2011 - Year of the Rabbit part 1

1. PART 1

3. Fireworks explode over Xinghai Square to celebrate the Chinese New Year on February 4, 2011 in Dalian, China. (Feng Li/Getty Images

4. People visit the 2011 Yu park folk art lantern show in Shanghai, which displays many lanterns and decorations for the Year of the Rabbit. (ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images

5. A security guard patrols under traditional red lanterns hung for the Chinese Lunar New Year at Qianmen Avenue in Beijing (Feng Li/Getty Images)

6. Buildings are illuminated at Fuyang Ecological Park on January 26 in Fuyang, China. (ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images

7. A statue of a variation of the traditional Beijing folk icon Lord Rabbit is displayed behind a glass enclosure at a shopping mall in Beijing. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images )

8. Tourists walk past a huge traditional red lantern for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year on January 31 in Beijing, China. (Feng Li/Getty Images)

9. A man walks through a tunnel of red lanterns decorating a park in Beijing for the lunar new year . (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images

10. A performer spurts fire from her mouth in Xiangyang, Hubei Province of China, as celebrations begin as the New Year approaches. (ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images

11. A tree is decorated with hanging red lanterns for the lunar new year outside a park in Beijing. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)

12. One of the lanterns that appear at the 2011 China Qinhuai International Lantern Show to greet the new year, in Nanjing, China. (ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images

13. A rabbit-shaped parterre is displayed in a shopping mall in Nanjing, China. (ChinaFotoPress/Getty Images

14. Holiday decorations adorn trees in a shopping area of Beijing. (Ng Han Guan/Associated Press

15. Lanzhou, in China's Gansu province, is home to elaborate decorations for the Year of the Rabbit. (AFP/Getty Images )

16. A woman walks past decorations for the Year of the Rabbit in Beijing, China. (Feng Li/Getty Images )

17. Decorations for the Year of the Rabbit appera on the streets of Beijing. (Feng Li/Getty Images)

18. A shopper has his photo taken at new year decorations in Beijing. (Ng Han Guan/Associated Press)

19. A new year decoration is displayed at a shopping mall in Hong Kong. (Vincent Yu/Associated Press)

20. A man is framed by red Chinese lantern decorations in Singapore. (Wong Maye-E/Associated Press )

21. People walk beneath red lantern decorations on the second day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, Friday, Feb. 4, 2011 in Singapore. AP / Wong Maye-E

22. Visitors walk among Lunar New Year decorations at Fo Guang Shan Dong Zen temple in the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. (Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty Images

23. A man walks past decorations for the Chinese New Year in Beijing. (Feng Li/Getty Images)

24. Fireworks light up Victoria Harbour during Lunar New Year celebrations in Hong Kong on February 4, 2011. Asia rang in the Year of the Rabbit with fireworks, lion dances and prayers that the bunny will live up to its reputation for happiness and good fortune in 2011. AFP/ Getty Images / Mike Clarke

25. Chinese folk artists perform a Koreans' dance at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Rabbit on February 4, 2011 in Beijing, China. Getty Images / Feng Li

26. Chinese people visit a temple fair on Feb. 2, 2011as they celebrate the Lunar New Year in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan province. AFP/ Getty Images / Gou Yige

27. A pedestrian crosses a street under illuminated lanterns on the eve of the start of the Lunar New Year in Shanghai late on February 2, 2011. AFP/ Getty Images / Philippe Lopez

28. Performers push a rabbit-shaped decorated float during the night parade in Hong Kong Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011 as they celebrate China's lunar new year. AP / Kin Cheung

29. People perform a Dragon dance at a Chinese temple in Jakarta on February 2, 2011 prior to the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations to welcome the Year of the Rabbit. AFP/ Getty Images / Bay Ismoyo

30. Dragon dancers perform as they celebrate the Chinese lunar new year at Manila's Chinatown, Philippines, Thursday Feb. 3, 2011. This year is the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese calendar. AP / Aaron Favila

31. Children, wearing rabbit headbands, react to a performance during festivities at Manila's Chinatown district of Binondo to celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year in the Philippines Thursday Feb.3, 2011, the year of the rabbit in the Chinese calendar. AP / Bullit Marquez

32. Children are silhouetted as they stand in front of an electronic board during celebrations on the eve of the Chinese lunar new year in Manila, Philippines, Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2011. AP / Aaron Favila

33. Chinese folk artists performs Beijing opera at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Rabbit on Wednesday in Beijing, China. 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. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

34. Performers take part in a reenactment of a customary ceremony where the emperor prays for a good harvest during the lunar new year at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011. AP / Ng Han Guan

35. Chinese folk artists dressed in rabbit costume perform at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Rabbit on February 2, 2011 in Beijing, China. Chinese people celebrate the Lunar New Year of Rabbit, which will fall on February 3, 2011. Getty Images / Feng Li

36. A Chinese folk artist dressed in rabbit costume poses at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Rabbit on Wednesday in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images)

37. Chinese folk artists perform at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Rabbit on February 2, 2011 in Beijing, China. Chinese people celebrate the Lunar New Year of Rabbit, which will fall on February 3, 2011. Getty Images / Feng Li

38. A worker installs a giant lantern for the Lunar New Year holiday at a major shopping street in Beijing. (Peter Parks/AFP/Getty Image

39. A woman rubs her hand for good luck across a bas relief sculpture of a rabbit along a wall depicting the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac at the White Cloud Temple in Beijing. The Taoist White Cloud temple, known locally as Baiyuguan, is one of the oldest in northern China, dating back to the mid-8th century. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP/Getty Images)

40. GRACE LIANG/REUTERS A performer dressed in a rabbit costume is seen at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Beijing February 2, 2011

41. Performers dressed as rabbits are seen during the night parade in Hong Kong Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011 as they celebrate China's lunar new year. AP / Kin Cheung

42. Feng Li / Getty Images Chinese folk artists perform at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year of Rabbit on February 2, 2011 in Beijing, China.

43. Jason Lee / Reuters - Actors dressed in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) costumes take part in a rehearsal for the heaven worshipping ceremony to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China on Jan. 27. The Lunar New Year begins on February 3 and marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit, according to the Chinese zodiac.

44. Jason Lee / Reuters Actors dressed in Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) costumes walk for a rehearsal for the heaven worshipping ceremony to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China on Jan. 27.

45. Jason Lee / Reuters Actors take part in a rehearsal, adapted from an ancient Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) ceremony where emperors prayed for good harvest and fortune, to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year at the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China on Jan. 27.

46. Ng Han Guan / AP A Chinese girl standing near Chinese new year decorations in Beijing on Jan. 26. Chinese New Year falls on Feb. 3.

47. GRACE LIANG/REUTERS A Peking Opera artist performs at a temple fair to celebrate the Lunar New Year in Beijing February 2, 2011. The Chinese Lunar New Year begins on February 3 and marks the start of the Year of the Rabbit, according to the Chinese zodiac.

48. PETAR KUJUNDZIC/REUTERS An actor dressed as a Qing Dynasty emperor is seen during a performance, adapted from an ancient ceremony where emperors prayed for good harvest and fortune, at Ditan Park (the Temple of Earth) in Beijing.