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CHATSWOOD YEAR OF THE RAT FESTIVAL20 January - 8 February 2020

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Welcome to the Chatswood Year of the Rat Festival, Willoughby City Council’s lunar new year celebration for 2020. Over three jam-packed weeks, the Chatswood CBD will come alive with lanterns, lion dances, markets and cultural performances.

This year we have made it easier than ever for you to plan your lunar new year celebrations, with our four-page ‘Festival at a Glance’ fold out on pages 12 to 15. Discover entertainment and food options, workshops, children’s events, public artworks and catch one of the many lion dances – always a crowd favourite.

I am thrilled to announce that cook, writer, television presenter and Chatswood resident Adam Liaw is the festival’s culinary ambassador. Adam has travelled the world for his television series Destination Flavour and considers the breadth of Asian food in Chatswood to be world class. Check out pages 7 and 8 to see Adam’s five dishes to enjoy this lunar new year and our ‘Festival Eats’ map on pages 16 to 18 for where to find them in Chatswood.

Thousands of rats will wind their way throughout the Chatswood CBD in our striking public artwork – ‘Chatswood Rat Attack’. Take in the rat silhouettes adorned with a beautiful custom print by renowned artist Bruce Slorach. Share your photos with #chatswoodlny.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to everyone who has made the Chatswood Year of The Rat Festival possible. To all our valued sponsors, partners, event organisers, artists, performers and volunteers – festivals of this scale would not be possible without you.

I look forward to seeing you at the Chatswood Year of the Rat Festival as we ring in the new year of the rat and celebrate a year of good fortune and luck.

Cr Gail Giles-GidneyMayor of Willoughby

THE YEAR OF THE RATThe Chinese zodiac (生肖) is made up of 12 animals and the rat ranks first. How did the little rat earn the first place? Legend has it that when the Jade Emperor decided to make the Zodiac, he called for a great race to the Heavenly Gate to decide the order of animals. The diligent ox was leading the race, but the rat tricked the ox into giving him a ride. Just before arriving at the finish line, the rat quickly jumped ahead and became the first.

People born in the year of the rat are usually clever, sociable, flexible, and quick-witted, but they can also be timid, suspicious and stubborn. Famous ‘rat people’ include George W. Bush, Mark Zuckerberg, Cristiano Ronaldo, Scarlett Johansson and Marlon Brando. Do you think they possess these personality traits?

In Chinese language, there is no difference between ‘rat’ and ‘mouse’. As ‘rat’ is homophonous to ‘book (书)’ and ‘number (数)’, it becomes a cultural symbol of wisdom and wealth and the year of the rat is seen as a year of prosperity. In the Chinese classic warrior novel, The Seven Heroes and Five Gallants (七侠五义), the word ‘rat’ appears in the nicknames of five famous warriors as a metaphor for their agile martial arts skills. Interestingly, the rat also symbolises the immoral corrupt officials in the classic poem Huge Rat (硕鼠) in The Book of Odes (诗经). Rats and mice are popular fictional characters in other cultures as well, such as the adorable Mickey Mouse and the cunning Mouse Jerry.

We wish you a happy year of the rat!

Dr Xiang Tony Ren Australia-China Institute for Arts and CultureWestern Sydney University

Mayor’s Message

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See schedule on pages 12 to 15

A celebration 1,000 years old, martial arts performers mimic lions’ movements while dressed in larger-than-life lion costumes.

Performing to the sound of drums and gongs; this flamboyant and acrobatic performance wards off evil spirits, bringing good luck and fortune.

Da Hung Lion Dance and Kung Fu will astound with their acrobatic skills at the Chinese New Year Celebration Day on 1 February. With over 10 years' experience, world-renowned Wushu Champion Master Sifu Wilson Chan, is always a crowd favourite and leads this troupe.

Catch new kids on the block Qing Fong Lion Dance Team at The Mix at Chatswood Place and receive a free fortune cookie. Sponsored by Ming Yue Lay Temple, this troupe’s goal is to spread the art and culture of lion dancing. There are over 10 lion dances throughout the festival in Chatswood. Refer to the ‘Festival at a Glance’ schedule on pages 12 to 15 or go to www.visitchatswood.com.au/lny2020 for the full schedule.

Saturday 25 January, performances 12pm and 5pmJumbo Mahjong, 27 January - 1 February, 9am to 2pm daily

Celebrate the first day of the lunar calendar. Visit Chatswood Interchange (located right outside the train station) and experience lion dancers, drummers, martial arts demonstrations and a dancing Buddha. Performances are at 12pm and 5pm.

Mahjong just got bigger! Join in with jumbo Mahjong, using beautiful giant red and gold tiles featuring the Chinese

Zodiac animals and descriptions of their characteristics. Perfect for Mahjong players, or if you are new to the game, instructors will help you with the rules as well as other games that can be played with these giant tiles.

While you’re there grab a photo with the Chatswood Rat Attack art installations throughout Chatswood Interchange.

Lion Dances

Chatswood Interchange New Year’s Day Celebrations and Jumbo Mahjong

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Chinese New Year Celebration DaySaturday 1 February, 9am to 4.30pm Chatswood Mall and The Concourse

Presented by the Chinese Cultural Centre and Willoughby City Council, welcome in the Year of The Rat at the annual Chinese New Year Celebration Day – one of the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Sydney.

Now celebrating its 22nd year, the festivities have expanded to be bigger and better than ever with a new stage and stalls at The Concourse.

The CBD will come alive with Chinese Opera, magic shows, face changing and one of Sydney’s best lion dance performances.

Official Opening Ceremony Call by the Lion 11am

Dragon and Lion Dance Performance 11.30am

Kung-Fu Performance 1pm

Face-Changing Performance 1.20pm

Southern Star Performing Arts Dance 1.30pm

Singing Performance 1.50pm

Magic Show 1.55pm

Cantonese Opera Singing 2.10pm

Tin Won Chinese Folk Dance 2.30pm

Tai Chi Performance 2.50pm


Chinese Musical Instruments Ensemble 3.25pm

Chatswood Mall

Blessing Ceremony, Martial Arts, Music 9am to 11am

Tin Won Chinese Folk Dance 1pm

Cantonese Opera Singing 1.20pm

Tai Chi Performance 1.40pm

Lizzie Gucheng Solo 2pm

Dances by Southern Star Performing Arts 2.10pm

Face-Changing Performance 2.25pm

Chinese Musical Instruments Ensemble 2.40pm

Magic Show 3pm


Kung-Fu Performance 3.25pm

Da Hung Dragon and Lion Dance Performance 3.45pm

The Concourse

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By Adam Liaw, cook, writer, television presenter and Chatswood resident.

As the story goes, the reason Chatswood became a hub for the Asian community in Sydney has a lot to do with feng shui, the Chinese metaphysical practice of harmonising buildings and structures with their natural environment. Feng shui masters say there is a giant dragon coiled around Sydney, and its head is in Chatswood.

The lunar new year is a time for good food and good fortune, and there’s no better place than Chatswood for both. If you want to ring in the new year with some auspicious foods but don’t know where to start, here’s a few pointers.

Five dishes to enjoy this lunar new year

Family FeastsIf there’s one thing you need to do at lunar new year it’s feast. Get the whole family over on new year’s eve for a reunion dinner, or arrange a banquet at a restaurant. Order animals that can be served whole and have an auspicious meaning, like fish (wealth and surplus), ducks (loyalty), or even a whole suckling pig (peace) if you’ve got a big crowd coming around.

Fortune FoodsAnything that looks, sounds or even just hints towards money is a good omen at lunar new year. Dumplings and spring rolls resemble money purses and gold bars respectively so they’ve got to be on your new year eat list. Head for Cantonese yum cha, try Korean manduguk or Vietnamese nem ran for a prosperous year ahead.

NoodlesIf good luck dumplings are taking care of making you wealthy, you still need to make sure you stay healthy to enjoy the fruits of fortune. In lunar new year symbolism, long noodles signify long life – the longer the noodles, the longer your life will be.

Try Tet Sample SoellalLunar new year in Australia is a lot more than just the Chinese community. Tet is the Vietnamese new year and it’s a time to eat dishes like cha gio or nem, or thit kho - pork belly and eggs stewed in coconut water and caramel sauce. The Korean community celebrate Soellal with a rice cake soup called tteokguk, and with modeum jeon, a small collection of savoury pancakes.

Have a Barbie, Chinese-StyleThis year’s lunar new year falls right before Australia Day, so why not incorporate a bit of Chinese barbecue into your Australia Day celebrations? Just grab a pack of takeaway roasted or barbecue pork, or roast duck and add it to your Australia Day barbecue spread.恭恭恭恭恭喜发财 Gong xi fa caiAdam

View Adam’s five best dumplings in Chatswood on the festival websitewww.visitchatswood.com.au/lny2020

Check out the Festival Eats map on pages 16 to 18 to find these dishes in Chatswood

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Golden MarketThursdays and Fridays, 9am to 9pm, 20 January to 8 FebruaryChatswood Mall, Chatswood

Visit Asia without the cost of the plane ticket every Thursday and Friday at the Golden Market. Featuring over 35 unique stallholders, the market is the perfect place to grab some ‘cheap eats’ from street food stalls selling okonomiyaki, mee goreng, dim sum, zizime (Korean pancakes) and more.

Delight in the beautifully-themed decorations and lanterns and enjoy entertainment including Chinese Opera, K-Pop with SBS Pop Asia host Andry Trieu, traditional dancing and calligraphy. See the centrefold for entertainment schedule.

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Wednesday 5 February, 6.30pm General Chao, Chatswood Interchange

We’ve unleashed the creativity of SBS Destination Flavour host Adam Liaw and General Chao Executive Chef Son Sewoo to create a special banquet, reminiscent of their collective travels throughout Southeast Asia, Korea and Japan. Paired with local and international wines, this banquet will be available for one night only! Join Adam and Son on 5 February for an evening of true culinary flair. Tickets are only $120 per person, so get in fast, this is sure to sell out! generalchao.com/book

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‘ Lucky Chatty’ General Chao × Adam Liaw lunar new year dinner

The King of Lunar Celebrations 2020Thursday January 30, 6pm to 8pm King Living, Chatswood Showroom, 216 Victoria Ave, Chatswood

Celebrate the lunar year with King Living.

Global lifestyle brand King Living invites you to an exclusive experience to celebrate the year of the rat. Join style guru and media personality Neale Whitaker in a conversation with author and Asian cuisine expert Adam Liaw, as they discuss entertaining at home in a new year that promises to be filled with prosperity. Enjoy canapés inspired by Adam’s guide

to auspicious eating, along with a selection of refreshments.

Guests will also go in the draw to win a $1,000 King Living voucher which will be drawn on the night. Visit www.kingliving.com.au to reserve your free ticket.

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January January January February February

Monday 20 Tuesday 21 Wednesday 22 Thursday 23 Friday 24 Saturday 25 Sunday 26 Monday 27 Tuesday 28 Wednesday 29 Thursday 30 Friday 31 Saturday 1 Sunday 2 Monday 3 Tuesday 4 Wednesday 5 Thursday 6 Friday 7 Saturday 8

Various Locations Chatswood Rat Attack Public Artwalk (see map on pages 17 and 18 for locations) Chatswood Rat Attack Public Artwalk (see map on pages 17 and 18 for locations) Chatswood Rat Attack Public Artwalk (see map on pages 17 and 18 for locations) Chatswood Rat Attack Public Artwalk (see map on pages 17 and 18 for locations)

Festival Eats (see listing and map on pages 16 to 18 for more details) Festival Eats (see listing and map on pages 16 to 18 for more details) Festival Eats (see listing and map on pages 16 to 18 for more details) Festival Eats (see listing and map on pages 16 to 18 for more details)

Chatswood Mall Golden Market9am to 9pm

Golden Market9am to 9pm

ANZ Chatswood Branch Lion Dance 2pm

Golden Market 9am to 9pm


CNY Celebration Day 9am to 4.30pm



Traditional Chinese Music12pm to 2pm

Seraphim String Trio12pm to 2pm

Community Showcase 12pm to 2pm

Trad. Dance & Fashion 12pm to 2pm

(see page 6 for entertainment schedule)

Seraphim String Trio 12pm to 2pm

Asahi May 12pm to 2pm

Traditional Chinese Opera3.30pm to 5.30pm

Comedy, Tai Chi, Kung-Fu & Painting3.30pm to 5.30pm

Chung Do Tae Kwon Do 3.30pm to 5.30pm

Community Showcase 3.30pm to 5.30pm

Dance Performances 3.30pm to 5.30pm

Traditional Chinese Music 3.30pm to 5.30pm

Chinese Calligraphy 3.30pm to 5.30pm



Tai Chi Live Show6pm to 8pm

Chinese Music 6pm to 8pm

K Pop Showcase 6pm to 8pm

Happy Singing Tribe 6pm to 8pm

Chinese Instruments 6pm to 8pm

Chinese Instruments 6pm to 8pm

The Concourse CNY Celebration Day 9am to 4.30pm

Chatswood Interchange New Year’s Day Celebrations 12pm and 5pm

Jumbo Mahjong9am to 2pm

Jumbo Mahjong9am to 2pm

‘Lucky Chatty’ General Chao × Adam Liaw Lunar New Year Dinner 6.30pm

Chatswood Library Lucky Slogan Calligraphy Demo12pm to 2pm

Preschool Storytime Lunar New Year Theme 11.15am to 12pm

Preschool Storytime Lunar New Year Theme 11.15am to 12pm

Drama Workshop 3pm to 4pm

Little Dragon Storytime (Mandarin) 10am to 10.30am

Mandarin Language Workshop 6.30pm to 7.30pm

Origami Workshop 2pm to 3.30pm

Little Bear Storytime (Korean) 10.45am to 11.15am

The Mix at Chatswood Place Lion Dance (free fortune cookies) 6pm

Lion Dance (free fortune cookies) 6pm

Chatswood RSL(Club entry conditions apply)

Lion Dance 11am

God of Wealth 1.30pm to 3.30pm

God of Wealth 1.30pm to 3.30pm

Art Space on The Concourse David Cubby Exhibition11am to 5pm

David Cubby Exhibition11am to 4pm





The Incinerator Art Space Where It Shines Exhibition 10am to 4pm

Where It Shines Exhibition10am to 4pm

Where It Shines Exhibition10am to 4pm

Chinese Cultural Centre Fanny Lam Exhibition10am to 4pm

Fanny Lam Exhibition10am to 4pm

Chatswood CBD Spring Befalls with Prosperity and Longevity Exhibition Foyer Exhibition Space, Ground Floor, Willoughby City Council31 Victor Street, Chatswood. 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Spring Befalls with Prosperity and Longevity Exhibition Foyer Exhibition Space, 31 Victor Street, Chatswood. 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Neale Whitaker × Adam Liaw King Living - details on page 10

Spring Befalls with Prosperity and Longevity Exhibition Foyer Exhibition Space, 31 Victor Street, Chatswood.8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday.

Twilight Parade6.30pm

Festival at a Glance Entertainment Children Workshop / Talk Free Festival Eats

Food Rat Attack Public Artwalk Art Lion Dance Bookings Essential

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www.visitchatswood.com.au/lny2020

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Make a day of it and see why Chatswood is renowned as a world-class hub of Asian food. Whether you want to dine in, grab a cheap meal or have a family feast, your taste buds will be set alight.

Check out the map to find lunar new year special menu items including Adam Liaw’s recommended lunar new year dishes.

Festival Eats

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8 LiLong by Taste of Shanghai

9 Tori Korean street food

10 Saigon Rolls

11 Memory Tongue

12 Jilin Family Restaurant

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14 Grape Garden Beijing Cuisine

15 Chinatown Noodle Restaurant Chatswood

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17 Golden Market

18 The Bulgogi

19 Baodao Taiwanese Kitchen

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22 Star Capital Seafood Restaurant

23 Tim's BBQ

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Cheap eats Family Feast Fortune Foods Noodles Try Tet, Sample Soellal BBQ

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Look out for our lucky rat stickers at restaurants in Chatswood to find lunar new year specials.

Festival Eats Here

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By Dr Tianli Zu, artist

A rat is nobody’s favourite animal, perhaps due to its mischievous behaviours. However, rats take the first place in the Chinese Zodiac. According to folklore, there are two reasons for this.

Firstly, it is said that at the beginning of the chaos the rat bit a hole in the sky, the sunray appeared separating yin and yang, the heaven and the earth reconciled and everything was born.

Secondly, in general an animal has the same number of toes on each limb, however, the celestial Rat has four toes on its forefoot to represent yin and female, and five toes on the back foot to represent yang and male. Therefore, a rat is a yin-yang combined mythical creature, coming first in the zodiac.

The zodiac symbolises a metaphor for life. My design of the rat focuses on intelligence, spirituality, and vitality to achieve harmony in the 21st century. This design captures the rat’s flexible and variable characteristics.

White is the dominant colour of the rat. White has cultural significance in traditional Chinese culture – it symbolises light, purity and essence. White responds to metal in Yin Yang Five Elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water) to generate energy and vitality. It is also considered to be fashionable and modern in contemporary society. Red represents vitality and celebration. Yellow symbolises wealth.

The rat promises a new year full of energy and prosperity. The year of the rat makes a fresh/new start of the 12-year cycle. While the traditional rat holds multiple meanings, I hope the rat will help humans to search for a new paradigm and take on the challenges and opportunities of the next decade.

Our Chatswood Year of the Rat Design

The Good Fortune Motifs within the Rat Design

Longevity KnotThe longevity knot or the endless knot has no beginning and no end. It symbolises the unity of mind and matter, the highest realm of eternal life. It represents auspiciousness and is highly valued in Chinese tradition.

WaterThe water pattern is a nourishing element. It often means light, glory and eternity and symbolises wisdom. Chinese water patterns contain profound aesthetic values and reflect cultural significance.

CloudsAuspicious clouds represent holiness and good luck. In Chinese, ‘cloud’ is pronounced ‘yun’, which is a homophone for ‘luck’.

Four and Five ToesNumbers symbolise important phenomena in Chinese culture. Such as four seasons, four directions and people have four temperaments. Five symbolises the essence of the universe – wood, fire, earth, metal, and water – the most important five elements.

Nature Plants and flowers are usually decorated on human figures in traditional papercuts. This expression reflects the concept of unity between nature and human beings. It has the contemporary significance to coexist harmoniously with nature.

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20 January to 8 February See the map on pages 17 and 18 for locations

Get up close and personal with thousands of rats as they take over the Chatswood CBD in this striking public artwork.

Rat silhouettes, adorned with a custom-designed blue and white Chinoiserie-inspired print from renowned artist Bruce Slorach, will wind their way through the city with swarms of rats taking over key locations including The Concourse, The Mix at Chatswood Place and Chatswood Interchange – all on Victoria Avenue.

Featuring both Australian and Asian flowers, the print celebrates the metal rats’ lucky colours for 2020 – white and blue.

Visit the website or check out the map on pages 17 and 18 to find the locations of these eye-catching moments. Don’t forget to share your photos with #chatswoodlny

Exhibition by Grace Sui Wednesday 22 January to Sunday 9 February Open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pmIncinerator Art Space, 2 Small St, Willoughby

The Australia-China Institute for Arts and Culture in partnership with Willoughby City Council presents a photographic exhibition from renowned Chinese-born street photographer Grace Sui. Influenced by the brilliant natural light

of Sydney, she captures the beauty within the daily commute to and from work. Photographing people around her, on the bus, train platform or walking around, Grace tells a story through her art.

Where it Shines

Chatswood Rat Attack

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Artist Fanny Lam and Student Art Exhibition

Exhibition by David Cubby

Wednesday 22 January to Sunday 9 FebruaryOpen Wednesday to Friday, 11am to 5pm and Saturday to Sunday, 11am to 4pm(closed Australia Day)Art Space on The Concourse, 409 Victoria Ave, Chatswood

The Australia-China Institute for Arts and Culture in partnership with Willoughby City Council presents a photographic exhibition by David Cubby to celebrate the new year.

Dr Cubby’s photographs feature ordinary people from all corners of China, and document the recent historical shift of people migrating from the village to the metropolis.

Photographed through a time of hyper-rapid industrialisation that shaped modern China, the photographed, photographer and viewer are drawn into a zone of inquiry concerning everyday people, those left in villages and those working feverishly around the edge and within the metropolis.

Saturday 25 to Friday 31 JanuaryOpen Monday to Saturday (except for public holidays), 10am to 4pm Chinese Cultural Centre, Ground Floor, 799 Pacific Highway, Chatswood

Free exhibition presented by the Chinese Cultural Centre, the exhibition includes oil, watercolour and Chinese paintings as well as Chinese calligraphy.

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Twilight ParadeSaturday 8 February, 6.30pm Beginning corner Endeavour Street and Anderson Street

Join thousands of spectators and line the street to experience the exciting fanfare of a traditional new year street parade.

Lion and dragon dancers, drummers and marching bands will captivate you as over 1,000 people party their way through the streets of the Chatswood CBD.

Following the parade, visitors can settle in for the evening, spoilt for choice by the many restaurants nearby. See page 16 for a range of cheap eats and family feast options in Chatswood.

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Presented By

Precinct Partner

Cultural Partners

Australia-China Institute for Arts and Culture

Prosperity Sponsors

Golden Sponsors

chatswood year of the rat festival

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