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Nation Celebrates Year of Snake
China ushered in the Year of Snake, the first Lunar New Year in the 21st Century, amidst celebrations and festivities across the nation.
From Beijing to Shanghai, from Guangzhou to Hohhot, from Lhasa to Urumqi, people across China are celebrating the most cherished traditional festival of family reunion and carnival, known as the Spring Festival, with varieties of activities and plentiful of food.
The joyful moment reminds people of the remarkable achievements in all social sectors in 2000, the Year of Dragon.
China has pulled most of its large state-owned enterprises out of the red; the overwhelming majority of poverty-stricken people had themselves adequately fed or clothed with the help of the
central government and people from all walks of life; more people are driving private cars; an increasing number of youngsters are conveying festival greetings via the e-mail. Even the blizzard-hit residents in northern Inner Mongolia are taken good care of.
As usual, most Chinese prefer watching TV programs presented by CCTV, China's central television, and many local TV stations. Some people are touring overseas; others are wining and dining at restaurants and hotels, while still others treated themselves to films at local cinemas.
In Beijing, the national capital, bells were ringing to greet the New Year and several hundred people signed their names on a big streamer to support Beijing's bid for hosting the 2008 Olympic
Games.
Many Beijingers marked the holiday by donating to the blizzard-affected people in Inner Mongolia. The city has so far donated approximately 300,000 yuan and 20,000 pieces of clothes.
Festivities apparently didn't delay business in China's leading commercial center Shanghai. A contract on railway projects was signed Tuesday between Shanghai and several famous foreign companies.
People in Fuzhou, capital of east China's Fujian Province, have shown a special liking for fresh flowers and books, which are seen as popular gifts instead of food and wine.
Shanxi has witnessed the conclusion of a project to divert water from the Yellow River to its Fenhe Reservoir, which will substantially relieve the shortage of water in the north China province.
In southwest China's Chengdu City, more flights have been added to satisfy the growing number of people who no longer like to stay in and want to travel to other provinces or abroad during the week-long holiday.
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