2023 Lunar New Year Parade

2023-01-25

Organizers: HCTCMS (Home of Canadian Traditional Chinese Medicine Society) and ATCMA (Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine Association of British Columbia, Canada).

"Welcome the Jade Rabbit and celebrate the joy of the new year with every family. Let's celebrate the joy of Lunar New Year nationwide". The 48th Vancouver Chinatown Lunar New Year festival, for the Year of Rabbit, was celebrated on the first day of the Lunar New Year, January 22, 2023. The organized festive activities included a Lunar New Year parade, a variety extravaganza, and a grand festival gala dinner.

This year's parade in Vancouver was very special, with attendees including Justin Trudeau - the Canadian Prime Minister, David Eby - the Premier of British Columbia, and Ken Sim - the Mayor for City of Vancouver, and other representatives from all three level of Canadian governments, as well as the delegates from Canadian military and Vancouver police force. Diplomatic Representatives from different countries such as the Chinese Consul General, Yang Shu, and others were also attended this spectacular festival event since after the pandemic.

More than 80 multi-cultural groups and over 5000 volunteers participated in this year's parade. The groups , including military and police forces, overseas Chinese associations, boy and girl scout troops, military bands, lion dance and dragon dance troupes, art and dance groups from different ethnic communities. Over 5,000 volunteers participated in the parade, which attracted nearly 200,000 people from various ethnic groups, making it an unprecedented success.

Home of Canadian TCM Society (HCTCMS) and ATCMA (Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine Association of British Columbia) organized a team of nearly 50 traditional Chinese medicine practitioners to participate in the Spring Festival parade. This was the first time that the traditional Chinese medicine industry in British Columbia had participated in such an event. Led by HCTCMS founder Professor Li Ronggang and Executive Chairman Zhenxiong, Guan, as well as ATCMA Vice Presidents Di, Wu and Chris Vallee, and former Vice President Jiaxian,Lu, the team members dressed neatly in "New Year Red" T-shirts printed with the words "Home of Canadian TCM Society," and held banners with the words "Home of Canadian TCM Society."

Hand-held banners with the words "Developing Traditional Chinese Medicine in BC, Serving the Health of the Province "

With vigorous spirits, determined gazes, and firm strides, they walked through the parade with the whole team. They shouted the slogan "Acupuncture and herbal medicine have been passed down for thousands of years, and traditional Chinese medicine protects every family" throughout the parade. Their voices were loud and clear, echoing through the air, attracting a lot of attention and leaving a great impression on the spectators along the way. People continuously waved and encouraged the TCM team. 

Left to right: Jinghua Shi, Bo Feng, Minru Dong, Xiulin Zhang, Calvin Crichton, Alexander Litvinoff. 

The TCM parade team achieved a high degree of unity in this event, including unified command, action, logos and clothing, slogans, and publicity. They showcased the good quality and image of the TCM industry and received high praise from all walks of life, achieving a good effect in promoting TCM and a successful outcome. In order to make this Spring Festival parade a success, the TCM industry organized several rehearsals and training sessions for relevant personnel before the event. Experienced individuals were invited to train the team on walking posture, speed, rhythm, and how to shout slogans, among other things, so that everyone mastered the essentials and laid a solid foundation for the success of the parade. In addition to Chinese TCM practitioners, there were also TCM acupuncturists of other ethnicities who participated in this Spring Festival parade.

The following people participated in the Spring Festival Grand Parade:

• Li Ronggang, Wu Di, Chris Vallee, Guan Zhenxiong, Shi Jinghua, Lu Jiaxian, Zhang Xiulin, Li Haiming, Xia Yu, Xiang Li, Zhou Zeliang, Zheng Jiawei, Zhu Huifang, Dong Minru, Feng Bo, Ding Yuxin, Li Guowei, Gao Yuan, Wu Zhixin, Zhong Ziyi, Calvin Crichton, Zhong Yansong, Yuan Jianmei, Zhong Yiyang, Zhong Yueyang, Gao Qixuan, Daniel Robert Davis, Shahana Rana, Zhong Lili, Gao Jianguo, Danzhu Mowart, Erik Yan Tong Yu, Linda Cunningham, Alexander Litvinoff, Yanbo Tang, William Henri, Darren Glazier, Gao Yang, Michelle Li, Jack Wei, Winne Chen, Wei Changdi.

With the strong support and assistance from the government and all sectors of society in British Columbia (BC), traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and other related fields have made considerable progress in BC over the past several decades, and have contributed to the health of the people in BC. However, the popularity and acceptance of traditional Chinese medicine in the local community is still not widespread, and promoting traditional Chinese medicine better is currently an urgent issue for the traditional Chinese medicine industry. The Canadian Chinese Medicine Association has found, after years of exploration and practice, that in order to better promote traditional Chinese medicine in the local area, it is necessary to strengthen cooperation and integration with local large organizations and community groups, to truly promote traditional Chinese medicine to society, communities and the general public, to help them understand, accept and choose traditional Chinese medicine, and ultimately benefit from it, thereby truly driving the development of the entire traditional Chinese medicine industry.

2023 Spring Festival Parade Organizing Committee：

1. Chief Planner and Team Leader: Li Ronggang

2. Co-Chairs (listed in no particular order): Wu Di, Chris Vallee, Li Yongzhou, Shi Jinghua, Gao Jianying, Lu Jiaxian, Li Wenpei, Xie Xiuhua, Guan Zhenxiong, Li Ronggang

3. Deputy Chief Planner: Shi Jinghua

4. Overall Coordinator: Guan Zhenxiong, Li Guowei

5. Secretary General (also serving as): Guan Zhenxiong. Members: Li Guowei, Wu Zhixin, Zhong Ziyi, Gao Yuan, Ding Yuxin.

Co-organizers and individuals (in no particular order):

Co-organizers and individuals (in no particular order):

Sponsor:

main sponsor (order does not matter)

Co-sponsors (in no particular order)

"Friendship Sponsor (in no particular order)"

Photo, Recording:

Parade Highlights: