Cultural Connections

Harrodian celebrated Chinese New Year early on Friday 6 February with two live martial arts and traditional dance performances in the marquee, timed during lunchtime. We welcomed dancers from the Confucius Institute for Traditional Chinese Medicine at London South Bank University, with one performance for Pre Prep and a second for Prep and Senior students. Chef Joseph and his team also prepared a special Chinese themed lunch to mark the occasion with spare ribs, lemon chicken, rice, and prawn crackers among some of the dishes and sides on the menu. 

Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival, celebrates the beginning of the new year using the traditional Chinese lunisolar calendar. The date changes each year and in 2026 it falls on Tuesday 17 February. Traditions such as writing rhyming couplets for doorways, giving red packets and lighting firecrackers to scare away the mythical beast, the nián, have been passed down through generations and continue today.

The programme included the Chinese folk dance Roses in the West Region, performed in traditional costume and reflecting the elegance of regional dance. This was followed by the lion dance Awakened Lion and a Little Girl. Accompanied by rhythmic drumming, the lion was brought to life by the performers, moving energetically around the space and interacting playfully with the young girl in a story symbolising courage and good fortune for the year ahead.

The event was organised by our EDI Coordinator, Mr Rohit Benjamin, who leads the school’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. A teacher of History with a particular academic interest in Chinese history and fluent in the language, with related degrees in the field, Mr Benjamin introduced the dancers and spoke to pupils about the significance of the festival. He explained that Chinese New Year officially begins on 17 February in 2026 and marks the Year of the Horse, giving helpful context to the performances and the traditions still practised today. "Celebrating festivals like Chinese New Year gives us a chance to learn from one another and appreciate the richness of different cultures,” he shares. "It is wonderful to see pupils engaging with traditions that are so important to millions of people around the world.”

We are very grateful to Mr Benjamin for organising such an engaging event, and to Friends of Harrodian for their support. It was a special opportunity to celebrate and learn more about an important cultural festival as part of our ongoing commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Xīn Nián Kuài Lè. 新年快乐.