Between January 21st and February 19th each year, the Chinese New Year takes place over a two-week period. It’s the second new moon since the winter solstice that marks the first day of the Chinese calendar, a luni-solar calendar based as much on solar cycles to count the years as on lunar cycles to count the months. Every three years, an intercalary month adjusts the correspondence with the Gregorian calendar.
All over the world, wherever there is a Chinese or Vietnamese diaspora, but also perhaps on a smaller scale Japanese, Korean or Tibetan, the Chinese New Year is celebrated.
2026. The Year of the Fire Horse will be celebrated on February 17.
In Paris, it’s in Belleville and especially in the XIIIth arrondissement that the event is celebrated with lion and dragon dances.
Curious onlookers crowd the streets to watch the lion and dragon parades, drum floats and other musicians, or to sample Vietnamese or Chinese specialties.
In the middle or late afternoon, firecrackers are lit to scare away evil spirits.
Tarek Charara
Text and images © 2023 Tarek Charara/Kaleidos images.
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Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The lion dance. The lion is a symbol of strength, courage and wisdom. It chases away evil spirits with its roar. The lion dance brings good luck. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. Lion dance. The dancers lay down their costumes. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, Year of the “Water Rabbit”. The Dragon Dance. The oriental dragon is a symbol of happiness and prosperity. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. Belleville. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. Dragon and lion heads are placed in front of local elected officials and other dignitaries from Belleville’s Asian community. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The lion is a symbol of strength, courage and wisdom. It drives away evil spirits with its roar. The lion dance brings good luck. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The lion is a symbol of strength, courage and wisdom. It drives away evil spirits with its roar. The lion dance brings good luck. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year. The date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January 21st and February 19th.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, Year of the “Water Rabbit”. For two thousand years, Asian traditions have been lighting firecrackers to chase away demons and ask for peace and happiness in the New Year. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year. The date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. Belleville. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The balloon seller. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, Year of the “Water Rabbit”. For two thousand years, Asian traditions have been lighting firecrackers to chase away demons and ask for peace and happiness in the New Year. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year. The date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. Belleville. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The lion dance. The lion is a symbol of strength, courage and wisdom. It chases away evil spirits with its roar. The lion dance brings good luck. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. Participants await the start of the parade. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023 – Nouvel an chinois 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, Year of the “Water Rabbit”. For two thousand years, Asian traditions have been lighting firecrackers to chase away demons and ask for peace and happiness in the New Year. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year. The date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, Year of the “Water Rabbit”. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. Various associations on parade. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 12th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. Various associations on parade. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. Participants await the start of the parade. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. Belleville. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The rue de Belleville is full of people waiting for the parade of dragons and lions. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The lion dance. The lion is a symbol of strength, courage and wisdom. It chases away evil spirits with its roar. The lion dance brings good luck. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The lion is a symbol of strength, courage and wisdom. It chases away evil spirits with its roar. The lion dance brings good luck. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year. The date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January 21st and February 19th.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. Belleville. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The lion dance. The lion is a symbol of strength, courage and wisdom. It chases away evil spirits with its roar. The lion dance brings good luck. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. Belleville. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The rue de Belleville is full of people waiting for the parade of dragons and lions. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The lion is a symbol of strength, courage and wisdom. It drives away evil spirits with its roar. The lion dance brings good luck. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year. The date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. Belleville. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. The lion dance. The lion is a symbol of strength, courage and wisdom. It chases away evil spirits with its roar. The lion dance brings good luck. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
Chinese New Year 2023
Paris, France. 13th arrondissement. Chinese New Year 2023, year of the “Water Rabbit”. Participants await the start of the parade. Chinese New Year marks the first day of the lunar year, whose date varies according to the Gregorian calendar, but always falls between January twenty-first and February nineteenth.
