CHINESE LIGHT INCENSE STICKS AND PRAY AT TEMPLE

Chinese pray while holding lit joss, or incense, sticks during the start of China's Lunar New Year at the Dong Wue Miao Temple, or Temple of the Eastern Peak, a sacred Taoist mountain, in Beijing, China on January 29, 2006. Chinese around the country celebrated the auspicious Year of Dog in different ways - setting off firecrackers, eating dumplings, burning incense, visiting temple fairs and extending blessings to friends and family.ÊThe 1.3 billion Chinese people have every reason to revel at the beginning of a promising year to come. ÊIn 2005, China's GDP went up by 9.9 percent, maintaining a rapid growth rate that has lasted more than 20 years. (UPI Photo/Stephen Shaver)