Local residents enjoy plum blossoms at a park in Kunming, capital city of southwest China's Yunnan province, during the week-long Spring Festival holiday. [Xinhua]

Riders prepare for a horse racing in celebration of the Spring Festival at Buerjin county of northwest China's Xinjiang Ugur Autonomous Region, January 28, 2009. Hundreds of millions of Chinese welcomed the Year of the Ox starting on Monday, packing temple fairs and setting off fireworks and firecrackers for the week-long Spring Festival holiday. [Xinhua]