Grand shows herald start of new year
By Qin Jize in Beijing and Zhang Kun in Shanghai (China Daily)
Updated: 2006-01-02 07:28

New Year's Day always brings new resolutions and Lin Xiaoyang ensured he carried out his pledge straight away.

Lin was among those in Beijing making the most of the relatively warm weather yesterday New Year's Day.

He took his parents, both in their 60s, for a full day of mountain climbing in the western suburban area of the capital.

"It was an enjoyable trip and a good beginning for the act of my New Year resolution," he said.

He said he is trying to make it a priority to see his parents at least once a week in the new year.

"I hope that I have shown my appreciation and have given back some of what they have given me by accompanying them to do some workouts to keep fit," he said.

In addition to traditional holiday activities such as family reunions and shopping, swimming pools and sports courts were also popular.

The start of the new year in Beijing was heralded by the ancient bell and drum tower. The loud beating of the 63-ton bell reverberated in the air at the stroke of midnight, expressing the best wishes for people all over the city.

At Peking University, hundreds of students celebrated the New Year by skating on the frozen surface of the famous Weiming Lake in the campus.

Fund-raising extravaganza

In Hong Kong, thousands of tourists counted down to 2006 at Disneyland.

In front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, visitors danced to the enchanting tunes of Tony Carpio and his big band. In Fantasyland, guests enjoyed reggae, R&B and soul, while on Main Street USA, the air was filled with the spicy scent of succulent Nuremberg sausages and lamp satays.

"We are having a wonderful time here," said a man surnamed Wang, who came to Disneyland with his girlfriend. "It's a great place to celebrate the dawning of a New Year."

Times Square, Tsim Sha Tsui, Sha Tin Park and Lan Kwai Fong also saw major gatherings as the traditional rendezvous of the New Year's Eve carnivals.

In Shanghai, the Apple Countdown at Times Square on Huaihai Lu attracted the largest crowd. The event has been held for the past five years, but this time, a charity event was held alongside it to raise funds for poverty-stricken children's schooling.

Thousands of people gathered ahead of the countdown, writing down their New Year's wishes on cards, which were attached to balloons and released at midnight.

Pop stars from the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, and the Republic of Korea sang their greatest hits together with thousands of fans on the site. The crowds also enjoyed Western-style music.

Kung fu film star Jackie Chan led the countdown on the Century Square on Nanjing Lu. He flew to Shanghai on a chartered plane especially for the event. "I wish for world peace in 2006, and everybody here today good health. As for myself, I wish to shoot a couple of good movies for you to enjoy," he told the audience.

At midnight, the clock on top of the Shanghai Customs Building on the Bund rang twelve times, with audiences on Nanjing Lu watching the swing of the pendulum on a huge screen.

Bell ringing ceremonies to mark the start of 2006 were held in ancient temples such as Longhua and Jing'an. Many department stores held grand sales events on New Year's Eve.

(China Daily 01/02/2006 page1)