Photos: Ringing in the Chinese Lunar New Year 2019

Feb 06, 2019 20:14 IST

Girls react to a squealing Teacup pig, a rare pet in the country, at the start of celebrations leading to the Chinese New Year at Manila’s Lucky Chinatown Plaza in Manila, Philippines. This year is the Year of the Earth Pig on the Lunar calendar and is supposed to represent abundance, diligence and generosity. (Bullit Marquez / AP)

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Girls react to a squealing Teacup pig, a rare pet in the country, at the start of celebrations leading to the Chinese New Year at Manila’s Lucky Chinatown Plaza in Manila, Philippines. This year is the Year of the Earth Pig on the Lunar calendar and is supposed to represent abundance, diligence and generosity. (Bullit Marquez / AP)

Shoppers walk through the Lunar New Year fair at Victoria Park at dusk in Hong Kong. Worshippers stood in line for hours at Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin Temple to welcome the new year by lighting incense. (Paul Yeung / Bloomberg)

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Shoppers walk through the Lunar New Year fair at Victoria Park at dusk in Hong Kong. Worshippers stood in line for hours at Hong Kong’s Wong Tai Sin Temple to welcome the new year by lighting incense. (Paul Yeung / Bloomberg)

In Beijing, performers in traditional Qing dynasty robes strummed zithers for a re-enactment at sunrise of a sacrificial ceremony at the Chinese capital’s Temple of Earth park. An actor portraying an emperor bowed before an altar as dozens of people in ceremonial dress behind him. (Thomas Peter / Reuters)

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In Beijing, performers in traditional Qing dynasty robes strummed zithers for a re-enactment at sunrise of a sacrificial ceremony at the Chinese capital’s Temple of Earth park. An actor portraying an emperor bowed before an altar as dozens of people in ceremonial dress behind him. (Thomas Peter / Reuters)

The holiday in mainland China is marked by the biggest annual travel boom as hundreds of millions of people visit their home towns or travel abroad. The railway ministry forecast mainland travellers would make 413 million trips during the three-week period around the holiday. (Chinatopix via AP)

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The holiday in mainland China is marked by the biggest annual travel boom as hundreds of millions of people visit their home towns or travel abroad. The railway ministry forecast mainland travellers would make 413 million trips during the three-week period around the holiday. (Chinatopix via AP)

Thousands of members of the Chinese American community, tourists and other New Yorkers took to the streets to celebrate the first day of the Lunar New Year. The lighting of firecrackers is believed to ward off evil spirits and to bring the God of wealth into people's lives once New Year's Day arrives. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images / AFP)

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Thousands of members of the Chinese American community, tourists and other New Yorkers took to the streets to celebrate the first day of the Lunar New Year. The lighting of firecrackers is believed to ward off evil spirits and to bring the God of wealth into people's lives once New Year's Day arrives. (Spencer Platt / Getty Images / AFP)

A vendor packs candies at the Dihua Street market in Taipei, Taiwan. Taiwanese shoppers started hunting for delicacies, dried goods, and other bargains at the market weeks ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations. (Chiang Ying-ying / AP)

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A vendor packs candies at the Dihua Street market in Taipei, Taiwan. Taiwanese shoppers started hunting for delicacies, dried goods, and other bargains at the market weeks ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations. (Chiang Ying-ying / AP)

People rush to plant the first joss stick of the Lunar New Year at the stroke of midnight at the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho temple in Singapore. (Feline Lim / REUTERS)

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People rush to plant the first joss stick of the Lunar New Year at the stroke of midnight at the Kwan Im Thong Hood Cho temple in Singapore. (Feline Lim / REUTERS)

In Bangkok, people lit incense sticks and burned paper money and other symbolic offerings for deceased relatives despite government appeals to avoid contributing to smog. Some shopkeepers sold symbolic ballots to burn as offerings following official promises of an election this year, the first after four years of military rule. (Jorge Silva / REUTERS)

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In Bangkok, people lit incense sticks and burned paper money and other symbolic offerings for deceased relatives despite government appeals to avoid contributing to smog. Some shopkeepers sold symbolic ballots to burn as offerings following official promises of an election this year, the first after four years of military rule. (Jorge Silva / REUTERS)

In the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, visitors left bouquets of flowers at statues of former leaders Kim Il Sung and his son, Kim Jong Il. (Jon Chol Jin / AP)

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In the North Korean capital, Pyongyang, visitors left bouquets of flowers at statues of former leaders Kim Il Sung and his son, Kim Jong Il. (Jon Chol Jin / AP)

Vendors carry pig-shaped balloons for sale to mark the Lunar New Year in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is also the most important holiday in Vietnam, where it is celebrated as Tet. (Hau Dinh / AP)

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Vendors carry pig-shaped balloons for sale to mark the Lunar New Year in Hanoi, Vietnam. It is also the most important holiday in Vietnam, where it is celebrated as Tet. (Hau Dinh / AP)

In Japan, the capital’s famous Tokyo Tower turned red in celebration of the New Year -- a first for the city. (Issei Kato / REUTERS)

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In Japan, the capital’s famous Tokyo Tower turned red in celebration of the New Year -- a first for the city. (Issei Kato / REUTERS)

In Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country which also has a sizeable ethnic Chinese population, the Lunar New Year was a public holiday. Events such as traditional lion dances are held in decorated public spaces while supermarkets stock up on mooncakes and tangerines. (Achmad Ibrahim / AP)

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In Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country which also has a sizeable ethnic Chinese population, the Lunar New Year was a public holiday. Events such as traditional lion dances are held in decorated public spaces while supermarkets stock up on mooncakes and tangerines. (Achmad Ibrahim / AP)

Lion dancers perform during Lunar New Year celebrations in Yangon, Myanmar. (Ye Aung Thu / AFP)

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Lion dancers perform during Lunar New Year celebrations in Yangon, Myanmar. (Ye Aung Thu / AFP)

The Hero Pig Lantern by artist Qian Jian Hua is illuminated on the western boardwalk of the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia. Sydney Lunar Festival has evolved from a small community celebration in Chinatown 23 years ago and now attracts more than 1.3 million visitors from all over the world each year. (Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)

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The Hero Pig Lantern by artist Qian Jian Hua is illuminated on the western boardwalk of the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia. Sydney Lunar Festival has evolved from a small community celebration in Chinatown 23 years ago and now attracts more than 1.3 million visitors from all over the world each year. (Cameron Spencer / Getty Images)

A North Korean refugee’s family bow during a memorial service for other North Korean family members, in front of a barbed wire fence near the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Paju, during Seolnal, the Lunar New Year’s day. (Kim Hong-Ji / REUTERS)

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A North Korean refugee’s family bow during a memorial service for other North Korean family members, in front of a barbed wire fence near the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Paju, during Seolnal, the Lunar New Year’s day. (Kim Hong-Ji / REUTERS)

about the gallery

Ethnic Chinese communities across Asia and diasporas all over the world welcomed the lunar Year of the Pig on Tuesday with visits to temples, family banquets and the world's biggest travel spree. Celebrations took place throughout the region, from Beijing and Seoul to Hanoi and Singapore. Families gathered at home for multigenerational banquets. Companies, shops and government offices closed for official holidays that ranged from two days in South Korea to a week in China.

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