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China's Lantern Festival Celebration Kicks Off in Beijing

© AFP 2023 / Wang Zhao Red lanterns on a tree in a park in Beijing during preparations for the New Year celebration
Red lanterns on a tree in a park in Beijing during preparations for the New Year celebration  - Sputnik International, 1920, 05.02.2023
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In 2023, the Chinese New Year fell on 22 January, marking the start of the Year of the Rabbit, according to the Chinese zodiac.
Sputnik comes live from Beijing Park for the traditional Chinese Lantern Festival. The streets are decorated with the colorful lanterns to mark the end of the two-week-long New Year celebrations.
The tradition of lighting colorful lanterns on this day is an ancient one, going back more than 2,000 years.
The Lantern Festival is said to have been established by Emperor Ming of Han, who learnt that monks were lighting lanterns as a way of worshiping the Buddha. The ruler liked the tradition, so he ordered all the faithful, monasteries and temples to do the same.
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