Stunning archive images demonstrate how London’s Chinese New Year celebrations became one of the world’s biggest annual attractions.
Ahead of Chinese New Year on Tuesday - and the official London celebrations on Sunday next week - organisers said the UK capital’s festivities are the biggest outside China itself.
Lawrence Lee, of the London Chinatown Chinese Association, said the first celebrations in the 1970s centred around a single stage in Chinatown and attracted a few thousand people. By comparison, an estimated 700,000 descended on Soho last year.
Dr Lee, who has been on the association’s Chinese New Year organising committee since 1991, told the Standard: “It grew and we moved it to Leicester Square, and since 2003 it has been in Trafalgar Square. It’s jam-packed. You can barely walk now.
“The London celebrations are the biggest in the world outside China. Chinese culture is well accepted here, and a lot of Chinese people are now coming to the UK from the mainland. These influences have helped it grow.”
Where today’s extravagant celebrations are a melting pot of different cultures, Dr Lee said the earlier events were smaller gatherings for London’s Chinese community.
“Back in the ‘70s and ‘80s,” he said, “it was mainly Chinese immigrants: many feeling homesick. Many people were single or without their families, so Chinese New Year in London was a great opportunity to come together.
“Gradually, it got bigger and bigger, with more tourists. Now Chinese people have families and have settled, so the celebrations have changed quite a bit.
“We look to make it a joint collaboration. We have people of all nationalities on our committee. It’s a Chinese celebration but we want it to be multicultural.”
Dr Lee said he was struck by people’s devotion to the celebrations over the years: “The most memorable moment for me was very touching: one year it was very heavy snow, but all these people were still there. And another year, it was pouring down with rain, but people were still there in Trafalgar Square.
“It feels so good that we are getting more and more people joining in. I walk around and see people’s faces, and it’s such a happy time.”
London's Year of the Pig Chinese New Year celebrations take place on February 10. For more information, visit the London Chinatown Chinese Association on lccauk.com
