Year Of The Monkey

A Chinese girl gets a ride in a sedan chair at the Temple of the Earth fair in Beijing, Jan. 21, 2004.

China

A military police officer stands guard as lion dancers perform at the opening ceremony of the Temple of the Earth fair in Beijing, Jan. 21, 2004. Temples across the city were holding fairs to celebrate Chinese New Year.

China

A model parades in a fashion show on the opening day of the Temple of the Earth fair in Beijing, Jan. 21, 2004.

China

Drum dancers keep warm between performances at a temple fair in Beijing on the eve of Chinese New Year, Jan 21, 2004. Fairs were being held at temples across the city to mark the Year of the Monkey.

Hong Kong

A vendor at a flower market in Hong Kong's Victoria Park checks Mandarin oranges in preparation for the upcoming Chinese New Year, Jan. 20, 2004. The golden fruit signifies wealth, good fortune and propagation. The Chinese New Year will start on Jan. 22 this year, and is celebrated as the Year of Monkey.

Hong Kong

Women look at Chinese New Year decorations at a shop in Hong Kong, Jan. 21, 2004.

Hong Kong

A worker in Hong Kong prepares a float with a garish face representing a monkey, Jan. 20, 2004. The float was to take part in a Chinese New Year parade.

Malaysia

People shop at a Chinatown stationary store displaying decoration of the Chinese New Year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 20, 2004.

Malaysia

A performer dressed as the legendary Chinese Monkey King performs a monkey dance during a Chinese New Year fair in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan. 13, 2004. In the background, Chinese characters read "Monkey King Offers New Year's Greetings."

Indonesia

Ethnic Chinese Indonesians pray at a temple in Jakarta's Chinatown, Jan. 17, 2004. Ethnic Chinese here in the world's most populous Muslim country were allowed to celebrate the Lunar New Year openly for the first time in three decades in 2000.

Philippines

Filipino dragon dancers perform in the streets of Manila's Chinatown on the eve of the celebration of Chinese New Year, Jan. 21, 2004.

Cambodia

A Cambodian family in the former Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng smiles as they hurry along with a roasted pig, Jan. 21, 2004, in preparation for Chinese New Year. The area, which was under Khmer Rouge control until 1998, is one of the poorest districts in one of the poorest nations in the world.

Singapore

Underwear printed with a cartoon monkey and men's briefs with strategically placed Chinese characters on display in Singapore, Jan. 14 2004. Many women were buying their husbands special briefs designed to bring them good fortune and increased sexual potency, as well as panties specially designed for the Year of the Monkey.

United States

Shannon Willis dances "Guilin in the Misty Rain" at the 2004 Chinese New Year celebration at Carmel Baptist Church, Charlotte, N.C., Jan. 18, 2004.

United States

Nathan Chen, 5, in front, dances "Golden Money Celebrates New Spring" with the Carmel Chinese School at the 2004 Chinese New Year Celebration at Carmel Baptist Church, in Charlotte, N.C., Jan. 18, 2004.