Millions in Japan prayed at shrines for good fortune in 2010. At Tokyo's Zojo-ji Buddhist temple, clear balloons were released into the air at midnight.

日本数百万民众纷纷在寺庙膜拜，祈求2010年福运亨通；在东京的增上寺，大批透明气球午夜时分升入夜空。

In Seoul, South Korea, a giant bell was rung.

韩国首都首尔，人们敲响了一口硕大的钟。

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This did not seem to bother Beijing residents, who say the Lunar New Year is their traditional time to celebrate with fireworks. This year that holiday is in mid-February.

尽管如此，北京市民似乎并没有受到影响，他们说，阴历新年才是他们用焰火欢庆的传统日子。今年的农历新年在二月中旬。

Many young people were at bars and clubs in Beijing until the early hours of the morning. Still others had to work on New Year's Eve. As late-night revelers waited in the cold for a scarce cab, two men unloaded a truck at a bakery on Worker's Stadium Road. One of them, surnamed Wu, said he hoped for good health for his parents in the New Year. His coworker surnamed Zhang said he hoped to spend the Lunar New Year with family at his home in nearby Shandong province.

在北京的酒吧和夜总会中，许多年轻人一直逗留到凌晨时分。不过，还是有人需要新年除夕加班。工人体育场路附近，狂欢夜归的人寒风中等待稀少的出租车，有两人却在

那里忙着在一家面包房旁卸货。其中一位姓吴的工人说，希望新年期间父母安康，而姓张的同事则希望，能在邻近的山东省和家人共度农历新年。

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