Ringing in the Year of the Sheep
Dragon and lion dancers performed in bustling and noisy Chinatowns in Southeast Asian capitals, where ethnic Chinese trooped to temples to burn incense sticks and offer prayers.
The Year of the Sheep, known variably as the Year of the Goat or Ram, is celebrated during the seven-day holiday, which started Wednesday. Unlike the previous Year of the Horse, which was generally considered to be an auspicious time, this year, according to some astrologists, would bring a volatile economy, more transport accidents and windy natural disasters.
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- Dragon dancers perform in China Town during Chinese New Year celebrations on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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- A chef prepares a Chinese New Year lunch at the Chinese community in the UK centre on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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- Dragon dancers perform in China Town during Chinese New Year celebrations on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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- A parade float is prepared for Sunday’s Chinese News Year parade in China Town on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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- Dragon dancers perform in China Town during Chinese New Year celebrations on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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- Locals light incense at a Chinese-style temple during Chinese New Year on February 19, 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand. February 19 marks the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar and is celebrated amongst Bangkok’s significant ethnically Chinese population. (Photo by Taylor Weidman/Getty Images)
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- A woman poses with a costumed man during Chinese New Year on February 19, 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand. February 19 marks the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar and is celebrated amongst Bangkok’s significant ethnically Chinese population. (Photo by Taylor Weidman/Getty Images)
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- A group performs a dragon dance on February 19, 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand. February 19 marks the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar and is celebrated amongst Bangkok’s significant ethnically Chinese population. (Photo by Taylor Weidman/Getty Images)
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- A group performs a dragon on February 19, 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand. February 19 marks the first day of the Chinese lunar calendar and is celebrated amongst Bangkok’s significant ethnically Chinese population. (Photo by Taylor Weidman/Getty Images)
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- Performers dance at the 2015 Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade on February 19, 2015 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. The parade featured illuminated floats accompanied by local and international performing groups which entertained both locals and tourists alike on Chinese Lunar New Year. Tens of thousands gathered in Hong Kong today to celebrate the Chinese New Year and welcome the Year of the Goat, with New Year’s day falling on February 19. Chinese new Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar and is widely celebrated across Asia. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)
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- Performers dance at the 2015 Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade on February 19, 2015 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. The parade featured illuminated floats accompanied by local and international performing groups which entertained both locals and tourists alike on Chinese Lunar New Year. Tens of thousands gathered in Hong Kong today to celebrate the Chinese New Year and welcome the Year of the Goat, with New Year’s day falling on February 19. Chinese new Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar and is widely celebrated across Asia. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)
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- Performers dance at the 2015 Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade on February 19, 2015 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. The parade featured illuminated floats accompanied by local and international performing groups which entertained both locals and tourists alike on Chinese Lunar New Year. Tens of thousands gathered in Hong Kong today to celebrate the Chinese New Year and welcome the Year of the Goat, with New Year’s day falling on February 19. Chinese new Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar and is widely celebrated across Asia. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)
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- Performers dance at the 2015 Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade on February 19, 2015 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. The parade featured illuminated floats accompanied by local and international performing groups which entertained both locals and tourists alike on Chinese Lunar New Year. Tens of thousands gathered in Hong Kong today to celebrate the Chinese New Year and welcome the Year of the Goat, with New Year’s day falling on February 19. Chinese new Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar and is widely celebrated across Asia. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)
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- Performers await to begin the 2015 Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade on February 19, 2015 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. The parade featured illuminated floats accompanied by local and international performing groups which entertained both locals and tourists alike on Chinese Lunar New Year. Tens of thousands gathered in Hong Kong today to celebrate the Chinese New Year and welcome the Year of the Goat, with New Year’s day falling on February 19. Chinese new Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar and is widely celebrated across Asia. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)
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- Performers await to begin the 2015 Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade on February 19, 2015 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. The parade featured illuminated floats accompanied by local and international performing groups which entertained both locals and tourists alike on Chinese Lunar New Year. Tens of thousands gathered in Hong Kong today to celebrate the Chinese New Year and welcome the Year of the Goat, with New Year’s day falling on February 19. Chinese new Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar and is widely celebrated across Asia. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)
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- Performers await to begin the 2015 Cathay Pacific International Chinese New Year Night Parade on February 19, 2015 in Hong Kong, Hong Kong. The parade featured illuminated floats accompanied by local and international performing groups which entertained both locals and tourists alike on Chinese Lunar New Year. Tens of thousands gathered in Hong Kong today to celebrate the Chinese New Year and welcome the Year of the Goat, with New Year’s day falling on February 19. Chinese new Year is the most important festival in the Chinese calendar and is widely celebrated across Asia. (Photo by Anthony Kwan/Getty Images)
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- People perform the dragon dance to celebrate the Year of Sheep in Macao, south China, on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, the first day of Chinese lunar new year. (Cheong Kam Ka/Xinhua/Zuma Press/TNS)
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- Members of the Panamanian-Chinese community celebrate the Chinese New Year in Panama City on February 19, 2015. (Rodrigo Arangua/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Members of the Panamanian-Chinese community celebrate the Chinese New Year in Panama City on February 19, 2015. (Rodrigo Arangua/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Members of the Panamanian-Chinese community celebrate the Chinese New Year in Panama City on February 19, 2015. (Rodrigo Arangua/AFP/Getty Images)
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- Revelers celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year on February 19, 2015 in New York City. Depending on the translation in to English, the animal that marks the year 2015 is up for debate: goat, sheep and ram have all been used. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
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- Revelers celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year on February 19, 2015 in New York City. Depending on the translation in to English, the animal that marks the year 2015 is up for debate: goat, sheep and ram have all been used. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
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- Revelers celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year on February 19, 2015 in New York City. Depending on the translation in to English, the animal that marks the year 2015 is up for debate: goat, sheep and ram have all been used. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
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- Revelers celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year on February 19, 2015 in New York City. Depending on the translation in to English, the animal that marks the year 2015 is up for debate: goat, sheep and ram have all been used. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
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- Revelers celebrate the start of the Chinese New Year on February 19, 2015 in New York City. Depending on the translation in to English, the animal that marks the year 2015 is up for debate: goat, sheep and ram have all been used. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
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- Dragon dancers perform in China Town during Chinese New Year celebrations on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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- Dragon dancers perform in China Town during Chinese New Year celebrations on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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- A parade float is prepared for Sunday’s Chinese News Year parade in China Town on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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- Dragon dancers perform in China Town during Chinese New Year celebrations on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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- Dragon dancers perform in China Town during Chinese New Year celebrations on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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- A chef prepares a Chinese New Year lunch at the Chinese community in the UK centre on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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- Dragon dancers perform in China Town during Chinese New Year celebrations on February 19, 2015 in London, England. This Sunday will see the largest Chinese New Year celebrations in Europe as performers and members of the Chinese community in the UK celebrate the year of the sheep. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
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