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Thousands Pray At Beijing's Lama Temple To Usher In The Chinese New Year (VIDEO, PHOTO)

On Chinese New Year, Thousands Flock To Pray At Beijing's Old Temple (VIDEO, PHOTO)

Jan 23, 2012 marked the beginning of the Chinese New Year of the Dragon. Chinese New Year is the longest and most important festival in China, marking the arrival of the spring season. Festivities last for about 15 days with unique regional customs. This is a time for family to get together, feast and engage in general merriment. Among other customs, people in Beijing visit the Lama temple to offer their prayers for the new year and throw coins at an incense burner to make wishes come true.

Click through the slideshow to see photos from the Lunar New Year festivities:

Chinese New Year
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A large illuminated dragon is seen in Chinatown on January 22, 2011 in Singapore. Thousands of people converged on Chinatown to usher in the Year of the Water Dragon. For the Chinese, The Year of the Water Dragon is said to bring abundance, and good fortune. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Fireworks explode in the air to celebrate Chinesee New Year on January 22, 2012 in Beijing, China. The Chinese Lunar New Year, known as the Spring Festival, is based on the Lunisolar Chinese calendar. It is celebrated from the first day of the first month of the lunar year and ends with the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Chinese folk artists perform the lion dance at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Dragon on January 22, 2012 in Beijing, China. Falling on January 23 this year, the Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, which is based on the Lunisolar Chinese calendar, is celebrated from the first day of the first month of the lunar year and ends with Lantern Festival on the Fifteenth day. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Chinese folk artists prepare to perform the dragon dance at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Dragon on January 22, 2012 in Beijing, China. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Chinese young performers dressed in dragon costumes prepare to perform at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Dragon on January 22, 2012 in Beijing, China. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Chinese folk artists perform a stilt dance at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Dragon on January 22, 2012 in Beijing, China. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Chinese folk artists perform a stilt dance at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Dragon on January 22, 2012 in Beijing, China. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Decorative red lanterns are hung on trees at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Dragon on January 22, 2012 in Beijing, China. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Chinese folk artists prepare to perform at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Dragon on January 22, 2012 in Beijing, China. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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A Chinese young performer dressed in dragon costumes prepares to perform at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Dragon on January 22, 2012 in Beijing, China. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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In this photograph taken on January 22, 2012, members of the Indonesian lion dance troupe prepare for a performance inside a new shopping mall in Jakarta while lion dancers perform during Chinese New Year festivities. The Lunar new year is the most important holiday on the Chinese calendar. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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SINGAPORE - JANUARY 23: A woman prays to a Buddha deity at the Buddha Tooth Relic temple to welcome in the Chinese New Year on January 23, 2011 in Singapore. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Filipinos perform a dragon dance in Chinatown to celebrate Chinese New Year in Manila on January 23, 2012. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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A woman burns incense sticks at a Buddhist temple in Denpasar, on the Hindu majority island of Bali on January 23, 2012, celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Woman pray at a Buddhist temple in Denpasar, on the Hindu majority island of Bali on January 23, 2012, celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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An elderly Chinese woman attaches a blessing tablet with her wishes for the new year on the first day of the 'Year of the Dragon', at the Dongyue Temple in Beijing on January 23, 2012. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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An elderly Chinese man attaches a blessing tablet with his wishes for the new year on the first day of the 'Year of the Dragon', at the Dongyue Temple in Beijing on January 23, 2012. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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People perform with dolphins during an underwater theatre show celebreting Chinese New Year in the Ancol park in Jakarta on January 23, 2012. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Members of the chinese community in India perform a lion dance as they celebrate the Chinese New Year in Kolkata, on January 23, 2012. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Thousands of people visit a lantern festival to celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Dragon in Shanghai on January 23, 2012. (Getty) (credit:Getty)
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Thousands of people visit a lantern festival to celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Dragon in Shanghai on January 23, 2012. (Getty) (credit:Getty)

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