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The beginning of the Chinese Lunar New Year, the year of the rabbit, has been celebrated in Melbourne, Australia.
Our Australian correspondent Gabriel Georgiou (pron. Georg-ee-oh) files this report.
If any Australian city is most known for its celebration of culture and the arts, Melbourne is it.
On February 6th, the city transformed. Thousands coming to take in the sights, sounds and mouth-watering smells of the Chinese Lunar New Year.
Those born in the year of the rabbit, are curious, calm, stylish and passionate. The rabbit is the fourth animal in the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac.
It is believed the loud beats of the drum and clanging of the cymbals, together with the dragon or lion dancing aggressively, will scare off bad or evil spirits.
[Alan Dinh, Lion Dance Drummer]
"The lion dancers train all year round and most of them have been training since early highschool."
In China the Lunar New Year is known as "Spring Festival", and lasts 15 days. It is considered the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays.
Gabriel Georgiou, NTD, Melbourne Australia.
