China News Agency, Hong Kong, January 1st, title: Close-up: At this moment, New Year’s fireworks light up the spirit of Hong Kong
China News Agency reporter Dai Xiaolu
The brightly lit Victoria Harbor with the Hong Kong skyline in the background, and the Tsim Sha Tsui area gathered more than 300,000 Hong Kong citizens who came to celebrate the New Year together.
At midnight of 2022 and the first second of 2023, fireworks are blooming on the roofs of buildings along the coast of Hong Kong Island. Citizens’ mobile phone lights and fireworks illuminate the night sky together. Between light and shadow, water and fire, the banks of the Hong Kong River once again Revitalization.
At 00:00 on January 1, 2023, the lights on both sides of Victoria Harbor are bright and fireworks are blooming, ushering in the new year in Hong Kong.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Yongnuo
Since 2007, a large-scale New Year's Eve countdown event has been held on both sides of the Victoria Harbor every year, and the fireworks countdown display is the highlight of the night.
On this day, many citizens will go to popular viewing areas such as Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade Garden and Central Promenade with their families or friends to welcome the coming of the New Year together.
Due to the epidemic and other reasons, the event has been suspended for three consecutive years.
With the return to normal, the Hong Kong Tourism Board will hold the "Hong Kong New Year's Countdown" event again at the end of 2022. It also specially launched the enhanced version of the "A Symphony of Lights" firework display with multimedia effects, combining culture and art, sports, creative animation and fireworks. , light and shadow effects and other different elements are integrated into one.
At 0:00 on January 1, 2023, an enhanced version of the "A Symphony of Lights" fireworks display will be staged over Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor to welcome 2023.
The picture shows citizens watching the New Year's Eve fireworks display at the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Li Zhihua
From 10:00 p.m. on December 31, when the reporter arrived at the Hong Kong Cultural Center in Tsim Sha Tsui, the police had already pulled up the road closure at the intersection to clear the flow of people and maintain order.
The side of the seaside guardrail was already crowded, and some citizens took small benches to grab the front row.
There are also citizens who choose to board yachts or take the Star Ferry with their friends, rippling on the harbor, and watch the fireworks at close range.
Mr. Liu, who was adjusting the shooting equipment on the shore, told reporters that before the epidemic, he would come to shoot fireworks every year. "It's a routine ceremony to welcome the New Year. Otherwise, I always feel that something is missing. I came here at 5 pm and found a good location in advance. Hopefully this is a new start, a good start."
Behind Mr. Liu, more than a dozen young people holding "hug" signs were particularly conspicuous. They shouted "Hello Hong Kong, Happy New Year." People around were also infected by their enthusiasm and happiness, and they responded to each other. And, applauded and sang together, hugged each other and said New Year's greetings.
At 00:00 on January 1, 2023, the lights on both sides of Victoria Harbor are bright and fireworks are blooming, ushering in the new year in Hong Kong.
The picture shows citizens counting down to the New Year at the beach.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Yongnuo
One of the young people, Chen Chen, told the reporter that they were "Hong Kong drifters" who were studying in Hong Kong. Because of the epidemic, everyone had not returned home for three years. "In the past few years, everyone got together every New Year's Eve. It’s the New Year at Victoria Peak, and this year I come to Victoria Harbor to watch the fireworks to celebrate the arrival of the new year. I believe that the coming year will be the best year, and we are all looking forward to it.”
"Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom," at 11:45 p.m., several drumbeats in succession officially opened the "Hong Kong New Year's Eve Countdown" multimedia performance.
Dressed in a blue sequin jacket, golden skirt pants, and black high boots, nine performers from the "Ji Drum" drum band entered the venue in special costumes and sounded the "horn" to bid farewell to the old and welcome the new.
Immediately afterwards, the music by the international young pianist Niu Niu (Zhang Shengliang) and the skills of the Hong Kong Fancy Rope Skipping Club brought the performance to a climax.
Twenty seconds before the new year, a giant countdown clock appeared on the glass curtain wall of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center in Wanchai. The whole city focused on Victoria Harbour, and the citizens began to count down in unison, waiting to welcome the arrival of the new year together.
"Five, four, three, two, one, Happy New Year!" When the countdown screen showed 0:00:00 in 2023, cheers erupted from the crowd on board and on shore, and some children shouted Happy New Year, Some citizens sang the Happy New Year song.
In the first second of entering the new year, the words "2023" and New Year's greetings are also displayed on the exterior wall of the exhibition.
On the evening of December 31, 2022, Hong Kong citizens waited for the countdown event on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront to welcome 2023.
The picture shows a Hong Kong citizen wearing rabbit ears to the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront to wait for the countdown event.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Chen Yongnuo
"So happy, so exciting." Hubert, the leader of the "Stimulating Drum" team who had just finished the drum performance, looked up at the enhanced version of the "A Symphony of Lights" fireworks light and shadow show on the other side, and couldn't stop his excitement.
"We specially designed a very active and dynamic performance form for this countdown." Hubert said that after three years of the epidemic, many people were exhausted physically and mentally. "Drums are very inspiring instruments, and the vibration of drums can help People are moving again, hoping to dispel grievances through the sound of drums and bring positive energy to society!"
The evening wind was blowing, and the crowds on both sides of the Victoria Harbor were surging. Hubert also turned on his mobile phone to send the first blessing of the new year.
(use up)