Kung Hei Fat Choi! 恭喜發財!
Whether it’s in Cantonese — Kung Hei Fat Choy! — or Mandarin — Gong Xi Fa Cai! –- it means “Wishing you prosperity!” and is the popular lunar new year greeting for people of Chinese descent around the world.
During the lunar New Year, Chinese families visit relatives and friends to exchange greetings and good wishes. It is also a time to rekindle friendships and renew connections.
To celebrate the Year of the Rooster, Toronto Public Library is offering a variety of Lunar New Year programs across the system. Toronto Reference Library caught the festive spirit early and, last December, our Chinese Canadian Archive facilitated a reunion of nine Torontonians who attended the Chinese Canadian Institute and graduated preschool together in 1945. They gathered at the library to reconnect for the first time in 71 years.
They all are 76 years old now, all look amazingly young and all are sentimental about their Toronto childhood. There were hugs, cheers, laughter and lots of memories to share when they finally met again.
“It’s truly an historic event… and with Toronto Public Library establishing the Chinese Canadian Archive collection, where else could be a more appropriate place to host this reunion?” said Mavis Chu Lew Garland who helped coordinate the reunion.
Congratulations to the 1945 graduates from the Chinese Canadian Institute preschool class!
View the coverage by CTV News at Six here.
3 thoughts on “Kung Hei Fat Choi! 恭喜發財!”
Thank you for hosting this reunion and launching the Chinese Canadian archive collection at the TPL. It’s a fantastic project and a missing link in Chinese Canadian immigration history.
Thank you, Victor, for your comment and kind support, It is only with the support from the Chinese Canadian communities that this important archive project will come achieve its potential. We very much appreciate all those who have generously donated their family materials to the archive so we can preserve the material and make it available to future generations.
Kung Hei Fat Choy! The vigorous Chinese community in Toronto will be documented by these personal photos, and the people having lived here for generations honoured in this way. These photos are remarkable for their expression of ancestors, business ventures, fun and settlement in Canada – the struggle of life and hopefully happiness in a new land.