Once every 600 years comes the rarest and luckiest year in Chinese culture – the year of the Golden Pig.

Legend promises that babies born in the year of the Golden Pig will live carefree, wealthy, straightforward and honest lives – every parent’s fondest wish. But for the students who celebrated the Chinese New Year at Stamp Student Union Friday evening, babies were of little concern.

“I guess it is the generation gap,” said Yin Ming Hu, a sophomore business major. “Asian-Americans mostly have the western point of view.”

Many Asian-American students at the university said they feel a disconnect from the traditions of their parents’ home countries. For them, the celebration is a way to get in touch with their roots.

“This event is an opportunity for us to promote Chinese culture,” said Michelle Yu, a junior biochemistry major and the president of the Chinese Cultural Club.

Chinese New Year’s celebrations exploded around the world yesterday to commemorate the start of the Pig Year – the year 4705 on the Chinese lunar calendar.

“It is possible for some people in China to plan having their babies on the Year of Golden Pig,” predicted Lin Pang, a graduate student in criminology and criminal justice, though she said many people prefer to “let the nature takes its course.”

Although the tradition comes from China, countries around East Asia, including South Korea, Thailand and Mongolia, are celebrating the year of the Golden Pig. As the world bids the Year of the Dog goodbye, The Korea Times, along with other news organizations, reported the birthrate in South Korea is expected to grow because the year is considered lucky for having children. Similar trends are expected to follow in China and other East-Asian countries.

For many Asian students at the university, Chinese New Year is an opportunity to spend their time with family, said Jeff Leng, a university alumnus. The days before and after are celebrated with other students, like in the celebration at the Student Union.

“It is common to have special foods such as dumplings and fish on the eve of the New Year,” Pang said. It is also a tradition that elders give red envelopes, usually filled with money, as a gift to youngsters on New Year’s Eve.

In an enactment of a 2000-year-old musical tradition, three men held up parts of a large paper lion, dancing and performing acrobatics around the room. Some students were wearing red shirts – a color that symbolizes triumph of good over evil.

The dance was followed by a contest in which student groups displayed talents from martial arts to break dancing. At the end it was “Fu Man Cru Featuring Hostyle Rhythms,” a dance group, that won first place.

Many of the students said they were satisfied with this year’s celebration.

“Tonight’s celebration is very well organized,” said Stephanie Fei, a sophomore logistics and international business major.

Contact reporter Seyed Jazayeri at jazayeri@gmail.com.