While winter storms have pounded many parts of China, the capital has avoided the harsh weather. Now Beijing residents are preparing for the biggest national holiday of the year in the traditional way.
Unlike in the country's central and southern areas which have suffered from heavy snow and freezing temperatures, winter in Beijing has been a lot of fun for the residents. Many families have gone to parks to enjoy some ice skating.
Others are crowding the shops to buy New Year decorations full of wishes for good luck and prosperity. Markets are full of bright, shiny, red and gold decorations. And as the coming year in the Chinese calendar is the Year of Rat, images of rats are proving to be the most popular.
A Beijing resident said, "I'm buying some decorations with the words 'good fortune' on, and of course some images of rats, just to help build up the New Year atmosphere."
Behind the commercialism, there remains a tradition of artwork that supplies many of the decorations that support the festivities. At some of the capital's art studios, folk artists are working to meet the demand of traditional gifts and souvenirs that go with the new year beliefs. Miniature gourds with images of rats are just one example of this.
Artist Xu Qing from Baigongfang Art Studio said, "Since ancient times, the gourd has been regarded as something that brings people wealth, happiness and good luck."
Another traditional decoration which can be seen in many Chinese households during the festival is paper cuttings. Craftsmen in studios are busy producing images of rats.
Paper cut artist Chao Caixuan from Baigongfang Art Studio said, "People consider the rat to be like a god of wealth, so they'd like to put up images of rats in their homes, especially in the Year of Rat."
The Chinese calendar rotates on a 12-year cycle, with an animal for each year. The country will welcome its Year of the Rat on Thursday February 7th.
Copyright by chinadaily.com.cn. All rights reserved. None of this material may be used for any commercial or public use. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 閻楀牊娼堟竟鐗堟閿涙碍婀扮純鎴犵彲閹碘偓閸掑﹦娅ラ惃鍕厬閸ヨ姤妫╅幎銉х秹缁旀瑨瀚崇拠顓犲仯濞层儱鍞寸€圭櫢绱濋悧鍫熸綀鐏炵偘鑵戦崶鑺ユ)閹躲儳缍夌粩娆愬閺堝绱濋張顏嗙病閸楀繗顔呴幒鍫熸綀閿涘瞼顩﹀顫瑓鏉炴垝濞囬悽銊b偓鍌涱偨鏉╁孩鍔归幇蹇庣瑢閺堫剛缍夌粩娆忔値娴f粎娈戦崡鏇氱秴閹存牔閲滄禍杞扮瑢閹存垳婊戦懕鏃傞兇閵嗭拷 閻絻鐦介敍锟�8610閿涳拷84883300閿涳拷 娴肩姷婀¢敍锟�8610閿涳拷84883500閵嗏偓閵嗏偓Email: language@chinadaily.com.cn