Prayers, lion dances and firecrackers have marked the Year of the Snake as Lunar New Year festivals got under way around the world.
The pop-pop-pop of firecrackers greeted the new year outside a temple in Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, on Wednesday, followed by lion dances to the rhythmic beat of drums and small cymbals.
Russians cheered and took smartphone photos of a colourful procession that kicked off a 10-day Lunar New Year festival in Moscow.
Colourful traditions were also in evidence in major cities such as Beijing and Hong Kong.
Year of the Snake celebrations took place as far afield as Moscow (AP)
The Year of the Snake is the sixth sign of the Chinese zodiac (Andy Wong/AP)
Lion dances, as seen here at the Dongyue Temple in Beijing, are a common feature of the Spring Festival (AP)
Prayers took place at the Kwong Siew Shrine in Bangkok (AP)
Performers honoured the Year of the Snake before an NBA basketball game between the Washington Wizards and the Dallas Mavericks (AP)
Many Chinese people who work in bigger cities return home during the eight-day national holiday in what is described as the world’s biggest annual movement of humanity (AP)
A woman lights incense sticks with prosperity wordings as she offers a prayer on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year at the Dongyue Temple in Beijing (Andy Wong/AP)
Traditionally, Chinese people have a family dinner at home on New Year’s Eve and visit ‘temple fairs’ on the Lunar New Year to watch performances and buy snacks, toys and other trinkets from booths (AP)
People watch an artiste perform an acrobatic lion dance at the Dongyue Temple in Beijing on the first day of the Chinese Lunar New Year (Andy Wong/AP)
Many Chinese people take advantage of the extended holiday to travel both in their own country and abroad (AP)
Street performers entertain visitors to Ditan Temple in Beijing (Aaron Favila/AP)
The Ditan Temple Fair in Beijing is a popular attraction (AP)
Traditional costumes are a common feature of the celebrations (AP)
Will it be your lucky year?(AP)
The change marks the end of the Year of the Dragon (Eugene Hoshiko/AP)