Fitted in red and gold dresses, Lihong Dai and a troupe of more than a dozen performers danced on Saturday to the rapid beat of drummers performing “The Dearest Person,” a folk dance with origins in Northeastern China.
A crowd of over 100 people sat on the brick steps of Pioneer Courthouse Square as the troupe synchronized movements on a large stage in the center of the square. The smell of grilled squid filled the air, and behind the stage, people mingled between booths — which featured ink-brush calligraphy demos, Chinese yo-yos for visitors to use, and more.
It was the beginning of Portland’s annual Chinese Festival in Pioneer Courthouse Square, and Dai was happy to be there.
“We want to contribute to the promotion of Chinese culture,” the dancer from the Huayan Art Club said. “I want (people) to come here and to see the variety.”
And the variety of Chinese culture was on full display on Saturday. The 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. event features roughly 500 performers taking part in dozens of acts at the festival’s center stage, including instrumental performances, singing and a variety of dances.
The event also features vendors and food booths selling squid skewers, spicy cold noodles, bao buns and jian bing, a type of Chinese crepe.
Dai said the troupe’s act kicked off the event because of its festive, upbeat tempo — as well as the blend of modern-style drumming and traditional dancing aesthetics.
“We’re a relatively young group, but most of our members had stage experience,” she said, adding that the troupe formed about a year ago. “It’s a process for self improvement, because of our pursuit of the arts.”
Judy Lee, another member of the Huayan Art Club, said that she also appreciated the visibility of Chinese culture being on display in Portland’s proverbial downtown living room.
“My family moved here in 1989, and back then there were very few Chinese in general and certainly nothing like this scale ever,” she said. “It’s been incredible to watch the Chinese community grow in the last 30 years, and also seeing the community embracing Chinese culture.”
And that was the goal of organizer Hongcheng Zhao, who was standing behind the stage as he watched over the event that had taken so much time and energy to pull off.
The president of the Oregon Chinese Coalition, Zhao had been responsible for overseeing more than 160 volunteers during the rapid set-up of the event three hours before it opened.
“Those three hours are very intense,” he said with a laugh before listing off a slew of logistical challenges. “Lots of people ask me, ‘Hongcheng, are you going to do it next year?’ And I say, ‘Yes, no matter what.’”
Zhao said that he’s motivated by the desire to bring the Chinese community of the Portland metro area together, as well as to provide a stage and an immersive experience for others to experience and appreciate the culture.
“That represents a big milestone for the community,” said Zhao, who launched the first event in 2019.
Elsewhere in the crowd, Wendy Shih was experiencing the festival for the first time, with her family in tow.
A full-time parent and volunteer, Shih said she was excited to see many of the people that she worked with at other volunteer organizations, as well as the variety of experiences in Pioneer Courthouse Square.
“There’s so much going on here,” she said. “I think a lot of us get put into boxes when you say Chinese or Asian (but) we are all human. We all enjoy different aspects of life and culture and so this is just really exciting to see so many different faces and ages also here.”
— Tatum Todd is a breaking news reporter who covers public safety, crime and community news. Reach them at [email protected] or 503-221-4313.
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