Firework of Chinese Year of the Rabbit

The Chinese New Year of the Rabbit got off to a fire-cracking started on Wednesday as these spectacular images from festivities all over the Chinese-speaking world show. And not content with one day of celebrations, the Chinese New Year lasts for more than two weeks, coinciding with new moon on the first day and culminating with the full moon 15 days later with the Lantern Festival.

New Year is a national holiday in China and it is by far the biggest, brightest and most important celebration in their annual calender. The Year of the Rabbit promises to be a placid year of calm reflection following the ferocious year of the Tiger, according to the Chinese zodiac which attributes animal characteristics for each year.

According to tradition, it is also destined to be a year characterised by good taste and refinement, when people will acknowledge that persuasion is better than force. International relations and diplomacy will be conducted with congeniality - which will be music to the ears of Western nations currently trying to cash-in on China's booming trade and increasing prominence as a super-power.

Source: mailonline