The Beijing city government has told officials to lead by example and not set off fireworks or firecrackers to welcome the Lunar New Year on Friday to help prevent smog, after the city was blanketed in choking smog earlier this month.
The Chinese New Year holiday, which begins on New Year's Eve on Friday, is normally marked by riotous displays of fireworks and countless firecrackers, which are thought to bring good luck and scare off evil spirits.
The fireworks blacken the skies with smoke for hours.