(13 Feb 2010)
1. Crowd with dragon dancers and lanterns
2. Children dancing, in tiger costumes
3. Close up, girl dancing in tiger costume
4. Man banging on big drum, with others
5. Various, dragon dancers
6. Wide of dragon''s head, pan to operator, with cheering
7. Families walking through gates of park, with lanterns in trees
8. Police entering park
9. Two men carrying bundles of New Year lanterns
10. Families walking through park
11. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Chao Fengqiu, performer in the Temple Fair:
"I hope the country can be built to a more prosperous country and have a roaring economy in the Year of the Tiger."
12. Exterior of fireworks depot
13. People carrying boxes of fireworks
14. Interior of fireworks shop
15. Small boy looking at fireworks
16. Close up of fireworks
17. SOUNDBITE (Mandarin) Wang Xiao, fireworks customer:
"The economic slowdown didn''t affect our life. It''s the New Year, and it''s very important for us. We want to spend money on this to celebrate, and it seems to be a happy and harmonious moment for us."
18. Wide of shoppers crowding up escalator into supermarket
19. Tracking shot of escalator
20. Wide of sweet stall
21. Woman putting sweets into bag
22. Close up of sweets, tilt up to woman putting sweets in bag
23. Man buying frozen dumplings
4. Mid of women looking at dumplings
25. Close up of frozen dumplings
STORYLINE:
Beijing prepared to welcome in the Year of the Tiger in China''s capital as the Lunar New Year approached on Saturday.
At Longtan Park in Beijing, residents began to celebrate the most important holiday in China with families and friends.
Drummers and dragon dancers performed traditional dances for the crowds, which in ancient times was regarded as a way to scare off evil spirits ahead of the Lunar New Year.
Children dressed up in tiger costumes to welcome in the Year of the Tiger, which is regarded as a year for good fortune.
Police around the country tightened up security for the holiday period. A notice on the website of the Ministry of Public Security said police would increase checks on fireworks displays, lantern shows and temple fairs.
Families are expected to welcome in the New Year at midnight on Saturday with a firework display lasting several hours.
Firework safety is often an issue during the Chinese New Year period, when hospitals report a big increase in burn-related injuries.
Last year, an illegal fireworks display at the new headquarters of China''s state broadcaster in Beijing caused a massive fire at a newly built 44-story hotel.
Despite some safety concerns, fireworks are regarded by many Chinese as an important custom to welcome in the Lunar New Year.
"The economic slowdown didn''t affect our life, it''s the New Year, and it''s very important for us, we want to spend money on this to celebrate, and it seems to be a happy and harmonious moment for us," said Wang Xiao.
Families have traditionally gathered at home on New Year''s Eve to make dumplings and set off fire crackers
Sweets have traditionally been eaten around the Spring Festival holiday.
In the past, it was customary to eat homemade dumplings during the Lunar New Year. But with China''s rapid modernisation and economy growing again, mass produced dumplings filled with meat and vegetables were on the menu for many shoppers.
The Year of the Tiger follows the Year of the Ox in the Chinese zodiac and gives way to the Year of the Rabbit.
On the other hand, they''re widely characterised as cold, restless, reckless, impatient, quick-tempered, obstinate, ruthless, selfish, aggressive, unpredictable and moody.

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