Global Celebrations Usher in the Lunar Year of the Horse

Communities around the world celebrated the Lunar New Year on Tuesday, marking the beginning of the Year of the Horse. As one of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac, the horse succeeds the Year of the Snake, ushering in a fresh start for millions.

In Hong Kong, temple-goers lined up at midnight to light incense and make wishes for the new year, filling the air with aromatic smoke. Meanwhile, in Vietnam, people gathered for outdoor countdowns and fireworks displays, joining in rhythmic clapping to live pop music performances.

In Moscow, Chinese street fairs featured culinary stalls and snowy decorations with red lanterns and dragons, highlighting the warming relations between China and Russia despite European tensions over the Ukraine conflict. In Taiwan, the Baoan Temple bell tolled 108 times, as followers engaged in traditional rituals to honor the holiday.