The Spring Festival is the most important event for the Chinese and a time for the family to get together once a year, and the people in the city of Shenyang, Liaoning province were enthusiastic in welcoming the Year of Monkey and filled the city with a joyful festive atmosphere through traditional activities, such as temple fairs or looking at the festival lamps, and more modern ways such as watching a movie, doing winter sports and enjoying hot springs spas.

The temple visit is one of the most traditional, and the Huangsi Temple Fair provides acrobatics, a shadow puppet show, and many other folk performances and tourists can enjoy a range of traditional snacks.

Also, thousands of people visited the Imperial Palace Museum for a "trip through time" and imperial experience with a Qing Dynasty dramatic performance, Spring Festival antiquities on display, and a couplets exhibition.

The museums of Shenyang had traditional activities, such as making wood engravings, paper cutting and sugar sculpture, for an interactive experience for visitors.

Then there were winter activities at the hot springs and ice sports that are coming in vogue in the Northeast.

Newer celebrations such as holding a party, going to the cinema or traveling are growing in number.

Bus drivers and many others such as police and street cleaners were still at their post during the holiday.

Quite a few of the celebrations will run through the Lantern Festival, another tradition that falls on Feb 22 this year.

Qing dynasty drama at the Imperial Palace Museum for Spring Festival. [Photo/Chinanews.com]