Chinese New Year 2013: The Year of the Snake is in full swing across Asia (PHOTOS)
Chinese ethnics burn incenses during a prayer at a temple in Jakarta.
The Chinese New Year, which will see the dragon give way to the snake, officially gets started February 10. But you'd never know it from the celebratory performances, markets, decorations, and of course, record numbers of travelers.
200 million people have traveled home to visit family for the seven-day holiday, which many believe is the biggest human migration in the world today, BBC News reported.
Though authorities have called for downsized fireworks to reduce air pollution and motioned for anti-extravagance measures throughout the country, the spirit of the Lunar New Year remains high in China and across Asia, the Associated Press reported.
The year of the snake has a mixed reputation in China, according to the BBC: while people associate it with wisdom and beauty, it also has connotations of pride and anger.
More from GlobalPost: China's annual Lunar New Year migration is under way
Without federal support, local stations, especially in rural and underserved areas, face deep cuts or even closure. Vital public service alerts, news, storytelling, and programming like The World will be impacted. The World has weathered many storms, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to being your trusted source for human-centered international news, shared with integrity and care. We believe public media is about truth and access for all. As an independent, nonprofit newsroom, we aren’t controlled by billionaire owners or corporations. We are sustained by listeners like you.
Now more than ever, we need your help to support our global reporting work and power the future of The World.