In pictures: Celebrating the Year of the Tiger

Millions around the world celebrate the start of the Year of the Tiger, and we have the pictures to prove it

By Virginia Lau 15 February, 2010

Spring Festival Temple Fair

Performers dance at the opening ceremony of the Spring Festival Temple Fair at the Temple of Earth park in Beijing.

Dongyue Miao

A women hangs an offering under ornaments, featuring the god of wealth at Dongyue Miao, the Taoist Temple of the Eastern Peak, in Beijing.

Chinese New Year

At a temple fair in Beijing, Chinese children dance in celebration of the Year of the Tiger.

Chinese New Year

As a Chinese New Year ritual, Indonesia's ethnic-Chinese burn incense at a temple in Jakarta's Chinatown.

Chinese New Year

A commercial center in Jakarta celebrates both the Year of the Tiger and Valentine's Day with traditional Chinese and heart-shaped lanterns.

Chinese New Year

Dragon dancers attract crowds in front of Paris townhall at the start of this year's Chinese New Year festivities. Fifty percent of France's 600,000 to 700,000 ethnic Chinese live in the Paris region.

Chinese New Year

Ribbon dancers dance in front of Paris' townhall.

Chinese New Year

Members of the Philippines' Chinese community dragon dance in Manila's Chinatown.

Chinese New Year

The eruption of firecrackers causes spectators (at back) to cover their ears as they watch the Yau Kung Mun martial arts group (C) perform in Sydney's Chinatown.

Chinese New Year

A Thai scuba diver in Chinese traditional wear holds up a 'Happy Chinese New Year' sign at an aquarium in Bangkok.

Chinese New Year

Spectators look up at lanterns that illuminate the streets of Shanghai during the Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year

Phnom Penh's main market is especially busy as Cambodian Chinese feast on roasted pig during the Lunar New Year.

Chinese New Year

A boy sits in the hall of Singapore's Buddha Tooth relic temple while devotees pray for good fortune during the new year.

Chinese New Year

An assortment of cookies are on display in Singapore's Chinatown.

Chinese New Year

Tiger dolls on sale in Hefei, in eastern China's Anhui province.

Chinese New Year

Rain doesn't deter people from going to a New Year fair in Hong Kong's Victoria Park.

Chinese New Year

Shopping for Chinese New Year decorations at a market in Hong Kong.

Chinese New Year

In Chongqing, Chinese Taoist worshippers light incense and pray beside the Dafo temple on Chinese New Year day.

Chinese New Year

Taiwanese people pray for good fortune at a Taoist temple in Taipei on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

Chinese New Year

Praying and burning incense at a Taoist temple in Taipei on Chinese New Year day.

1 of 1

Dragons, lions, tigers and incense. From Beijing to Sydney to Paris, those who follow the lunar calendar show us how they welcome the tiger in 2010.

Click here for more Chinese New Year coverage from CNNGo.

Former editorial assistant Virginia Lau studied international relations and taught English while living and traveling abroad. She is now senior editor at Perspective Magazine.

In pictures: Celebrating the Year of the Tiger

Spring Festival Temple Fair

Dongyue Miao

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year

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