Firecrackers cracked, incense was burned at temples, and dancers and drummers paraded across Asia and beyond on Wednesday as millions celebrated the Lunar New Year.
From Beijing to Havana, the holiday – called Spring Festival in China, Tet in Vietnam, and Seollal in Korea – is widely celebrated. Wednesday marked the start of the Year of the Snake, one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac.
Crowds in down jackets filled a Beijing park for a “temple fair” on a sunny yet chilly day, ringing bells, tossing coins into gold-bar-shaped containers for luck, enjoying traditional snacks, and snapping photos with a person dressed as the God of Wealth.
The Lunar New Year is a time to wish for luck and prosperity in the year ahead for oneself and others.
“The past year was a very busy one for me, because I had to take care of both my kid and my work,” said Beijing resident Jiang Hecang. “In the Year of the Snake, I wish my kid will grow healthily and my work can remain stable. Then I can be happy enough.”
In Malaysia, firecrackers erupted outside Guan Di Temple in Kuala Lumpur, marking the new year, followed by lion dances accompanied by the rhythmic beat of drums and cymbals.
Ethnic Chinese held incense sticks in front of them, bowing multiple times inside the Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong, before placing the incense into ornate gold-colored pots, with smoke rising from the burning tips. Hundreds lined up on Lunar New Year’s Eve, hoping to be among the first to place incense in stands before the temple’s main hall at 11 p.m.
“I wish my family will be blessed. I hope my business will run well. I pray for my country and wish people peace. I hope this coming year is a better year,” said Ming So, who attends the temple’s late-night ritual every year.
Online, Google joined the celebrations by featuring the classic snake game on its homepage Wednesday.
During the eight-day national holiday, many Chinese workers return home, creating what is called the world’s largest annual human migration. This exodus makes Beijing feel like a ghost town, with shops closed and streets and subways unusually empty.
On New Year’s Eve, Chinese families traditionally gather for a festive dinner at home. On Lunar New Year, many visit temples to pray and attend temple fairs to watch performances and shop for snacks, toys, and trinkets.
“I bring my children here to experience the atmosphere, because the New Year atmosphere … is fading,” said Beijing resident Wang Xinxin at a temple fair in Ditan Park, the former Temple of Earth during the Ming and Qing dynasties.
“Children like mine don’t have much idea what New Year was like in Beijing before, but here we can still see some elements of it,” Wang said.
The government has limited non-official celebrations, with major cities banning the loud firecrackers that once filled Beijing’s streets and enveloped neighborhoods in smoke.
Many Chinese take advantage of the extended holiday to travel both domestically and abroad. According to Ctrip, the top international destinations this year are Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, the U.S., South Korea, Macau, and Vietnam.
In Moscow, Russians cheered, waved, and took photos of drummers, costumed dancers, and dragon and snake figures during a colorful procession that launched a 10-day Lunar New Year festival on Tuesday night.
Since 2022, the Chinese and Russian governments have strengthened their ties, partly to counter what they view as U.S. dominance in global affairs.
Visitors in Moscow cheered “Happy New Year” in Russian and expressed excitement about experiencing Chinese food and culture, including folk performances and stalls selling snacks and artwork.
Cuba’s small Chinese community marked the Lunar New Year on Tuesday night with a parade of glowing lanterns and dragons weaving through the narrow streets of Chinatown.
Once home to one of the largest and oldest Chinese communities in the Americas, Cuba now has a smaller community that celebrates major holidays with a Cuban twist, blending rum, cigars, and traditional Chinese dishes.