Asian populations are starting 15 days of celebrations for the Chinese
lunar new year on Monday, which ushers in the year of the dragon.
Chinese tradition holds that those born in dragon years tend to be
brave, innovative and highly driven, often making it to the top of their
profession
A boy watches celebrations in Madrid, Spain
A performer prepares to take part in a
traditional Qing dynasty ceremony in which emperors prayed for good
fortune, at the Temple of Earth park in Beijing
Food vendors dressed in imperial costumes offer meat skewers at a park in Beijing
Street performers dressed as statues of old Beijing characters entertain shoppers in Beijing
A performer warms her ears with her hands
as she takes part in the opening ceremony of a spring festival temple
fair at Longtan Park in Beijing
A woman wearing a traditional costume welcomes visitors to an event in Singapore
An actor looks out from his costume before performing in Beijing
Young performers dressed in dragon costumes play before a performance at a park in Beijing
An actor takes part in a Qing dynasty ceremony at the Temple of Earth, in Beijing
A vendor wearing a dragon hat reaches for a toy birdcage at a park in Beijing
Chinese Filipinos light incense at the Seng Guan temple in Binondo, Manila
Actors perform at a park in Beijing
Filipino-Chinese wait for their turn to perform a dragon dance in Manila's Chinatown district
Indonesian-Chinese workers set up giant joss sticks at a temple in Jakarta
Performers in cartoonish dragon-shaped balloon costumes rehearse in Beijing