Today, the first day of Chinese New Year, a grand and traditional Lion Dance took place at New World Beijing Hotel to usher in the Year of the Dog, with hotel guests joining in the joyful festivity with its lively performance.

The Lion Dance is a very important tradition in China during Chinese New Year. The Chinese regard the lion as a symbol of bravery and peace andthe Lion Dance is performed to ward off evil and bring an abundance of good luck and fortune. Accompanied by loud noise from a drum,  gong and cymbals, evil spirits are scared away. Mr. Eddy Sarton, the hotel’s general manager, completed the show with the customary flourish of dotting the lions’ eyes with ink, in order to bestow wishes of good fortune and prosperity on the hotel in the Year of the Dog.

“We wish all our hotel associates, guests and their families a wonderful and prosperous Year of the Dog. May it be filled with an abundance of good health and happiness -- Gong Xi Fa Cai!” said Mr. Sarton.