BEIJING, Jan. 24 -- Landmarks of major cities worldwide are glowing red as people gather to usher in the Chinese New Year, also the Year of the Rat, the first in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac:
The Vessel on Hudson Yards is illuminated with red lights to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year in New York, the United States, Jan. 22, 2020. The Chinese Lunar New Year falls on Jan. 25 this year. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)
NEW YORK -- The lights inside the Vessel, a new landmark in New York City, changed color to red on Wednesday evening, in celebration of the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year that falls on Jan. 25.
The change marks the kick-off of the first Lunar New Year celebration at Hudson Yards, Manhattan, New York's newest neighborhood and the largest private real estate development in the United States.
Fireworks explode above the Hudson River in New York, the United States, on Jan. 23, 2020, to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)
In addition, a dazzling show of fireworks lit up the night sky over the Hudson River in New York City on Thursday as part of the celebrations ringing in the Chinese Lunar New Year.
The fireworks show over Hudson River, launched in 2014 in honor of the Chinese Lunar New Year, has become a must-see for New Yorkers and visitors to the city.
NEW YORK -- A visitor looks at a window display featuring the Chinese Lunar Year of Rat at the Empire State Building in New York, the United States, Jan. 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Ying)
Elsewhere in the city, the top of the Empire State Building in Manhattan is scheduled to be illuminated in red and gold, the auspicious colors of a lucky New Year, from sunset on Thursday to 2 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Friday.
It is the 20th consecutive year that the Manhattan landmark has been lit in honor of the Chinese New Year, which became a public holiday for schools in New York in 2016.
The iconic Sydney Opera House turns red to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year and welcome the Year of the Rat on Jan. 23, 2020. (Xinhua/Zhang Yue)
SYDNEY -- The world-famous sails of the iconic Sydney Opera House turned red on Thursday, to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year and welcome the Year of the Rat.
Aussies have fallen in love with the traditions of the Lunar New Year and it's expected that over 1.5 million people will attend more than 100 events over the 16-day period.
"Lunar New Year has become an integral part of our calendar in New South Wales (NSW) State and is widely celebrated by East Asian and South East Asian communities," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said.
"It is a time for families and loved ones to come together and share in new hopes and aspirations."
Sydney's Lunar celebrations also bring in around 42 million Australian dollars (29 million U.S. dollars) for the local economy.
Another highlight of the 2020 Sydney Lunar Festival will be the returning Lunar Lanterns exhibition, with 12 larger-than-life illuminated artworks representing all the animal signs of the zodiac.
The Pyramids are lit up in red in Giza, Egypt on Jan. 23, 2020 to celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
CAIRO -- The Great Pyramids and the Sphinx in Giza near the Egyptian capital Cairo have been shining in red in a ceremonial sound and light show on Thursday evening as part of the celebrations of China's Spring Festival, also known as the Chinese New Year.
During the show, the Sphinx was lit in vivid colors while narrating the stories of ancient Egyptian pharaohs with laser shapes projected on the three massive pyramids in the background.
The Egyptian-Chinese cultural interaction has noticeably been growing thanks to the support of the political leaderships of both countries, Fathy Abdel-Wahab, head of the Cultural Development Fund of Egypt's Ministry of Culture, said during the event.
The Sphinx is lit up in red in Giza, Egypt on Jan. 23, 2020 to celebrate the Chinese Spring Festival. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)
"Over the past few years, interaction between the Egyptian and the Chinese has become stronger and we started to see more Chinese people in the Egyptian streets," the Egyptian official told Xinhua.
Reham Ahmed, an Egyptian young woman who studies Chinese at Cairo University, came with a friend of hers to watch the Sound and Light show and got more in touch with the Chinese people and culture.
"The celebration combines both the Egyptian and the Chinese cultures, so it is attractive to me as an Egyptian and a student of Chinese language," said the Egyptian student. ■
