2月17日VOA聽力：紐約市民慶賀中國傳統新年
According to ancient legend, a mythical beast would emerge on the night before new year,and devour the inhabitants of a small Chinese village.
That is, until one of the villagers realized that the monster was afraid of bright light, the colorred, and sounds of thunder.
Today, the beast, known as the Nian Monster-has become a major symbol of the Chinese NewYear.
Across China and in cities around the world, there are joyous celebrations including in New Yorkcity, home to more than 500,000 Chinese-Americans where Mayor Bill de Blasio declared a publicschool holiday in observance.
Historically, however, authorities have not always been so accommodating.
In the late 19th century, the US Congress passed the Chinese Exclusion Act which until 1943banned Chinese immigration into the United States.
And in Hollywood, the discrimination made its way to the silver screen where Chinese werecast only by non-Chinese actors to portray villains.
New York's Museum of Chinese in America , MOCA, displays the harsh contrast betweenAmerica's treatment of Chinese citizens then and now.
“It's vast difference.
There is so much more interest in Chinese culture, in US-China relations, in Chinese food, inChinese arts.”
Today, in New York's Chinatown neighborhood, kids of all ethnic groups gathered at MOCA tolearn about the culture while making colorful lanterns to scary away the Nian Monster.
“Awareness of it brings them out to kind of explore whether they are, you know, celebrating attheir homes or whether they're coming out to these bases to learn about the customs andtraditions behind the holiday.”
Apart from the lanterns, another mythical creature, the lion, is part of the festivities.
Performing a traditional dance, the lion not only keeps Nian away, but also brings goodfortune and prosperity to all.
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