Year of the horse

Chinese folk artists perform during the opening ceremony of the Spring Festival Temple Fair at the Temple of Earth park in Beijing, Jan. 30, 2014.

The Chinese Lunar New Year of the Horse also known as the Spring Festival, which is based on the Lunisolar Chinese calendar, is celebrated from the first day of the first month of the lunar year and ends with the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth day.

See more photos from last year's Year of the Snake festivities

China

A man prays as people hold incense sticks at the Old City God Temple in Yuyuan Garden in Shanghai, Jan. 29, 2014.

According to the Chinese lunar calendar, the Chinese New Year, which welcomes the year of the horse, falls on January 31.

Singapore

Revellers walk past a flower lantern display ahead of the Lunar New Year celebrations at the Marina Bay in Singapore, Jan. 29, 2014.

Singapore

Divers perform a dragon dance as they "bless" the shipwreck habitat of the S.E.A. Aquarium as part of the festive Lunar New Year celebrations in Sentosa, Singapore, Jan. 30, 2014.

China

A Chinese family poses for photos with a folk artist at the Spring Festival Temple Fair for celebrating Lunar New Year at the Temple of Earth park, in Beijing, Jan. 30, 2014.

China

A visitor passes trees decorated with red lanterns at the Spring Festival Temple Fair for celebrating Lunar New Year at the Temple of Earth in Beijing, Jan. 30, 2014.

China

Toy horses at a game area of the Spring Festival Temple Fair in Beijing, Jan. 30, 2014.

China

Security personnel line up before the opening ceremony of the Spring Festival Temple Fair in Beijing, Jan. 30, 2014.

Cambodia

Dragon dancers perform in front of a temple in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Jan. 30, 2014.

Lion and Dragon dancers gathered to celebrate the Lunar New Year and welcome the Year of the Horse.

Cambodia

People pray in a temple in Phnom Penh, Jan. 30, 2014.

China

A couple look at Chinese New Year lanterns decorating Yuyuan Garden in downtown Shanghai, Jan. 28, 2014.

China

A giant lantern depicting a horse is seen among Lunar New Year decorations at Yuyuan Garden, in downtown Shanghai, Jan. 25, 2014.

China

Worshippers burn incense to pray for good fortune on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which welcomes the Year of the Horse, at Dafo temple in Chongqing municipality Jan. 31, 2014.

Philippines

A performer blows fire during the Lunar New Year celebration in Manila's Chinatown, Jan. 31, 2014.

Indonesia

A woman with her children hold incense sticks as they attends prayers during Lunar New Year celebrations at Satya Dharma Temple in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, Jan. 31, 2014.

Philippines

Chicks dyed with various colors are sold in the Chinese district of Binondo in Manila, Philippines, Jan. 31, 2014.

England

Decorations hang in a restaurant window in London's Chinatown, Jan. 30, 2014.

Taiwan

A giant horse sculptire stands amidst flowers ahead of the upcoming Chinese lunar New Year in Yilan county, southern Taiwan, Jan. 23, 2014.

South Korea

A child is surprised by a hawk during a Lunar New Year day at Gyeongbokgung royal palace in Seoul, South Korea, Jan. 31, 2014.

China

A person drags a suitcase as a boy clings to it on a square in front of a railway station ahead of the Chinese Lunar New Year in Qingdao, Shandong province, Jan. 28, 2014.

About 3.62 billion trips will be made during the 40-day Spring Festival travel rush, which started from January 16, reported Xinhua News Agency citing a government official.