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Visitors entering the Missouri Botanical Garden pass through the doors of a beautiful pagoda created especially for the Chinese Culture Days Celebration, May 19 - 20, 2001.
A Celebration of Chinese Culture
By Betty Magrath, SLFP.com
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), May 18, 2001 - The resounding beat of drums and Chinese music signaled the start of the Opening Ceremony for the 2001 Chinese Culture Days at the Missouri Botanical Garden, Saturday, May 19.
Members of the St. Louis Modern Chinese school dressed in an ornate Dragon costume led the drum team, dancers and local dignitaries around the waterlily ponds at Spoehrer Plaza. The short parade was followed by the Dragon dance performance and welcoming remarks before a crowd of several hundred people.
Dr. Peter H. Raven, director, Missouri Botanical Garden and one of the world's leading botanists, stated that Chinese Culture Days have been celebrated ever since the Margaret Grigg Nanjing Friendship Garden (Chinese Garden) was created several years ago. Dr. Raven, who was born in China, commented that the Garden is in the process of creating the Flora China Project, a 50-volume encylopedia of all the plants of China.
"We need to celebrate our rich cultural and ethnic diversity as a way of life," said Mayor Fancis G. Slay. He noted that there are more than 50,000 ethnic Chinese people in the region who add not only to the diversity of St. Louis but also make a significant contribution to the economy and the opportunity for International business. "I hope you will enjoy all the art, the music, the food and the entertainment that this celebration brings with it. The more we learn about each other, the more we find out how much we are alike, the better we will be as a people," said the mayor.
The festival, which continues through Sunday, May 20, features traditional folk fashions and dancing, martial arts, painting, calligraphy, musical performances, children's games, flower arranging. Pi-Pa playing, Tai Chi demonstrations and tea ceremonies will also take place in the Chinese garden. Chinese food, considered an art form itself, will be the centerpiece of a tented food court featuring cooking demonstrations and old family recipes.
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The Dragon led the drum team and members of the St. Louis Modern Chinese School and local officials around Spoehrer Plaza at the Missouri Botanical Garden.
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(L. to R.) Debi Randell of Kansas City holds her daughter, Sofi Randell, age 2, who was adopted from Hunan Province, as Jean Gu describes the costume and her performance as 'Star' in the "Legend of the Great Wall".
(L. to R.) Coly Hoang and her daughter Jennifer enjoy looking at beautifully handcrafted jewelry and teapots in one of the exhibit booths at the Chinese Culture Days.
(L. to R. front row) Dr. Peter H. Raven, director, Missouri Botanical Garden, Francis G. Slay, mayor of City of St. Louis and Dr. Hung-Gay Fung, chair, Chinese Culture Days 2001, are greeted by the Dragon during opening ceremonies.
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