From the Dragon’s flame to the Snake’s game

Chinese New Year is a time of joy, renewal and celebration. Marking the arrival of the Year of the Snake, family and friends of the Tasmanian Chinese Buddhist Academy of Australia gathered at the site of the proposed cultural park in Campania, to bring the New Year Peace Bell - symbolising moments of reflection, prayers and a fresh start.

God of wealth and their zodiac friends as part of Lunar New Year celebrations

2025 marks the Year of the Yi Si Snake - the snake is a symbol of transformation and renewal - just as the snake quietly observes and adapts to its surroundings.

As one of the most important festivals in traditional Chinese culture, we were humbled with the opportunity to share the welcoming of the Lunar New Year with over 150 friends, including state and local elected representatives, community leaders, old and new friends, some of whom who had made the trip especially to Tasmania. In particular, we were incredibly honoured to have Most Venerable Anuruddha Mahathero attend the event, flying especially from Sri Lanka.

The ritual of sounding the bell at this auspicious time is to pray for good fortune has been part of Buddhist traditions since ancient times. The event saw traditional rituals and performances, including the lion and dragon dance, as well as colourful and diverse forms of traditional oriental performances from various provinces of China.

Following formal proceedings, guests enjoyed delicacies provided by local food trucks, Jasmine Kitchen and Fried and Loaded, as well as drinks and ice creams provided by The Retro Bean.