新年快乐！

Everyone stops in their tracks to watch fireworks on Chinese New Year.

Happy New Year! Chinese New Year that is.

Just as the clock struck midnight on January 26th, Shanghai welcomed the Year of the Ox with a bang! A really, really, really loud bang. The firework scene across town was like nothing I’ve never experienced. Although I’ve never been in a war zone, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that the visual and audio display probably parallels a Chinese New Year celebration. My videos will never capture the full essence of living the moment in the flesh, but check it out.

This was taken from the balcony of an apartment on the 14th floor…

And this was taken at street level…

I think it’s safe to say that the fireworks chased off the evil spirits from the past year as well as the evil spirts that might have been lingering from the previous year. Here are a couple still photos.

The massive ball of fire didn't phase the driver of the black car.

Fireworks in China make a mess.

Popular Shanghai tourist destination, Yuyuan Gardens, also did some Spring Festival decorating with these fun and fancy floating illumnated scenes.

Tell me which animal represents your birth year on the Chinese Lunar Calendar by clicking here.

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