Five days into the Year of the Horse, various celebrations of are still going on across China, blending tradition and innovation, with people enjoying folk customs, intangible cultural heritage and scenic landscape during the holiday.
From temple fairs to ancient towns, festive performances are in full swing. In Beijing's Pinggu District, the Yaji Mountain temple fair featured traditional stilt walking and flag performances, alongside interaction with robot dogs that add a modern touch.
In Yangliuqing Ancient Town of Tianjin, dances and acrobatics entertained visitors, while workers at the fair dressed in traditional costumes told folk tales about the town.
In Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, dragon and lion dances and a vibrant horse lantern parade were staged to entertain visitors.
In Shouchang Ancient Town of Hangzhou in the eastern province of Zhejiang, visitors tried making clay figurines and traditional prints. In Fengyang, Anhui Province in east China, the national-level intangible cultural heritage Fengyang Flower Drum performance energized the crowd with lively rhythms. "All the festive vibe of the Year of the Horse is in these drumbeats. We hope our life will go like the galloping horse, thriving, booming and ever more prosperous," said local resident Zhu Ziye.
As night fell, cities lit up. In Xingzhou Ancient City of Xingtai in Hebei Province, red lanterns glowed across the streets.
In Changsha, Hunan Province, fireworks, molten iron flower displays and drone shows brightened the sky.
In Baoting, the southern island province of Hainan, a giant illuminated fish lantern glided along the river.
Many also take the holiday to travel. At Qutang Gorge in Chongqing, scenic cruises attracted large numbers of visitors.
In Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, a new sea sightseeing route along the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link offered panoramic bay views.
At Qingxiu Mountain in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, blooming flowers drew crowds to enjoy early spring warmth.
Soldiers also celebrated in their own way, as they competed fiercely in the ice and snow world in the north and celebrated the festival by bonfire in the south.
Chinese New Year celebrations vary across country
The U.S. state of Florida has long been known as an affordable retirement haven, but rising housing costs, skyrocketing insurance, and corporate buyouts of mobile home parks are pushing lower-income seniors to the breaking point.
Sixty-eight-year-old Jack Teachman was born at Hialeah Hospital and has lived in Florida his entire life. He worked as an exterminator for 25 years and retired there. Now, he is considering leaving the state he has always called home.
"Because I can't afford it here. It's costing too much money," Teachman explained.
"When I first got in, the lot rent was 435, and we weren't paying any land tax. Now it's up to almost 900 U.S. dollars a month, and now we're paying land tax for the last few years. It's not easy," he said.
In addition to the higher monthly lot rent, he also pays 341 U.S. dollars a year in land taxes and 251 U.S. dollars for electricity. However, his only source of income is Social Security.
"I get 2,700 for Social Security. My biggest fear is, what's going to happen when next year comes along and they want to raise the lot rent again, and then they want to raise the land taxes again. You're making 2,700 bucks a month. You're spending a thousand dollars for a lot rent, plus you're spending for the land tax. What are you going to live on?" he said.
Although he owns his mobile home, the land beneath it is not his, which means he cannot qualify for a loan to cover repairs. The roof alone carries a cost of 8,500 U.S. dollars.
So he does the repair work himself. He recently tore down and replaced all the drywall inside his home, learning how from YouTube.
"To pay somebody to come in and put drywall is 4,000 or 5,000 dollars. So you can't afford it, but you got to do the best you can with what you got," Teachman stated.
His monthly Social Security income is too high to meet the eligibility threshold for food assistance, even as his living costs continue to rise, said Teachman, who also noted that his adult children are unable to provide financial support, as they are raising families of their own and managing their own household expenses.
"Look, I'm 68 years old. I have to take care of myself. And now they're having their family. They got to take care of themselves. So what are you going to do? I mean, honestly, can't do anything," he said.
In addition, Citizens Insurance quoted him 3,000 dollars a year for homeowners coverage.
"If things get worse, I may have no choice but to put it up for sale and move, go somewhere else. But Again, where are you going to come with the money? Then if you want to sell it, how much can you really get from it for somebody to buy it? You're in a catch-22 situation," he said.
Lower-income US seniors struggle as expenses climb
