Issue No.14, July 2004

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Chinese New Year - Taiwan-style

Celebrating the Year of the Monkey at the Chinese New Year Party - Taiwan-style at the St Bride Institute are (left to right) Weili Yang (Taiwan Representative Office), David Selves (LPC Treasurer), Professor Donald Trelford (LPC Chairman), Dr Hung-mao Tien (Taipei Representative to the UK), Dr Dennis Griffiths (Director and former LPC Chairman) and Club Secretary Dr Mark Bryant.
Photo courtesy of the Taiwan Representative Office in the UK.

One of the most successful recent events held by the Club was the Chinese New Year Party arranged and sponsored by the Taiwan Representative Office in the UK at the St Bride Institute in London's Fleet Street. More than 100 people attended and enjoyed demonstrations of traditional crafts such as calligraphy, snuff-bottle painting (from the inside) and blown sugar figurines, accompanied by classical Chinese music and excellent Chinese food. We were also very honoured by the presence of Dr Hung-mao Tien, the Taipei Representative to the UK (the Taiwan Ambassador), who made a speech on the importance of the Year of the Monkey and the Year 2004 as 'Visit Taiwan Year'. As Dr Tien pointed out, this year is a very good year to have children as those born in the Year of the Monkey 'tend to be clever, inventive, originalÉand will almost always succeed in any field they pursue. Monkey people are usually the centre of attention at parties because of their charm and humour'. The London Press Club would particularly like to thank Weili Yang and Vivian Lee of the Taiwan Representative Office and Club Secretary Mark Bryant for all their hard work in making this event possible and it is hoped that this will now be a regular fixture in the Club's calendar.

Club Treasurer David Selves tries his hand at the Chinese piano.

London Press Club member Terry Staton has his name written in Chinese calligraphy while Club Membership Secretary Roy Coxhead and his wife look on.