Chinese New Year Celebration In Papua Goes Simple, Lion Dance Attraction Presents At Arya Dharma Jayapura Vihara

Illustration. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The Chinese New Year celebration was celebrated simply at the Arya Dharma Vihara, Skyland, Jayapura City, Papua, Tuesday 1 February, by holding prayers and lion dance attractions.

The lion dance performed by youths from the Golden Tiger Jayapura lion dance gym featured four lion dances.

In addition to Chinese residents who gave red packets, the general public also came to the temple to witness the lion dance attraction.

The chairman of the Vihara Arya Dharma Jayapura Foundation, Teddy Wandianto, admitted that the Chinese New Year celebration was not carried out lively, and there was no special committee for this celebration.

This was done to avoid crowds considering the COVID-19 pandemic is still spreading, said Teddy while hoping that this Lunar New Year in the year of the Water Tiger can provide abundant sustenance and be able to share it with those in need.

"As Buddhists, we always pray that all disasters in Indonesia, especially in Papua, will be reduced," he hoped, quoted by Antara.

Several residents of Jayapura City who deliberately came to the monastery admitted that they deliberately brought their children to see the lion dance performance firsthand.

If so far they have only watched on television, but now the visa is seeing directly and giving red packets, said Martha, a resident of Dok V who deliberately came to the monastery with her three children.