 | A child in traditional costume reads during a performance outside a temple in Beijing. China's transport system was stretched to the limit while goods flew off shop shelves in a last-minute rush as 1.3 billion people -- a fifth of humanity -- prepared to celebrate Lunar New Year. click to open  |
 | A Chinese man performs in a parade during the Chinese Lunar New Year Day at a temple fair in Beijing February 9, 2005. Tens of thousands of worshippers visited the ancient Taoist temple in China's capital to ring in the Year of the Rooster. click to open |
 | Chinese worshippers offer incense and pray during the Chinese Lunar New Year Day at the Baiyun Temple in Beijing February 9, 2005. Tens of thousands of worshippers visited the ancient Taoist temple in China's capital to ring in the Year of the Rooster. click to open |
 | Chinese worshippers offer incense and pray during the Chinese Lunar New Year Day at the Baiyun Temple in Beijing February 9, 2005. Tens of thousands of worshippers visited the ancient Taoist temple in China's capital to ring in the Year of the Rooster. click to open |
 | Chinese burn incense sticks in an urn at Beijing's White Cloud Temple on Chinese New Year's Day Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2005. Police later banned the burning of incense after winds rose, increasing the fire danger. The move followed a series of fire disasters in the past year which left hundreds dead in China. The Year of the Rooster began Wednesday, kicking off a week-long Spring Festival holiday, the most important in the Chinese calendar. click to open |
 | Chinese worshippers offer incense and pray during the Chinese Lunar New Year Day at the Baiyun Temple in Beijing February 9, 2005. Tens of thousands of worshippers visited the ancient Taoist temple in China's capital to ring in the Year of the Rooster. click to open |
 | Chinese worshippers offer incense and pray during the Chinese Lunar New Year Day at the Baiyun Temple in Beijing February 9, 2005. Tens of thousands of worshippers visited the ancient Taoist temple in China's capital to ring in the Year of the Rooster. click to open |
 | A woman lights joss sticks at a temple to pray on Chinese New Year's eve in a temple in Beijing. Decades of communist preachings against superstition and even political persecution have done little to eradicate deep-rooted superstitious beliefs, which are making a big comeback in China particularly at Chinese New Year click to open |
 | A Chinese performer performs lion dance at a temple fair in Beijing, in this picture taken on February 9, 2005. Life in the bustling Chinese capital slows down as people continue to enjoy their annual week-long Spring Festival holiday, welcoming the Year of the Rooster. Picture taken on February 9, 2005. click to open |
 | Chinese children dressed as mythical figures perform a dance on elevated poles at a temple fair in Beijing January 26, 2004. click to open |
p6