Chinese New Year celebrations are underway
- Published
Millions of people across China, Vietnam, Japan and other countries around the world are celebrating Chinese New Year. This Chinese folk artist performs at the opening ceremony of the Spring Festival Temple Fair in Beijing.
The Chinese zodiac follows a 12-year cycle. Each of the years is named after an animal and this is the year of the horse. Many have decorated their homes with horse-shaped ornaments and red banners.
Chinese New Year is the most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. It's the oldest Chinese festival and has many traditions.
Sub-marine celebrations were held to entertain visitors at Singapore's South East Asia Aquarium.
Fireworks lit up the sky in Beijing to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Chinese Cambodians performed a dragon dance to celebrate the incoming Year of the Horse, in Phnom Penh.
In the Philippines, this dragon took a break from performing outside businesses in Manila's Chinatown. The dance is traditionally believed to bring them prosperity.
Hoping for a bright new year, people pose for photos around artificial cherry blossom trees with LED lights on, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
A dragon dance takes place with a dragon made of paper, silk and bamboo held up by young men dancing and guiding it around to collect money.
This performer wears a traditional costume during an event organised by a shopping centre.
Even animals got involved in the celebrations. These penguins wear Chinese outfits. One of the cute creatures modelled a bib with "happiness" written in Chinese character.
Chinese New Year will end with the lantern festival on the fifteenth day of the month. The lanterns are often hand painted with scenes from history or legend. People have hung glowing lanterns on the streets and at the windows of their houses. According to ancient Chinese traditions red symbolises fire and people dress head to foot in new red clothing for the celebrations.