A Long March-5 rocket moves to the launch pad at the Wenchang Space Launch Center in South China's Hainan province on Dec 21, 2019. It will blast off this month. [Photo by Su Dong/For China Daily]
Women of the Miao ethnic group participate in a basketball game to celebrate the new year in Rongshui Miao autonomous county of South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, on Dec 21, 2019.
Ships participate in a fire drill in the Qiongzhou Strait off Haikou, South China's Hainan province, on Dec 23, 2019. The drill simulated an accident where a passenger ship collides with a cargo ship, leaving hundreds of people onboard in need of rescue. More than 200 people participated in the drill, along with 23 ships and boats, one helicopter, and two emergency vehicles from 15 departments. [Photo by Song Guoqiang/For China Daily] [Photo/Xinhua]
Icy frost blankets the city of Changchun, Northeast China's Jilin province, on the morning of Dec 24, 2019. The phenomenon, known as rime, occurs when water vapor in clouds or fog rapidly freezes and sticks to cold objects such as tree branches. [Photo by Wang Wiang/For China Daily]
An ice and snow castle stands at the 21st edition of the Ice-Snow World in Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, Dec 23, 2019. [Photo/Xinhua]
A child shows a rat-shaped paper-cutting work in Rugao, East China's Jiangsu province, Dec 23. [Photo/Sipa]
As per Chinese zodiac calendar, 2020 is the Year of the Rat. Various kinds of rat-themed decorations, toys, and creative products are coming to the market.
Rat-shaped decorations are shown in Handan, Hebei province, Dec 26. [Photo/Sipa]
Each lunar year is linked to one of 12 animals, whose traits are attributed to people born during that year. Those born in the Year of the Rat are said to be intelligent, adaptable and optimistic.
Children play in the snow during the Embracing 2022 Ice and Snow Cultural Festival held in Beijing Olympic Park, Dec 27, 2019. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/chinadaily.com.cn]
A little girl plays with a snowball at the 10th Taoranting Ice & Snow Carnival held in Beijing, Dec 27, 2019. [Photo by Wang Zhuangfei/chinadaily.com.cn]
Children sit on an inflatable toy caterpillar during the Embracing 2022 Ice and Snow Cultural Festival held in Beijing Olympic Park, Dec 27, 2019. [Photo by Wei Xiaohao/chinadaily.com.cn]
Beijing's Caibai Department Store has released a collection of gold jewelry and accessory to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival. [Photos provided to China Daily]
Caibai Department Store, Beijing's shopping mall famous for its jewelry products, collaborated with the Palace Museum to release a collection of gold jewelry and accessory to celebrate the upcoming Chinese Spring Festival.
The collection features unique patterns of the royal families and designs representing good luck in Chinese traditional culture.
Next year, the Palace Museum will celebrate its 600th anniversary. Li Ji, vice-director of the Palace Museum, said he hopes the new collection will make the antiques alive.
106 model aircraft, one prototype of China's home developed large passenger C919 jetliner, completes its first flight in Shanghai on December 27, 2019, according to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). (Photo: China News Service/ Wang Jiliang)
106 model aircraft, one prototype of China's home developed large passenger C919 jetliner, completes its first flight in Shanghai on December 27, 2019, according to the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China (COMAC). (Photo: China News Service/ Wang Jiliang)
Members of China's 36th Antarctic expedition team collect conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) data at China's polar icebreaker Xuelong 2 in the Southern Ocean, Dec. 17, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)
A Confucius statue is exhibited at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 27, 2019. A Confucius culture exhibition was held here on Friday showcasing the formation, development and inheritance of Confucianism. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)
A visitor looks at The Analects of Confucius of different language versions at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 27, 2019.(Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)
Sacrificial utensils from Confucius Temple are exhibited at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, Dec. 27, 2019(Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)
Lu Yao (R), an award-winning graduate of the Beijing-based Central Conservatory of Music, instructs as a student listens during a free-of-charge master-class in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Dec. 19, 2019. (Xinhua/Tang Lu)
When Lu Yao, an award-winning graduate of the Beijing-based Central Conservatory of Music, walked on to the stage of the Lionel Wendt Theatre at the city center of capital Colombo, "Some audiences were taken aback by his boyish appearance," De Saram said.
Lu's masterful interpretation of classics by Chopin, Mozart and Beethoven revealed a maturity and depth, and quickly drew the audience into his world. His explosive duet with host CMSC was described as "inspirational" by De Saram, and a moment for artists from two civilized friends to display their musical prowess.
Villagers make embroidery handicraft at Fanxin Village of Wanrong County, north China's Shanxi Province, Dec. 26, 2019. The village has been in recent years developing traditional embroidery industry to increase villagers' incomes. (Xinhua/Cao Yang)
Children prepare to ski during the Urumqi Silk Road Ice & Snow Festival in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Dec. 23, 2019. The 17th Urumqi Silk Road Ice & Snow Festival opened Monday in Urumqi, and will last till April of 2020. (Xinhua/Song Yehua)
Staff members introduce exhibits at a special exhibition on Chinese pillows at Changsha Museum in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Dec. 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)
Visitors view exhibits at a special exhibition on Chinese pillows at Changsha Museum in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Dec. 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)
A girl sketches an exhibit at a special exhibition on Chinese pillows at Changsha Museum in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Dec. 28, 2019. (Xinhua/Xue Yuge)
