Chinese lunar new year celebrated worldwide

Source: CCTV.com | 02-12-2008 09:45

Chinese lunar new year celebrations have been held outside China too. Here's a look at some of those events.

In the Netherlands, overseas Chinese gathered for festivities at The Hague, Saturday. Celebrating alongside local members of the Chinese community were the Dutch foreign minister and diplomats from over forty countries. The highlight for the ten thousand participants at the celebration was a costume parade.

In Stockholm, Sweden, the King's Garden downtown was the focal point for celebrations. Braving wintry air, performers staged lion dances and there were performances of traditional folk music.

In London, the prestigious British Museum hosted the presentation of some traditional Chinese performing arts. Beijing high school students grabbed the limelight with a folk dancing exhibition. The show also featured Spring Festival specialties like shadow puppets and fine paper-cuts. The museum also curated a wide exhibit of Chinese antiques and artifacts -- presided over by twelve lanterns depicting the Chinese zodiac.

Across the Channel, the French staged costume parades for the Chinese New Year. Led by dragon and lion dancers, more than 20 performing teams drew huge crowds as they toured the major streets of Paris. There were performances of traditional Chinese operas, folk dances, and kungfu exhibitions. This week, the City of Light will welcome even more performances in celebration of the lunar New Year.

Australia joined the fun too. In Sydney, there was a parade consisting of dozens of large floats. More than two thousand performers were in the streets. 80 thousand people turned out to watch the annual spectacle, now in its twelfth year.

And in Washington D.C., the U.S. capital, a gourmet festival was among the highlights of Chinese New Year celebrations. Typical Chinese food from different regions, ranging from Beijing to Yunnan, was prepared and presented as a special feast to the people of Washington.

Editor:Xiong Qu