When the Year of the Monkey said farewell with achievements and the Year of the Rooster greets the new year with ambitions, the Labor Union of the Institute held recreations, on Jan. 22nd, to greet the new year, including tug-of-war matches and ring-throwing contests.
The tug-of-war match is held every year and enthusiastically participated by all departments to greet each coming year. This year, 14 teams (6 men and 4 women each) joined the match, done in round-robin group contests. With a whistle from the judge, all contestants firmly grasped the rope, leaning back and lowering their bodies, and hauled at the opposite ends of the rope with greatest strength concertedly. The crowed cheered while yelling “One,two. One, two. One, two”, throwing themselves into a carnival. After four rounds of intense “wars”, the team of the Institute’s leadership organs won the championship, with Caofeidian Branch Institute runner-up and Department of Planning third place.
The ring-throwing contest also saw a cheering crowd, who were all eyes and minds in aiming at the poles on which to throw the rings. They whispered to exchange skills or cheered for each other in laughter. Winners were given awards implying good fortune for the new year.
The ropes stringed the minds of the staff while the rings triggered the wisdom and effort of all. The yearly contests drove away fatigue of the past year, drew all staff closer and encouraged all in their hard work in fierce competitions. All staffers were convinced that they, hand in hand, would draw a brighter blueprint for the Institute.