China Marks End of New Year with Great Wall "Dragon" Dance

China wrapped up two weeks of lunar new year celebrations on Saturday with a celebration that featured 10,000 youths performing a "dragon dance" atop the Great Wall, led by martial arts film star Jackie Chan.

Saturday's Lantern Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the lunar new year, is traditionally a time for families to gather to eat sweet dumplings known as "yuan xiao."

China's Youth League seized the opportunity to promote nationalism with its performance by 10,000 yellow-clad children from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao who helped form a 10,000-foot-long dragon.

Bouncing and slithering along the rugged spine of the Great Wall, they also were seeking a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

Jackie Chan, who as a famous action and comedy star is a role model for many Chinese youth, held the customary "red pearl" in the mouth of the mythical monster, which has come to symbolize the Chinese nation.

"If all the Chinese at home and abroad unite, there is nothing we cannot do," Chan said. "China will have a 'dragon flying' year, and I wish good health to all the Chinese people and people around the world." Chan also helped launch a fundraising drive to help educate children.

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