People across China and many parts of the world welcomed the Lunar New Year on Tuesday with prayers, fireworks and colourful festivities, ushering in the Year of the Horse, the seventh sign in the Chinese zodiac, which follows the Year of the Snake.
The Lunar New Year is the most significant annual festival in China and is also widely observed in other East Asian countries and overseas communities.
In China, the celebrations featured the traditional CCTV Spring Festival Gala, where humanoid robots again drew major attention. During Monday night’s show, robots from Unitree Robotics joined children in a martial arts display, performing choreographed moves and even wielding swords, highlighting China’s rapid progress in AI-powered robotics.
In Hong Kong, large crowds gathered at temples just before midnight to pray for good fortune. Worshippers held bundles of incense, bowed repeatedly and placed them in urns outside temple halls as smoke filled the air.
Vietnam also marked the occasion known locally as Tet with outdoor countdown concerts followed by fireworks displays in several cities. Light shows illuminated bridges and high-rise buildings while crowds cheered to live pop performances.
Festivities extended beyond Asia as well. In Moscow, visitors enjoyed Chinese street fairs featuring traditional foods, red lantern decorations and dragon motifs during a two-week celebration across the Russian capital, reflecting growing cultural exchanges between China and Russia.
In Taiwan, devotees flocked to Taipei’s Baoan Temple where a ceremonial bell rang 108 times, a number considered auspicious. People offered flowers and incense while praying for blessings in the new year.
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Meanwhile, thousands gathered in Buenos Aires’ Chinatown to join dragon and lion dances and martial arts demonstrations on the main stage. Argentina’s Chinese community, numbering more than 180,000, played a key role in organising the celebrations.
Overall, prayers, performances and fireworks across different continents reflected the global spirit of the Lunar New Year festival.