The Chinese Culture Organization at Sacramento State held its eighth annual Chinese Culture Night on Sunday at the University Union.

The event took place in the University Union Ballroom and consisted of many performances celebrating Chinese culture. The event featured singers, musicians, and dancers — and also included magic tricks and martial arts shows.

Many of the performers were Sac State students.

Alex Tran, the president of the Sac State Martial Arts Club, shared his experience participating in the event.

“It was intense, our endorphins were rising high, and we were just ready to go,” Tran said. “It was crazy.”

Tran said events like these are used to preserve Asian culture.

“As a Vietnamese-American, I would say it’s very important where our culture comes from. Like any culture in general, whether it be Chinese, Vietnamese, American culture,” said Tran before trailing off. “It is good to spread it so that it does not die off.”

The event kicked off with the band Autumn playing the song “Moonlight over the Lotus Pond,” using the Guzheng and Pipa as instruments.

After that, there were performances by solo singer Duyen Huynh and the Happy Dance Group, and martial arts choreography by the Sac State Martial Arts Club and the Shaolin Temple Martial Arts School.

Lauren Cunningham, president of the Chinese Culture Organization, expressed the importance of this event.

“We are a cultural organization, so for us this is a big chance to exhibit Chinese culture and all of the different Chinese niches,” Cunningham said. “Chinese culture isn’t one monolith. … So you can see we had Cantonese and Mandarin performers, but even in these groups they’re from different groups, and they represent different times in Chinese history. That’s where the variety comes in.”

The event concluded with a routine from the Chinese Culture Organization’s dance group, set to the song “The King Asked Me to Patrol the Mountains.”

Nearly every seat at the event was filled during the event.

Sac State student Helen Nguyen described her reaction to the event.

“It was amazing,” Nguyen said. “There are so many instruments I have not seen in person that I have only seen in movies.”

She said she enjoyed listening to traditional Chinese songs.

“Because I am part Chinese, it’s nice to hear songs that I recognize that went on to be performed tonight.”

Nguyen said it is good that events like these are held because they are informative for people of any ethnicity.