By:  Gallegos                                          S.R. No. 117

 1-1     By:  Gallegos                                          S.R. No. 117

 1-2                              SENATE RESOLUTION

 1-3           WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to

 1-4     recognize the Houston Chinese New Year Festival 1997, which

 1-5     is being held on February 8, 1997; and

 1-6           WHEREAS, A special occasion for people of Chinese heritage,

 1-7     the festival will celebrate the year of the Ox in the Chinese

 1-8     zodiac; called Yuna Tan, the celebration is an impressive event;

 1-9     and

1-10           WHEREAS, Beginning on Chinese New Year's Day, Houston

1-11     celebrates the special Chinese cultural event with great

1-12     enthusiasm, bringing more than 12,000 people together; the

1-13     first creatures to appear are the huge-headed silken lions with

1-14     long bodies made from cloth under which many dancers conceal

1-15     themselves; when the lions converge, many firecrackers are

1-16     lighted, and the dancers forming the lions' bodies vie with each

1-17     other to perform the most frenetic dance; with cymbals clanging

1-18     and drums playing, the resulting noise is supposed to drive away

1-19     evil spirits; and

1-20           WHEREAS, The Chinese New Year Day and the following days

1-21     are devoted to celebrations; the dancing processions with the huge

1-22     lion's heads are accompanied by bearers of banners, musicians,

1-23     and small characters who tease the lions; the procession pauses

 2-1     at each shop, and the proprietor comes out with a coin-filled red

 2-2     envelope as a token of good luck for the band and a bundle of

 2-3     firecrackers which are immediately ignited; and

 2-4           WHEREAS, Parades with lions and the traditional Chinese

 2-5     dragons, acrobats, and dancers are held, and children play

 2-6     prominent roles during the celebration held on the final day,

 2-7     when emphasis is placed on mummery and fun; now, therefore,

 2-8     be it

 2-9           RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas,

2-10     75th Legislature, hereby congratulate the Houston Chinese

2-11     New Year Festival 1997 and extend best wishes for a good and

2-12     prosperous new year; and, be it further

2-13           RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared

2-14     for the festival organizers as an expression of the high

2-15     esteem of the Texas Senate.

2-16                                  ______________________________________

2-17                                          President of the Senate

2-18                                       I hereby certify that the above

2-19                                  Resolution was adopted by the Senate

2-20                                  on February 5, 1997.

2-21                                  ______________________________________

2-22                                          Secretary of the Senate

2-23                                  ______________________________________

2-24                                           Member, Texas Senate