From Beijing to Hong Kong and Moscow, communities marked the Lunar New Year through cultural gatherings and colourful spectacles. People welcomed the Year of the Fire Horse with prayers, fireworks and lively street celebrations.
Large crowds filled temples and festival spaces across Asia and other regions on Monday evening, with the festivities continuing into Tuesday.
In Hong Kong, worshippers queued at midnight to light incense and express their wishes for the new year. Vietnam marked Tet with musical countdown shows and dazzling firework displays. In Taiwan, participants joined in the ritual of ringing 108 bells and offered flowers as part of traditional practices.
These lively celebrations signalled the shift from the Year of the Snake to the Year of the Horse within the twelve animal cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
The Lunar New Year stands as the most important holiday in China and holds deep significance across East Asia and among diaspora communities around the world.
In Beijing, visitors gathered at well known temples to burn incense and pray for prosperity and happiness in the year ahead. During the CCTV Spring Festival Gala, a performance combining martial arts by children and robots was featured, with humanoid machines from Unitree Robotics demonstrating choreographed movements and even wielding swords.
At a temple in Hong Kong, the scent of incense filled the air as attendees took part in the traditional midnight wish making ritual. Worshippers bowed repeatedly while holding bundles of incense before placing them in designated containers outside the temple.
The festivities also extended beyond Asia.
In Moscow, visitors tasted Chinese foods from market stalls and walked through snowy streets decorated with red lanterns and dragon themed ornaments as the city began a two week celebration. In Argentina, thousands assembled in Buenos Aires Chinatown, enjoying dragon and lion dances on the main stage along with martial arts performances.
Source: BBC
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