An exhibition of prints celebrating the upcoming Year of the Pig, kicks off at the China Cultural Centre in Melita Street, Valletta, tomorrow.

In ancient times the pig represented wealth and fertility and is often considered a symbol of wealth in Chinese culture. 

Chinese Zodiac Creativity Exhibition, being held from tomorrow, foregrounds two important aspects of the traditional Chinese Spring Festival: Chinese Zodiac System and Chinese New Year folklore and customs.

The Chinese Zodiac system is an important cultural tradition related to the Spring Festival, China’s most important celebration. It is a form of calendar based on natural observations and symbolic personification of 12 animals, namely the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. The origins of the Chinese Zodiac can be traced back to ancient animal worship.

 The Spring Festival is the most significant traditional Chinese celebration, brimming with hope and positive aspirations for the new year. These wishes and expectations are expressed through Spring Festival customs, ceremonies and celebration. According to the sequence of the 12 animal signs of the Zodiac, images of the animal corresponding to each respective year are included in decorations for prosperity and fortune, as with typical seasonal crafts and presents, including New Year gifts, auspicious greeting texts, Spring Festival couplets, flower paper-cutting window stickers, the “fu” (happiness) character, and New Year paintings.

The exhibition will run at the China Cultural Centre in Melita Street, Valletta, until January 25. Opening times: between 9am and 12.30pm and from 2.30 to 5pm. Entrance is free.