Raucous celebrations as Asia greets Year of Snake
CHINA: A billion-plus Asians ushered in the Year of the Snake on
Sunday with a cacophony of fireworks, after a Chinese televised gala
featuring megastars including Celine Dion kicked off a week of
festivities.
From Australia to South Korea, millions of people travelled huge
distances to reunite with their families for Lunar New Year -- the most
important holiday of the year for many in Asia -- indulging in feasts
and celebrations.
As the clock struck midnight, Beijing's skyline lit up with colour as
residents braved freezing temperatures to set off loud fireworks,
traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits -- a scene repeated
across China.
But this year reportedly saw a sharp reduction in the sale of
fireworks as heavy smog in recent weeks has stoked fears that Beijing's
notorious air pollution levels could touch dangerous highs during the
festival.
More than 260,000 boxes of fireworks were sold in the city in the
days leading up to the New Year, a 37 percent drop compared to last
year's sales, after the smog left citizens “worried”, the Beijing News
reported.
Broadcaster CCTV aired its annual gala variety show during the
countdown to the New Year -- which rakes in hundreds of millions of
viewers -- featuring a gamut of iconic stars including Celine Dion who
sang in Mandarin.
Dion performed the classic Chinese folk song “Jasmine Flower” -- in
duet with local idol Song Zuying, before launching into her global hit
“My Heart Will Go On” from the Hollywood blockbuster Titanic.
Celebrations were also reported aboard Chinese patrol ships in waters
surrounding East China Sea islands known as Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu
in China, which are at the centre of a bitter territorial row with
Japan. Sailors adorned their vessels with lanterns and snake-themed
decorations to usher in the New Year, the Beijing Times said.
In China the snake has traditionally been seen as a symbol of wisdom,
wealth and longevity, but is considered less auspicious than other
animals in the 12-year Chinese Zodiac such as the Dragon.
In Taiwan, temples were thronged with the faithful seeking blessings,
with President Ma Ying-jeou seen handing out traditional “red envelopes”
with money (a token Tw$1) to well-wishers in Taipei.
People also rushed to lotto booths to buy special Lunar New Year
lottery tickets with a jackpot of Tw$200 million ($6.89 million).
In Sydney, fireworks overnight announced the Lunar New Year though
the city's major event, the annual Twilight Parade featuring some 3,500
performers, is not on until next weekend.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard wished the country's 900,000 people of
Chinese ancestry a “healthy and prosperous Year of the Snake” on Twitter
while ministers in her government said it was an important celebration
of Australian diversity.
The New Year typically marks the largest annual movement of people as
millions of people across China and other Asian countries squeeze into
packed trains and buses to journey home to spend the season with their
families.
AFP |