A woman touches a horse statue for good fortune at a temple in Beijing on Feb. 12, 2026, ahead of the Lunar New Year of the Horse. Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty ImagesDuring what is traditionally the noisiest and most festive time of the year—the Lunar New Year holidays—many streets across China were strikingly subdued, residents say.From rural villages to Beijing’s busy shopping district, people across multiple regions in China told The Epoch Times that this year’s holidays were “unusually quiet.” They said foot traffic was sparse, markets were empty, and firecrackers—once synonymous with the holiday—were largely absent. For some, the stillness was unsettling.
In China, a Quieter Lunar New Year Reflects Economic Strain and Unease
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