Lunar New Year begins in a riot of color
In this picture taken on January 27, 2014, two vendors mind a stall at a Chinese New Year fair in Hong Kong. With the Year of the Snake slithering into history, they say that the incoming Lunar New Year beginning on January 31 is going to be the kind of horse that you shouldn’t stand behind — because it incorporates the volatile element of fire.
Lunar New Year celebrations in China are usually marked by riotous displays of fireworks, but this year may be quieter.
The country's weather forecaster called for a ban on fireworks, anticipating heavy smog over central and eastern China.
"Firecrackers and fireworks can release large amounts of toxic gas and particles such as sulfur dioxide, which will cause severe air pollution," said Chen Zhenlin, spokesman for the China Meteorological Administration.
But cities in Asia — from Beijing to Hong Kong to Bali — are already bathed in color to welcome the Year of the Horse.