China records cleanest Lunar New Year amid firework ban ahead of Beijing Winter Olympics

On February 1, Tuesday, China mark the Lunar New Year under the shadow of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic. At a time when everything is producing negative impacts amid the pandemic, it seems yesterday's new year showed some positive effect on the climate. On February 1, the country has reported the cleanest new year since the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau started measuring the pollutants. According to news agency Sputnik, the average concentration of air pollutants in Beijing stood at approximately five micrograms per cubic metre on Tuesday. It said the average concentration of air pollutants was recorded at 289 micrograms during the last year Lunar New Year-- nearly 58 times more than this year.

According to Chinese belief, the Lunar New Year marks the end of the Year of the Ox and the beginning of the Year of the Tiger. 
The tiger represents strength, courage, and bravery, and those born in the tiger years are said to be brave, passionate, and eager to take a new challenge. Besides, it is also a customary time to honour ones' ancestors and deities. Usually, people used to honour their ancestors with street parades and other reunions. Also, people used to blast fireworks as a belief that it would ward off evil spirits during ancestral reunions. However, this time, the government barred the use of fireworks due to the COVID pandemic and the upcoming Winter Olympics. 

People throng to temples instead of igniting firecrackers

Apart from the national capital, the Communist government invoked limitations on the selling and igniting of firecrackers and other fireworks in Zhangjiakou, a city co-hosting the Winter Olympics. Apart from banning fireworks, it also banned retail business establishments during Spring Festival 2022. However, an exemption was granted to Universal Studios Beijing in order to hold a display during the holiday, Sputnik reported. Amid restrictions, crowds gathered at temples to offer traditional prayers for the Year of the Tiger. Wang Ying, who works at an accounting firm, said praying outside the temple was better than igniting firecrackers.
"I think sincerity is more important than burning incense sticks or fireworks," she told AP, after finishing her devotions.