People will have as much as seven days, starting January 24, which is Lunar New Year's Day.

Residents in north China are accustomed to enjoying public fairs and celebrations in parks, while those in the south favor floral pageants and music concerts.

They are flocking to choose snake mascots, which are the symbol of the coming new year according to the Chinese zodiac, Chinese-style robes from designers, and buy bottles of Coca-Cola, with two Chinese moppets painted on their tins.

Zhongyou Department Store, which is in the bustling commercial district near Xidan in downtown Beijing, is giving shoppers with red couplets and giant characters of Fu, which literally means good luck.

During the seven days, Beijingers can visit public fairs or park celebrations in Ditan Park, Dongyue Temple, Baiyun Taoist Temple, and Lake Longtan.

"Only roaming in public fairs means New Year celebration," said Dai Dahui who runs his own cultural entertainment company.

A fair in the Changdian community will be restored after a 37-year halt. Organizers will arrange book sales, craft exhibitions and snacks.

Meanwhile, Beijing Municipal Cultural Bureau provides theatergoers with 95 performances, including concerts, dances, Beijing operas, modern dramas, puppet dramas and acrobatics.

Beijing Opera Troupe and Kunqu Troupe will separately stage well-known drama pieces of Prime Minister Liu Yong at the Chang'an Theater and the Imperial Concubine at the Poly Theater.

In addition, a concert which will present famous pieces composed by Chinese musicians and a celebrative chorus for the New Year are expected to attract Chinese music fans.

Five China-made movies, which all have happy endings with three of them produced by studios in Hong Kong and Taiwan, are competing to gain as much market share as possible.

Dance halls, bowling arcades and gyms have extended their business time to earn much more money.

The sunny island of Hainan, China's southernmost province, and Yabuli skiing resort in northernmost Heilongjiang Province are also favorite places for well-off urbanites.

More than 22 million Internet surfers try to find fun on the worldwide web. A latest survey shows that more than half of the interviewees would pay New Year calls to relatives and friends through the web instead of sending New Year cards.

But for many Chinese, watching TV still takes most of their leisure time during the period.

Yang Weidong, a university lecturer, said that he will spend most of his holidays relaxing.

When the main part of the country is stricken by cold spells, the Chinese people are joyfully waiting for the coming Year of Snake.

(Xinhua 01/22/2001)