners and stakeholders, including traditional tikoy (nian gao) and Year of the Horse mascots, symbolizing prosperity and good fortune for the new year.

The series of CNY activities concluded on 3 March 2026, coinciding with the Lantern Festival, the traditional final day of the Spring Festival celebrations. On this occasion, CI-Ateneo conducted a Chinese calligraphy workshop with Ateneo Senior High School students, organized in collaboration with the Silk Road, allowing students to experience Chinese calligraphy and learn more about Chinese culture.

Through these activities, the Confucius Institute at the Ateneo de Manila University continues its mission of promoting Chinese language education and cultural understanding, while fostering people-to-people connections between the Philippines and China.