Society

Expedition team celebrate new year

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-02-14 16:24

ZHONGSHAN STATION, Antarctica: Three consecutive days of polar blizzards gave way to a quiet evening, just in good time for the eve of the Chinese Lunar New Year on the southernmost of planet Earth.

Inside the red lanterns-decorated Zhongshan polar station situated on the Rasman Hill, members of China's 26th expedition to Antarctica were watching the annual China Central Television Spring Festival Gala marking the Chinese Lunar New Year via the Internet.

The Chinese Lunar New Year, or the Spring Festival, falls on February 14 this year.

The Chinese expedition team were also having the traditional Chinese stuffed dumplings that are served each year for the occasion.

Though the webstreaming was on again and off again due to poor data flow, the expedition team members were just patient to wait for the interrupted TV gala signals to pick up again.

Deputy station director Cui Penghui, though spending his third Chinese Lunar New Year on Antarctica for three years on end, had his first chance to watch the show via the Internet at the station.

"Having spent the previous two Lunar New Year's eves on the polar ice cap where we were building the Kunlun Station, we finally had the chance to spend the third New Year's eve with so many of our colleagues inside the Zhongshan Station where we can watch the TV gala live together," said Cui.

The Lunar New Year's eve coincided with the 42nd birthday of station technician Chen Yaowen. The Chinese expedition members at both the Zhongshan and Kunlun stations toasted Chen with respect and wished him well in the coming year.

"It's my own choice to come to the Antarctica," said the shy technician who has got his hands and feet severely frost-bitten while working long hours in temperatures of minus 30-40 degrees Celsius to ship steel structures by operating a crane.

"Since I'm here, I have to do my job well."

Members of China's 26th expedition to Antarctica extend Spring Festival greetings to the Chinese people at Zhongshan polar station situated on the Rasman Hill, Antarctica, February 13, 2010. [Photo/Xinhua]

The festive toast reminded Chen of his family and relatives tens of thousands kilometers away back in Fujian province, eastern China. "I wish my family well and healthy. It's my biggest wish for the New Year," said an emotional Chen.

It was the first time for Guo Fuwen from China's Taiwan province to join the Antarctic expedition. The researcher from the Taiwan Oceanarium had originally planned to return for the Lunar New Year. But bad weather conditions forced him to stay.

Though missing his wife and kids very much, Guo said: "It's a hard-to-get opportunity."

"In Taiwan, most people choose to travel around during the Lunar New Year period. But here we still have the jubilant atmosphere of festival (without travelling). This reminded me of my childhood," he said.