Year of the Goat

Chinese Spring Festival Symbols

Chinese New Year’s Eve 2005, Meizhou, China, photo by Anthony Hartman February 19-24, 2015, is the duration of this year's Chinese New Year (Spring Festival) celebrations. Before the holiday is over, I'd like to share an interesting article on the Spring Festival designed to help anyone curious about the cultural significance of this most colorful of holidays. [...]

By Ramona McKean|2017-05-28T18:37:21-07:00February 24th, 2015|China & Chinese Culture|10 Comments

Spring Festival in China, a Personal Story

Is it the Chinese Year of the Goat, Sheep or Ram? The Chinese word 羊 (Yáng) is somewhat generic, referring to goats or sheep of either gender, so you can take your pick. And by the way, “Spring Festival,” I’ve been informed, is the more accurate name for the holiday. A festival sounds more fun to me than [...]

By Ramona McKean|2024-02-09T18:14:06-08:00February 22nd, 2015|China & Chinese Culture, Language of the Heart, Spirit Matters|36 Comments

“Ramona McKean, in Dancing in the Heart of the Dragon, makes a truly great and important statement, not just about China but about the human race. She understands that our grandchildren’s future depends largely on understanding between Chinese and Westerners. Her gripping story powerfully reveals why and how this understanding is possible. The outlook on life, the philosophy is tremendous, shared with simple, direct, honest eloquence, no tricks, no holds barred, no preaching. When all is said and done, at the end of the day it’s about having a good heart. Ramona has a good heart. I am proud to support her story.”

Sidney Rittenberg, author of The Man Who Stayed Behind, journalist, scholar, Chinese linguist, Professor of China Studies at Pacific Lutheran University, and subject of the documentary The Revolutionary