Celebrate Chinese New Year of the Fire Monkey with Shaolin Chan Foundation & Shaolin Institute

The Shaolin Institute campuses in Mobile, New Orleans, and Atlanta welcome children and families from the surrounding area to have a fun celebration. This Chinese Monkey Year’s. Festival on Atlanta campus will begin at 11:00 AM and last until 3:00 PM on Saturday, February 6, 2016. The Mobile campus will celebrate the Fire Monkey Year on evening of February 11, while The New Orleans Campus will celebrate the New Year on February 20th, 2016.

Shaolin Institute Atlanta campus hosting the festivities is located at 4350 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Suite 500A, Norcross, GA 30071. There will be Chinese food, music, paintings, arts and crafts, a lion-dragon dance, and Kung Fu performances, Health and cultural booths as well as Kung Fu & health-wellness teachings will be presented to further educate attendees.

All events are free to the public. Call 770-286-9808 for more information.

On the Western calendar, the start of Chinese New Year this year falls on Monday, February 8, 2016, which marks the first day of the Year of the Fire Monkey. Chinese New Year dates back from 2600 BC when the Emperor Huang Ti of China introduced the first cycle of the Chinese zodiac.

Chinese New Year is also known as the Spring Festival in modern China. It signals to farmers that they must begin preparation for the sowing of their fields fifteen days after their New Year festivity.

In Chinese astrology, each year is associated with a Chinese zodiac animal sign and one of the Five Elements: Gold (Metal), Water, Wood, Fire, or Earth.

The Monkey according to Chinese is an intelligent, witty, and inventive animal. The people who have the monkey as a sign are problem solvers, working with their group while simultaneously demonstrating independent character associated with achievers.

In the traditional Chinese symbolism according to an article, the Monkey minded person represents the unfettered mind freed from inhibitions and guilt. Relieving himself from the heavy burdens of a touchy conscience, the Monkey type will not hesitate to test his theories, experiment and think the unthinkable. In his domain, everything is possible. What is difficult, he could do right away; what is impossible may take a little longer to eventually succeed with his/her monkey grit.

Many well known figures in the western world born in Monkey years: Leonardo da Vinci, Federico Fellini, Pope John Paul II, Harry S. Truman, Eleanor Roosevelt, Nelson Rockefeller, Charles Dickens, Diana Ross, Julio Iglesias, Danny De Vito, Mel Gibson, James Stewart, Elizabeth Taylor, François Truffaut.

At the Shaolin Institute, there are several other animal mascots who will come out to welcome the guests on that day from among the Institute “Magnificent Five”. The Magnificent Five consist of the Dragon—Da Long, the Tiger—Xiao Hu, the Crane—Bai He, the Praying Mantis—Kuai Lang, and the Monkey—Xi Hou. 龙，虎，鹤, 螂，鹤. Our Magnificent Five represent the character of our institute with discipline, integrity, and inner strength. They are very intelligent beings, protecting, motivating and helping the Institute and the community. Several of the Magnificent Five will come to life during the celebration and readily welcome children, friends, and families in the neighborhood to come see them.

To celebrate Culture, and the Arts, the Shaolin Legacy Team of the Institute has performed across the Southeastern United States for organizations and institutions such as University of Georgia, Kennesaw State, Tulane University, Northview High School, World Language Academy, Level Creek Elementary School, Jeremia Denton Middle School, Math and Science School of Mobile, Country Day School of Creative Arts in New Orleans, Xavier University, Chinese Northeast Association, Mobile Police Department’s America’s Night Out Against Crime, U.S. Homeland Security Asian Pacific Cultural Events, General Electric Asian Pacific events, Coca Cola Headquarters Asian Pacific events, Suwanee & the Duluth Fall Festivals, Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festivals, Atlanta Hawks Opening Game, the New Orleans Asian Heritage Festivals, Education Funding Company International Summits in both Washington, D.C. and Nashville, Tennessee, the Mobile International Festival, Gulf Coast State Fair, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Coast Guard events along the Gulf Coast states.

By coming to celebrate the Chinese New Year with the institute, people can be a part of this big international cultural fest as well and enjoy a unique cultural experience during this day of fun learning, food tasting, arts, crafts, performances, and so much more as all people who loves Asia ready themselves for the Year of the Fire Monkey!

It is indeed that the Year of the Fire Monkey 2016 is a good year for all of us to break free and take calculated risks as there is nothing more powerful or rewarding than following our heart’s desire.