0:00:09 > 0:00:10Welcome to Hong Kong.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14Tonight, we're inviting you to the world's biggest party,
0:00:14 > 0:00:15as all over China,
0:00:15 > 0:00:18families are getting together to celebrate Chinese new year.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20Now we're overlooking Victoria Harbour -
0:00:20 > 0:00:22this is one of China's largest and busiest ports.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Now, apart from the odd boat, it's fairly quiet...
0:00:25 > 0:00:28- Because it's a national holiday. - Oh, yeah, but don't be fooled. You see, later on,
0:00:28 > 0:00:33literally hundreds of thousands of people will gather right here for the highlight of the festivities.
0:00:33 > 0:00:36And we'll be joining them on the final leg of a journey
0:00:36 > 0:00:38that has taken us to the far corners of China,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40to discover how the people here celebrate this,
0:00:40 > 0:00:43the most important time of their year.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49It's New Year's Day, the first day of the Year Of The Monkey,
0:00:49 > 0:00:51and the culmination of our journey.
0:00:53 > 0:00:54For our last two shows,
0:00:54 > 0:00:58we witnessed the incredible migration of people all over China,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01as they travelled home for the Spring Festival.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08I met families flying home in Beijing Airport.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13All around me, people coming together.
0:01:13 > 0:01:14It's just lovely!
0:01:14 > 0:01:16Ah!
0:01:19 > 0:01:23And I explore the magical ice city of Harbin...
0:01:23 > 0:01:26where families gather before New Year.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30And I get to turn on the very last building.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40And the Hairy Bikers found out what New Year's Eve in Beijing was like,
0:01:40 > 0:01:44when they cooked a special reunion supper with a local family.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47- Magical.- It's great!
0:01:50 > 0:01:53New Year's Eve is all about getting together with family.
0:01:53 > 0:01:54But here in Hong Kong,
0:01:54 > 0:01:58the days after New Year are when the people hit the streets.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02And we've been right at the heart of the preparations of this spectacular party!
0:02:05 > 0:02:08We'll be celebrating Chinese New Year, Hong Kong style.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14I'll be finding out about the ancient art of dragon and lion dancing.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17It's surprisingly heavy when you're doing it!
0:02:17 > 0:02:18Ooh! Sorry!
0:02:21 > 0:02:24And I'll be enjoying some genuine Hong Kong glamour
0:02:24 > 0:02:27at the spectacular New Year's night parade.
0:02:28 > 0:02:30It's loud! It's noisy!
0:02:30 > 0:02:31It's a carnival atmosphere!
0:02:31 > 0:02:33Everyone's dancing!
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Happy new year!
0:02:36 > 0:02:40And the party doesn't stop in the rest of China.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45Dave and Si are discovering what Beijingers traditionally do on New Year's Day.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Oh!
0:02:50 > 0:02:52- Xin nian kuai le! - Xin nian kuai le!
0:02:52 > 0:02:54Xin nian kuai le!
0:02:54 > 0:02:56Xin nian kuai le!
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Xin nian kuai le!
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Happy Chinese New Year!
0:03:20 > 0:03:24In amongst the glitzy buildings that line Victoria Harbour
0:03:24 > 0:03:28are all the colonial buildings that were once the headquarters of the
0:03:28 > 0:03:30British administration that ran Hong Kong.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35On the 1st of July 1997, Hong Kong was formally handed back to China,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38ending 156 years of British rule.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Although it shares many cultural traits with China,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44as a global centre of finance and of its international history,
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Hong Kong has always maintained its own unique identity.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54The region of Hong Kong is on the southern coast of China,
0:03:54 > 0:03:56at the Pearl River estuary.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08An area composed of more than 250 islands, the urban core
0:04:08 > 0:04:11of Hong Kong is Hong Kong Island in Kowloon.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15"Kong" is the Chinese word for harbour,
0:04:15 > 0:04:18and "Hong" means fragrant or picturesque.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21And indeed, before this became the metropolis it is today,
0:04:21 > 0:04:23it would have been very picturesque,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26a tiny little fishing community.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Now it's an entirely different sort of picturesque.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33This is one of the most recognised and photographed skylines in the world.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Hong Kong truly is a vertical city.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Because of its geography, space is at a premium,
0:04:45 > 0:04:48which means it has one of the highest population densities in the world.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54There are over seven million people here,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57with 57,000 people per square kilometre in places.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02To house them all, the city has had to build upwards.
0:05:03 > 0:05:08Today, Hong Kong has over 460 skyscrapers 100 metres or taller.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11London, just 49.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15And its tallest is the International Commerce Centre.
0:05:15 > 0:05:16You could take the Shard,
0:05:16 > 0:05:19put Nelson's Column on top three times and it would still be smaller!
0:05:24 > 0:05:30Hong Kong is also one of the world's most important financial trading centres,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32and is home to 55 billionaires.
0:05:33 > 0:05:38There are more Rolls-Royces per person in Hong Kong than any other city in the world.
0:05:38 > 0:05:44Plus, last year, one local businessman bought a diamond ring for £32 million.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46It was for his seven-year-old daughter.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Since 1997,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56Hong Kong has been run as a special administrative region of China,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58but with its own government and law.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03Unlike much of mainland China, people in Hong Kong speak Cantonese,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06and are fiercely proud of their culture, language,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08and especially their cuisine.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13So varied is the food here that people fondly joke
0:06:13 > 0:06:16the Cantonese will eat anything with four legs that isn't a table.
0:06:21 > 0:06:27No other city embraces Chinese New Year celebration with such energy, enthusiasm...
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Xin nian kuai le!
0:06:30 > 0:06:32..and sheer expenditure as Hong Kong.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41Despite its modern appearance,
0:06:41 > 0:06:45Hong Kong still respects ancient customs at Chinese New Year.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51Especially when it comes to food.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58One very popular New Year meal is fish.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02And throughout the holidays, Hong Kong's fish markets go into overdrive.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11This is Aberdeen Fish Market.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15It's the biggest wholesale fish market in the whole of Hong Kong,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18and it's always busy, but in the run-up to New Year,
0:07:18 > 0:07:20it is absolutely frantic!
0:07:20 > 0:07:24The fish that's sold here will go out to hotels, restaurants,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27and food markets all over the city.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Covering 15,700 square metres,
0:07:33 > 0:07:37it's a place that reflects Hong Kong's international flavour...
0:07:40 > 0:07:45..with catches coming from as far as afield as the USA, Ireland, and Australia.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58Fish from the main market are brought to smaller markets,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00like this one in Barrington Road,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04and locals will come here every day to find the freshest fish
0:08:04 > 0:08:05that Hong Kong has to offer.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10The choice is overwhelming.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Luckily, I have a guide to take me around the market -
0:08:13 > 0:08:15local chef, David Lai.
0:08:15 > 0:08:21David, one thing I've noticed in Hong Kong is that there don't seem to be supermarkets anywhere, really,
0:08:21 > 0:08:26that most people seem to buy their food in little street markets, like this one.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29In supermarkets, it tends to be a lot of imported stuff,
0:08:29 > 0:08:32but at the market, it's mostly caught locally,
0:08:32 > 0:08:36and wherever in the world you go to a Chinese restaurant,
0:08:36 > 0:08:39you go to Chinatown, there's always fish tank,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42they always keep the fish alive as much as possible.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45- Right.- For example, the fish that are swimming in the tank,
0:08:45 > 0:08:51they're worth almost twice the amount of the ones that are out of the water.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Hong Kong began as a fishing village,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58so I think people have gotten used to the idea that, you know,
0:08:58 > 0:09:00fish should be very fresh.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03I was just looking when you said how fresh it is, I'm looking,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07there are literally fish hopping about in the trays.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10And it's clearly a very important dish for New Year.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12But why is it?
0:09:12 > 0:09:18Because there seems to be a lot of belief surrounding certain foods for this time of year.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23The word fish is, in Chinese, Cantonese, is Yu.
0:09:23 > 0:09:24Yu, it means plentiful.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28And does that then mean that, by eating fish,
0:09:28 > 0:09:32the idea is that you'll have a bountiful year coming up?
0:09:32 > 0:09:34That's the idea.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39Fish is such an important part of the New Year festivities,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43and the shoppers here are experts when it comes to the best way to prepare it.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Can you tell me how you might cook it?
0:09:45 > 0:09:48IN CANTONESE
0:09:48 > 0:09:51Traditionally, fish should be cooked whole,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54including the head and tail, to suggest completeness.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58And the head should always face the elders at the table,
0:09:58 > 0:09:59as a mark of respect.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Fish should always be the last dish on the menu,
0:10:03 > 0:10:06and it's particularly auspicious to have a little left over at the end.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Well, as you can see,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13the people of Hong Kong are absolutely spoiled when it comes to fish.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18It's really easy for them to have any number of species on their table.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21But there's a community in Northern China that has to go to
0:10:21 > 0:10:24extraordinary lengths to catch fish, as Ant discovered.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29He travelled thousands of miles north, to Chagan Lake.
0:10:40 > 0:10:41It's five in the morning,
0:10:41 > 0:10:45and I've come to what feels like the very ends of the Earth.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50This is a way of life that's remained unchanged for centuries.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55I'm travelling with a convoy of fishermen in Jilin Province,
0:10:55 > 0:10:571,800 miles northeast of Hong Kong.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02This is Chagan Lake.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05The temperature is an eye-watering -40 degrees.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Chagan means literally sacred, or white.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14And it's certainly white.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16That's because this entire lake is covered in ice,
0:11:16 > 0:11:18up to a metre thick.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20For locals, this is something of a sacred place,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24and that's because this vast lake is the home of the bighead carp.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28Bighead carp is a local delicacy that the Chinese believe,
0:11:28 > 0:11:31like all fish, brings good luck for New Year.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37The people here have been fishing for carp in just this way for over 1,000 years.
0:11:37 > 0:11:38It's in their blood.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41This group is led by Mr Jang,
0:11:41 > 0:11:45an expert in tracking down shoals of bighead carp.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Finding a spot here is no easy task.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Chagan Lake is a featureless ice sheet.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53I look around, all I can see is horizon.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58It's 25 miles long and covers a surface of 160 square miles.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00That's basically the size of Glasgow.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02And what's incredible is that Mr Jang
0:12:02 > 0:12:04just seems to know where to look.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07There's no street signs. There's no map.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09I'd need a sat nav!
0:12:34 > 0:12:38They start by cutting a big hole in the ice.
0:12:38 > 0:12:39The first hole is critical.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43It's the entrance through which they'll eventually feed the net.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46The team launch a 15-metre pole into the water.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49It's attached to a rope, like a giant needle and thread,
0:12:49 > 0:12:52which in turn is connected to the net.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57Moving out from here, they dig a series of 200 smaller holes,
0:12:57 > 0:13:03so they can reach through the ice and guide the pole and net in the right direction.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07Using traditional tools, and with ice up to a metre thick, it's tough work.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09And I've offered to help.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12But I'm not sure the locals are too keen.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15There's a sharp metal prod on the end of a wooden handle.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18He's using it to dive into the ice and create these small holes.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22Give me this one, my friend. You can relax.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25So once they've used the axe to kind of pick at the ice
0:13:25 > 0:13:29and create the hole, we then use this shovel to try and scoop it out.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35What?
0:13:35 > 0:13:39What's wrong? I'm doing my very best, my friend.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41He makes it look so easy.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44You can see now he's broken through the ice, water's come through,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48this hole's almost done. And they just go to the next one.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Whilst they dig more holes, back at the start, it's time to cast the net.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Well, the guys are just spreading out,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58making sure it feeds into the hole.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01That's an astonishing two kilometres long.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04What happens is, if it has any snags, it won't spread under the ice.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08We want it to spread nicely and catch as many fish as possible.
0:14:15 > 0:14:16Massive team of people.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Everybody knows exactly what they're doing.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21But absolutely freezing cold!
0:14:33 > 0:14:38So we've now travelled around two kilometres from the first hole we dug in the early hours this morning,
0:14:38 > 0:14:40and this is the end of our journey. This is the exit hole.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43It's here that they're going to pull the net from under the ice.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48We may be in the middle of nowhere, but it draws quite a crowd.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Locals buying their fresh fish from the lake
0:14:51 > 0:14:54mingle with curious tourists looking to take home a New Year's treat.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00The net has been underwater three hours now, so it's time to bring it in.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05Fishing in this way is a traditional method.
0:15:05 > 0:15:06It's 1,000 years old,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08and they're still using those techniques today.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11This is called a capstone and it's driven by horsepower.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14What the horses are doing is that they're rotating a central pivot
0:15:14 > 0:15:18and pulling the rope through, that rope is drawing the net from under the ice.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22It's so heavy that the fishermen themselves wouldn't be able to do it,
0:15:22 > 0:15:24and they rely on the strength of the horses.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27The harder it gets, the more weight, the more horses they use.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30In this case, four horses is enough.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Pretty strange, there's a kind of expectant calm before the storm.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42The whole place is really busy, but it feels really quiet.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44People realise that the catch is coming.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48SHOUTING
0:15:50 > 0:15:53After about an hour of the net not really producing any fish,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57it is now filled to the brim with fish.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Whoa, whoa, whoa!
0:15:59 > 0:16:02We're pulling it out! We're pulling it out!
0:16:02 > 0:16:04Everybody's just getting involved!
0:16:04 > 0:16:06There's fish everywhere!
0:16:06 > 0:16:08There's a real sense of excitement!
0:16:10 > 0:16:14There's some real monsters in these nets, some massive, massive fish!
0:16:14 > 0:16:17You could feed a whole family based on just one of these!
0:16:22 > 0:16:26This is it! This is the bighead carp that I came here for!
0:16:28 > 0:16:30Mr Jang says I can take a fish home!
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Now all I need to do is find someone to cook it for me.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38The harvest takes two hours to pull in, and it's a bumper catch.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43The fish are packed into baskets and taken back to the shore of the lake,
0:16:43 > 0:16:46where they'll be packed and distributed all across China.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52It's been a long day.
0:16:52 > 0:16:53The haul has been a good one.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55And now we're finally off the ice,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58I really want to see what all the fuss is about.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03The traditional way to cook bighead carp is to braise it with chillies,
0:17:03 > 0:17:05ginger, and spring onions.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12And here it is. Do you know what, it looks and smells absolutely fantastic, doesn't it?
0:17:12 > 0:17:14So this is the bit I've been waiting for the most,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16after a long hard day grafting on the ice, this is the reward.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18I get to try the fish.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Caught in the morning, cooked in the evening.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Oh, that is absolutely sensational!
0:17:26 > 0:17:28You can really taste the flavours!
0:17:28 > 0:17:29You don't get fresher than this!
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Guys, dig in! Dig in!
0:17:32 > 0:17:33This is amazing!
0:17:33 > 0:17:37This is why the people of China really embrace fresh fish in Chinese New Year.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Hm.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46The fish is an important animal symbol at Chinese New Year,
0:17:46 > 0:17:47but there are many others.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51One powerful mythical creature that holds enormous significance
0:17:51 > 0:17:55in Hong Kong, and indeed all of China, is the dragon.
0:18:00 > 0:18:06Think of a Chinese New Year celebration and you're almost guaranteed to see this -
0:18:06 > 0:18:09the ancient tradition of dragon dancing.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13It's especially important at New Year,
0:18:13 > 0:18:18as Chinese legend has it that dragons are famed for bringing good luck to any new venture.
0:18:24 > 0:18:29This tradition and art still thrive even in 21st-century Hong Kong,
0:18:29 > 0:18:34where the city's skilled dragon dancers are always highly sought-after.
0:18:37 > 0:18:43In Kowloon, Andy Kwok leads the Kwok Kung Fu & Dragon Lion Dance Team,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45one of hundreds across China.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51I've come to see the team's final preparations for the festivities.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53- Hi! Hello.- Good morning, I'm Kate. Lovely to meet you.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Oh, my goodness!
0:18:55 > 0:18:56This is amazing!
0:18:56 > 0:18:59This is called dragon dance!
0:18:59 > 0:19:02And also we call this daylight dragon dance.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04- Daylight dragon dance? - Daylight dragon dance.
0:19:04 > 0:19:09What's the significance of the dragon for Chinese New Year?
0:19:09 > 0:19:11Why is it so important?
0:19:11 > 0:19:17- In your country, these dragons little bit evil, right?- Right.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19- But we are not.- You're not evil?
0:19:19 > 0:19:22Your dragon is kind...
0:19:22 > 0:19:23- Yeah.- It's benevolent.
0:19:23 > 0:19:29Yeah. Also, they bring all the good luck and the happiness to people.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34So, this is a key part of any Chinese New Year celebration,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37is having a dragon as being part of that?
0:19:37 > 0:19:40Yes. The dragon, lion dance and kung fu.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42Dragon, lion dance and kung fu?
0:19:42 > 0:19:45- So they're all connected? - Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:19:45 > 0:19:46Supple...
0:19:47 > 0:19:50But the lion dance is also like this.
0:19:50 > 0:19:51- OK.- OK?- OK.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54So you see the dragon dancer...
0:19:54 > 0:19:57Could I have a go and just see what it's like to hold...
0:19:57 > 0:19:58- Lovely! OK!- Can I?
0:19:58 > 0:19:59- Yeah.- Yeah?
0:20:01 > 0:20:02- So this one?- Yeah.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10Traditionally, the dragon was a sign of strength and power,
0:20:10 > 0:20:14and was often used by China's emperors as their own symbol.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21It's surprisingly heavy when you're doing this!
0:20:21 > 0:20:24The most revered of the mythical animals,
0:20:24 > 0:20:28its movements in a performance must demonstrate its power and dignity,
0:20:28 > 0:20:32and the longer it is, the more luck it will bring the community.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40- Oh, my good... OK!- Let go.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42I mean, you do start to feel...
0:20:42 > 0:20:44Whee!
0:20:44 > 0:20:47..this amazing animal.
0:20:49 > 0:20:50Sorry.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Ooh!
0:21:04 > 0:21:11I thought I was quite fit, but you use every part of your body, don't you?
0:21:11 > 0:21:12- Yeah.- Every muscle?
0:21:12 > 0:21:17- Yeah.- So that's where the kung fu comes in, that physical training.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21- Yeah.- You all absolutely have to work as a team, don't you?
0:21:21 > 0:21:24- Just like, breathe together. - Yeah, yeah.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26How long have you been doing this?
0:21:26 > 0:21:31Because my father is the master, maybe in my mother's...
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Inside my mother.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36- You were dragon dancing before you were born?- Yeah.
0:21:36 > 0:21:42But dancing dragons aren't the only creatures that play a part in New Year celebrations.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45There are lions that dance, too.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49Only the most advanced kung fu artists are allowed to be lion dancers.
0:21:49 > 0:21:53It takes two performers in complete synchronicity,
0:21:53 > 0:21:57a bit like a highly acrobatic pantomime horse.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Really interesting is that, you know,
0:21:59 > 0:22:01for many people, a lion is a frightening animal,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03but it's funny, it's comic!
0:22:03 > 0:22:07- Yeah. Frightening is just one face for the lion.- OK.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09- They also have many other face. - Right.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Just like now, he's drinking the wine.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17It's brilliant!
0:22:17 > 0:22:24- We will always create some new story to make the performance more modern.- More modern, yeah.- Yeah.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32It's brilliant!
0:22:32 > 0:22:35And do you perform full-time?
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Is this your full-time profession?
0:22:37 > 0:22:40This is my full-time... My full-time job.
0:22:40 > 0:22:41So there is enough work?
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Andy's elite team are in demand year-round
0:22:48 > 0:22:50in Hong Kong and across China.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54I caught up with them again at their latest booking,
0:22:54 > 0:22:57a Hong Kong shopping centre's New Year celebrations.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02It's the most incredible performance!
0:23:02 > 0:23:05If that doesn't give the shopping centre good luck and prosperity for the rest of the year,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07I don't know what will!
0:23:12 > 0:23:16On New Year's Day, shows like these can be seen across China,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18as people come out for a bit of fresh air.
0:23:19 > 0:23:221,200 miles north of here in Beijing,
0:23:22 > 0:23:27the Hairy Bikers have been finding out what Beijingers get up to on New Year's Day.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33In Britain, on January 1st, New Year's Day,
0:23:33 > 0:23:38what's the first thing everyone wants to do once they've finally woken up?
0:23:38 > 0:23:42You probably spent the day before overindulging, so you might think,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44"I need to go for a bit of a walk."
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Exactly! And in China, it's no different.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51Now, at New Year, you see, in China,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54when all the feasting and the celebrations are over,
0:23:54 > 0:23:57the people of China like to come to one of these,
0:23:57 > 0:23:58which is a temple fair.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01It's a tradition that dates back hundreds of years.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04It's an opportunity to get out into the open air.
0:24:04 > 0:24:09You know, to burn off a few calories and to go for a stroll with your family, or your best chum.
0:24:15 > 0:24:16So what do you have to do?
0:24:16 > 0:24:19- Well, I think the coin's got to cover the little round thing. - Oh, I get this!
0:24:19 > 0:24:20Right, then.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23Oh...
0:24:27 > 0:24:31Oh!
0:24:31 > 0:24:32- Davey, I got one!- It's mine!
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- That was me!- It was mine!
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Hurray for me!
0:24:37 > 0:24:41How come I'm throwing and then you get the presents?!
0:24:41 > 0:24:43INAUDIBLE
0:24:53 > 0:24:55- They're nice, aren't they? - Oh, great!
0:24:55 > 0:24:56One's got rouge on!
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Year Of The Monkey.
0:24:58 > 0:24:59- Get us one, Dave.- I am!
0:24:59 > 0:25:01- Have you?- Yeah!- Oh, you lovely man!
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Well, it's good luck.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05But you can't just rely on a lucky monkey.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08There are some pretty serious rules you have to follow
0:25:08 > 0:25:12if you don't want to completely mess up the year ahead.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17Rule number one, no medicine on the first day of a lunar year.
0:25:17 > 0:25:23Because it's believed that if you take any medicine on the first day of the year, you'll be ill all year.
0:25:23 > 0:25:24That's no good.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26Rule two, no porridge.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28But I like porridge!
0:25:28 > 0:25:30Well, you can't have it. It's a peasant food.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33And you'll be eating poor food, and be poor, all year,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35if you eat porridge on the first day of the year.
0:25:35 > 0:25:36- Rule three?- No sweeping,
0:25:36 > 0:25:40- because it means that you're sweeping away the wealth of the new year to come.- Makes sense.
0:25:42 > 0:25:43Hello.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49Look, even Granny's in!
0:25:53 > 0:25:57Temple fairs became especially popular during the Qing Dynasty.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02In Beijing, there are four cosmological temples,
0:26:02 > 0:26:04which occupy the four points of the compass.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08You have the sun in the East, Heaven in the South, the moon in the West,
0:26:08 > 0:26:11and here, we have the Temple of Earth in the North.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17At the Temple of Earth, every New Year,
0:26:17 > 0:26:20the Emperor would come to worship the God of Earth.
0:26:22 > 0:26:27Nowadays, people gather to watch a re-enactment of this ancient ritual.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30There's the Emperor, Si. There he is.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35Every year, the Emperor would leave his palace in the Forbidden City,
0:26:35 > 0:26:40and go and negotiate with the gods for a prosperous and auspicious new year for the people.
0:26:40 > 0:26:44It's a real nod to the Chinese Imperial past, this, isn't it?
0:26:44 > 0:26:45It is, very much so.
0:26:51 > 0:26:57The Qing Dynasty was the last great Imperial Dynasty to rule China,
0:26:57 > 0:26:59until their fall in 1911.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Hello, happy new year.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05In recent years, in the People's Republic of China,
0:27:05 > 0:27:10there has been a revival of interest in the Imperial past.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12It's going back in time, isn't it?
0:27:19 > 0:27:22We've been given the chance to catch up with the Emperor himself,
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Mr Qin Shi Huang.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26I've never met an emperor before.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29That was the most wonderful spectacle.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31One thing I've learned at this New Year
0:27:31 > 0:27:35is that the Chinese have a love of family, and a love of tradition.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39And out there, it's just encapsulated all of the love and tradition
0:27:39 > 0:27:41that you see in modern China.
0:27:51 > 0:27:55Dave and I were wondering, the next time you talk to the gods,
0:27:55 > 0:27:58could you put a word in for both him and I?
0:28:12 > 0:28:14KATE: Way down south, as night falls,
0:28:14 > 0:28:19the main New Year's Day celebrations are just about to get started.
0:28:21 > 0:28:26Here in Hong Kong, they take celebration to a whole other level.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29This is the start of the famous night parade,
0:28:29 > 0:28:31which will be kicking off in just a couple of hours.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34They're thinking it's going to be the biggest parade ever,
0:28:34 > 0:28:39150,000 people or more, lining the streets,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42there are going to be two and a half thousand performers,
0:28:42 > 0:28:44one of whom you might just recognise.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50My Hong Kong parade preparations started much earlier.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54This is the backstage area,
0:28:54 > 0:28:57where all the performers gather before heading out onto the route.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02And there's definitely an atmosphere of anticipation.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Now, I'm not going to be a spectator this evening,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07I'm actually going to be part of the parade itself,
0:29:07 > 0:29:10and I have the privilege of riding the Hong Kong Tourism Board float,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12and here she is. As you can see,
0:29:12 > 0:29:15it's all brightly coloured with neon lights, and of course,
0:29:15 > 0:29:17it's scattered with monkeys everywhere.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21The last time someone was allowed to be on the float was in the year 2000.
0:29:21 > 0:29:22A certain Jackie Chan.
0:29:23 > 0:29:28The huge audience the parade draws attracts performers from all over the world.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30Where are you guys from?
0:29:30 > 0:29:31The Netherlands, Tilburg.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33- Did you make this?- Yeah.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Girls, where are you from?
0:29:35 > 0:29:37- Ireland!- Scotland!
0:29:39 > 0:29:43There's always one. There's just time for some final rehearsals.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47Organising this whole operation, including over 2,000 performers,
0:29:47 > 0:29:48is Mason Hung.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52- Mason...- Yes.- You're the grandfather of this event.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54So go back to the very, very first event.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57What was that like and why did you start?
0:29:57 > 0:30:01Originally, at the beginning, we think about something very traditional,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04but Hong Kong is an international city,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07so, we would like to do something, in a sense,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Chinese, but also in a sense, international.
0:30:10 > 0:30:12It becomes more colourful and more exciting.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15I've got the privilege of being on one of the floats tonight.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17- Hm. Yes.- What advice would you give me?
0:30:17 > 0:30:19Make sure you don't fall off.
0:30:19 > 0:30:20And enjoy.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28As the acts go through a pre-show performance,
0:30:28 > 0:30:30I make my way back to my personal chariot,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33which is the very last float in the parade.
0:30:33 > 0:30:34Hey, good luck guys, happy new year!
0:30:36 > 0:30:38- Are you ready?- Yeah, I'm ready!
0:30:38 > 0:30:40Yeah! Good luck!
0:30:40 > 0:30:42That's what's actually brilliant about this parade.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45It's not just professional performers, children, schools,
0:30:45 > 0:30:46everybody gets involved!
0:30:46 > 0:30:50It has a real sense of community and a global participation!
0:30:50 > 0:30:52Ooh!
0:30:52 > 0:30:56I've got to go and get my jacket on, my red lucky scarf, get on my float,
0:30:56 > 0:30:58and join in this massive parade!
0:31:01 > 0:31:03As well as the school kids and me,
0:31:03 > 0:31:06there are other amateur performers here.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08These dancers are genuine airline cabin crew.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18So this is it! We're through the gates and the parade's begun!
0:31:19 > 0:31:22There's our man! The organiser!
0:31:22 > 0:31:25So, the first part of the parade is simple.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28This is the VIP area.
0:31:28 > 0:31:30There's 1,000 VIPs... Whoa!
0:31:32 > 0:31:33I'm now being showered!
0:31:33 > 0:31:38With hot... I think it's my hair burning!
0:31:42 > 0:31:45I still have the best view of the parade.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48Kate's stuck out there, somewhere in the crowd.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51It's a forest of mobile phones and selfies!
0:31:53 > 0:31:56I'm battling... I'm battling my way through!
0:32:04 > 0:32:06Look at these lions!
0:32:06 > 0:32:08They're just fantastic!
0:32:08 > 0:32:09Happy new year!
0:32:09 > 0:32:12As we head out on our lap of the city centre,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15we're going to be passing some of its most famous landmarks.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18This is the clock tower, built in 1915,
0:32:18 > 0:32:21and it's here as a symbol of migration from Hong Kong.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24It's the first thing you see when you enter the harbour, and of course,
0:32:24 > 0:32:26the last thing you see when you leave.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30Once we pass the tower, we meet the people of Hong Kong.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33Everyone's loving the dragons!
0:32:33 > 0:32:36And you'll see in front of all the dragons,
0:32:36 > 0:32:38there's someone carrying a pearl.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Everyone's touching it for good luck.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43That's supposed to represent wisdom.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46And the dragon is in this constant pursuit of wisdom,
0:32:46 > 0:32:49so that's what the pearl means.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53This whole city's partying!
0:32:59 > 0:33:04Thank you! Amazing, someone in the crowd has just given me a red envelope!
0:33:04 > 0:33:06It's a tradition in China.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08Supposed to bring good luck.
0:33:08 > 0:33:13At Chinese New Year, giving red envelopes is a hugely popular custom.
0:33:13 > 0:33:14There's cash inside.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17Thank you very much, my friends!
0:33:22 > 0:33:27These incredible stilt walkers have come from the Netherlands!
0:33:28 > 0:33:30Just magical, these dinosaurs!
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Absolutely glorious!
0:33:39 > 0:33:41We've entered Canton Road.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43This is Hong Kong's equivalent of our Bond Street.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46And somewhere here should be Kate Humble!
0:33:47 > 0:33:49There she is!
0:33:49 > 0:33:52I can see her! There!
0:33:52 > 0:33:54How are you doing?
0:33:54 > 0:33:56Happy new year, Ms Humble!
0:33:59 > 0:34:03Well, that's it, and it has been the finale of this evening.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06It's been the most amazing parade.
0:34:06 > 0:34:10But, extraordinarily, the party doesn't end here.
0:34:10 > 0:34:15Tomorrow, we've got a whole new celebration that will get started.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22The day after New Year's Day
0:34:22 > 0:34:26is famous in Hong Kong for its massive firework display.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30We're up bright and early in anticipation.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37So how did it feel to be the finale of the parade last night?
0:34:37 > 0:34:42It was amazing! To be a part of a parade that shuts down this entire city,
0:34:42 > 0:34:47and from a performer's perspective, it's better than having a front row seat. I'll never forget that.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51Well, many of Hong Kong's residents today, before the fireworks,
0:34:51 > 0:34:54will be at home cooking and eating together.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57And as with so many aspects of Chinese New Year,
0:34:57 > 0:35:01what they eat will be carefully chosen to bring them luck and good fortune.
0:35:06 > 0:35:11As a visitor to Hong Kong, to get a taste of home-cooked food,
0:35:11 > 0:35:15the places to head for are little food stores, known as dai pai dongs.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18So a few days ago, I paid one a visit.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21This is Central Market, which I love,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25because it's like this little traditional enclave tucked away,
0:35:25 > 0:35:30surrounded on all sides by high-rise buildings and designer shopping malls.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32Hong Kong foodies head here,
0:35:32 > 0:35:34when they're hankering after home-cooked food,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37but they don't want the hassle of cooking it themselves.
0:35:39 > 0:35:44At New Year, dishes are chosen because their name sounds similar to other auspicious words.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47Alan Lo, a local entrepreneur,
0:35:47 > 0:35:49is going to help me understand this tradition.
0:35:50 > 0:35:55- Tell me about this one. - So you've got a pig's trotter stew.
0:35:55 > 0:35:59Pig's trotter in Chinese, ju sau, sounds
0:35:59 > 0:36:01like jow sau, so it's like easy money!
0:36:01 > 0:36:03- Easy fortune!- OK.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06Served with fat choy, which sounds like getting rich!
0:36:06 > 0:36:10- Becoming wealthy!- OK.- Sort of like this wild vegetable.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12- Fat choy.- Fat choy.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14I mean, I hate to say, it doesn't look great.
0:36:15 > 0:36:19- It's actually very good. - Yeah.- I like it.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22So this is close to home cooking as you can get, not at home?
0:36:22 > 0:36:26These places become really popular for your everyday,
0:36:26 > 0:36:30either getting off work in central, popping by, or kind of local eatery.
0:36:30 > 0:36:31Right.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36Oh, wow, what's this?
0:36:36 > 0:36:40- Thank you!- Now that's the signature dish of Chinese New Year.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42- You've got a turnip cake.- Right.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46Which is savoury, it's made with dried shrimp, dried scallops,
0:36:46 > 0:36:47and dried sausages.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50They call it nian gao, which is the New Year Cake.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56That would keep you going for, like, a week,
0:36:56 > 0:36:58- wouldn't it?- Oh, yeah! Yeah. We've got a sweet version of that which is
0:36:58 > 0:37:01kind of a rice cake, and it's super gooey, and...
0:37:01 > 0:37:04It's super gooey!
0:37:05 > 0:37:06Oh, it is good!
0:37:06 > 0:37:08It's caramelly and...
0:37:08 > 0:37:10Yeah, families have really old-school recipes.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13They make it at home and, you know, usually it's super delicious.
0:37:13 > 0:37:18So it would be the equivalent of a family in the UK cooking the Christmas cake recipe
0:37:18 > 0:37:20- that's been passed down the family for three generations?- Yeah.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23So, Alan, how would you spend New Year with your family?
0:37:23 > 0:37:27Obviously eating endlessly - it just doesn't stop.
0:37:27 > 0:37:28You know, you eat all day long.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31How many meals might you have in a day?
0:37:31 > 0:37:33You mean apart from breakfast, lunch, and dinner?
0:37:38 > 0:37:43There is another food that is completely ubiquitous in China.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Well, not just in China, all over the world.
0:37:45 > 0:37:51But just because it is commonplace doesn't mean that it is not just as important for every New Year table.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56You can be certain of finding one food anywhere in China.
0:37:56 > 0:38:01Here in Beijing, noodles are on almost every menu.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03If you are the manufacturer of instant noodles,
0:38:03 > 0:38:05then you are on to a good thing.
0:38:05 > 0:38:11The Chinese consume more instant noodles than any other nation in the world,
0:38:11 > 0:38:15getting through 40 billion packs a year.
0:38:16 > 0:38:19But noodles are more than just a convenient snack -
0:38:19 > 0:38:21they are part of the culture.
0:38:21 > 0:38:27Chinese archaeologists even discovered them in the ruins of a 4,000 year old house.
0:38:27 > 0:38:32And they are particularly important for birthdays and Chinese New Year.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35Well, one noodle in particular, and that is the longevity noodle,
0:38:35 > 0:38:38because it is supposed to symbolise long life.
0:38:38 > 0:38:43Now, don't think of a longevity noodle as a sort of single strand, like spaghetti.
0:38:43 > 0:38:48It is actually made to one enormously long length,
0:38:48 > 0:38:50and producing them is quite an art.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54The longer the noodle, the more luck and long life you get.
0:38:55 > 0:39:01So I travelled an hour outside Beijing to meet chef Liu Hui,
0:39:01 > 0:39:06holder of the Shanghai Great World Guinness Record for the longest handmade noodle.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08Ni hao. Good morning, Mr Liu.
0:39:08 > 0:39:09- Ni hao.- How are you?
0:39:11 > 0:39:14So what type of flour are you using here?
0:39:23 > 0:39:27And you've got some big mixing machines, but are the best noodles always made by hand?
0:39:48 > 0:39:53Making a longevity noodle requires not only skill but patience as well.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56And, two hours later, we are ready to roll.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59I wonder what Paul Hollywood would make of this technique.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01Like that?
0:40:01 > 0:40:03- And all the way along?- Yeah.
0:40:08 > 0:40:13After a lot of rolling, you end up with something much longer.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18So, our dough has been rolled, rested, rolled, rested, rolled, rested,
0:40:18 > 0:40:21three times, and it now looks like this.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23And the next stage, apparently,
0:40:23 > 0:40:26involves a performance.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Uncoiling.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33So he is aiming...
0:40:36 > 0:40:38Oh, my goodness, this is bonkers.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41It is like watching a magic trick.
0:40:41 > 0:40:42It is the most amazing thing.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51How long do you think this noodle will be when you are finished?
0:40:57 > 0:40:59How long was your record-breaking noodle?
0:41:05 > 0:41:06Look at that.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08All done.
0:41:10 > 0:41:15Traditionally, longevity noodles are either fried and served on a plate,
0:41:15 > 0:41:18or boiled and served in a bowl with their broth.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21So the big moment has come.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23The cooking of the giant noodle.
0:41:23 > 0:41:24And, according to Mr Liu,
0:41:24 > 0:41:28the amount of noodle that you put in is dictated by the size of the bowl.
0:41:28 > 0:41:31So guess how many centimetres of noodle might go in that.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34You are way off. It is four metres.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37Got to find the end - that is the tricky bit.
0:41:39 > 0:41:40In it goes.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46The longevity noodle is a metaphor for the long walk of life.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49At Chinese New Year, cutting the noodle would mean bad luck.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54So I'd better have a go at slurping mine whole.
0:41:58 > 0:41:59- Really?- Hm.
0:41:59 > 0:42:01OK, here goes.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04This is a happy New Year slurp.
0:42:11 > 0:42:12Back in Hong Kong,
0:42:12 > 0:42:15there's still a few hours to go before one of the world's biggest
0:42:15 > 0:42:17pyrotechnic performances.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22I am here at Victoria Harbour,
0:42:22 > 0:42:24where the crowds have already gathered for tonight's fireworks.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27Now, the Chinese certainly know how to put on an amazing display,
0:42:27 > 0:42:32which is no coincidence when you consider this country produces 90% of the world's fireworks.
0:42:34 > 0:42:40The fireworks for tonight's event have been produced and shipped from one particular part of China.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47In Liuyang, every day starts with a bang.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52For the people here, a day without detonations is a missed opportunity.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54That is because Liuyang,
0:42:54 > 0:42:57nestled in the lush green landscapes of Hunan Province,
0:42:57 > 0:43:00is China's biggest producer of fireworks.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05Over half the world's fireworks are made right here in this region.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10Fireworks is a way of life for the people here.
0:43:10 > 0:43:13One fifth of the population - that is over 300,000 people -
0:43:13 > 0:43:15work within the industry.
0:43:16 > 0:43:21The tradition of firework-making in Liuyang goes back more than 1,000 years.
0:43:21 > 0:43:26A local monk called Li Tian wanted to frighten off evil spirits,
0:43:26 > 0:43:29so he filled pieces of bamboo with gunpowder and blew them up,
0:43:29 > 0:43:32creating the world's first firecracker.
0:43:34 > 0:43:38Today, Li Tian is still honoured as the inventor of the fireworks,
0:43:38 > 0:43:41with a Taoist temple devoted to him in Liuyang.
0:43:44 > 0:43:46You can see, there's three statues here.
0:43:46 > 0:43:50On the left, we have got Ts'ai Lun. This is the guy that invented paper.
0:43:51 > 0:43:55On the right, Sun Simiao. This is the guy that many believe invented gunpowder.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58And in the middle we've got the main man, Li Tian.
0:43:58 > 0:44:01You can see he is holding that little bamboo shoot.
0:44:01 > 0:44:04This city owes so much to him, he is held in great esteem.
0:44:04 > 0:44:09It would be the equivalent of us back in the UK having a temple or shrine to Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
0:44:11 > 0:44:15Ancestor worship is an important part of Chinese culture,
0:44:15 > 0:44:20so local firework makers come here to pay their respects to this man, who founded their industry.
0:44:21 > 0:44:26The constant background of bangs doesn't put them off venerating Li Tian.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30So what it's like living with all those fireworks going off like all the time?
0:44:50 > 0:44:53These days, fireworks are a big business,
0:44:53 > 0:44:57and there are now over 800 fireworks companies in the Liuyang area.
0:44:57 > 0:45:02Dancing Fireworks is a 20-year-old family-run company.
0:45:02 > 0:45:04It now employs 1,600 people.
0:45:07 > 0:45:12By far the most popular fireworks the Dancing factory makes are what is known as display shells.
0:45:13 > 0:45:18These are for huge events like the Beijing Olympics, which Dancing supplied.
0:45:19 > 0:45:21Display shells, like the ones in this warehouse,
0:45:21 > 0:45:25go up to 300 metres and explode into massive starbursts,
0:45:25 > 0:45:29and they are still largely made by hand in factories like this.
0:45:30 > 0:45:35The workers at Dancing produce an extraordinary 2.7 million shells a year.
0:45:35 > 0:45:37That is one shell every 12 seconds.
0:45:39 > 0:45:41Each shell is made of a dome of compressed cardboard,
0:45:41 > 0:45:44with a time display fuse stuck in with string and glue.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49The Dancing factory does not just assemble fireworks.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53It also comes up with new designs for the global market.
0:45:55 > 0:45:59One of the main components used to make gunpowder is a chemical called saltpetre.
0:45:59 > 0:46:02Now, they used to get it from bat droppings found in caves.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05Nowadays, they make it synthetically, but the principle is about the same.
0:46:05 > 0:46:09The science behind fireworks, however, that has really evolved.
0:46:09 > 0:46:11And I've been given special permission to come here
0:46:11 > 0:46:14to the factory development lab to take a look.
0:46:19 > 0:46:25This is the lead scientist here. He is obsessed with pyrotechnics.
0:46:27 > 0:46:31So if you could make any firework, your ultimate dream firework,
0:46:31 > 0:46:32what would it be?
0:46:38 > 0:46:42He has agreed to share his secret recipe for red fireworks with me.
0:46:42 > 0:46:47So, what's it like, that moment that you have designed something in a laboratory here
0:46:47 > 0:46:50and you get to see it explode for first time?
0:46:50 > 0:46:51What does it feel like?
0:46:57 > 0:47:00It's magical, right? You've got the best job ever.
0:47:00 > 0:47:03I want to do this. I want to make one myself.
0:47:09 > 0:47:11All right, so mix it up.
0:47:11 > 0:47:13I'll just pour that in there.
0:47:13 > 0:47:16The mixture we've made is carefully spooned into a tube.
0:47:17 > 0:47:20Time to find out if the recipe has worked.
0:47:20 > 0:47:21So this is the fun bit.
0:47:21 > 0:47:23This is the test facility,
0:47:23 > 0:47:27where I get to set light to these bad boys and watch them burn.
0:47:27 > 0:47:30Now, hopefully, if we've got it right, these are going to be red.
0:47:31 > 0:47:33So, get that down there.
0:47:33 > 0:47:35I've got a lighter.
0:47:39 > 0:47:41Hit the lights.
0:47:43 > 0:47:45This is it, moment of truth.
0:47:45 > 0:47:47What's happening?
0:47:47 > 0:47:48Wow!
0:47:48 > 0:47:51It's red. This is it, it's actually red!
0:47:51 > 0:47:54This is fantastic. I am now a bona fide fireworks maker.
0:47:56 > 0:47:59Despite the joys of flashes and bangs,
0:47:59 > 0:48:01making fireworks is a highly dangerous business.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06And at Dancing, the most hazardous job on the assembly line -
0:48:06 > 0:48:09putting explosives inside the shells -
0:48:09 > 0:48:12takes place in a secluded area cut into the hillside.
0:48:13 > 0:48:15In such vulnerable conditions,
0:48:15 > 0:48:18it is essential to prevent electrical sparks.
0:48:22 > 0:48:25As staff enter this area, they have to touch this metal pole.
0:48:25 > 0:48:27That is to prevent static.
0:48:27 > 0:48:28That really works.
0:48:29 > 0:48:33This area has a real calming feel about it, and that is quite deliberate,
0:48:33 > 0:48:37because the job that these guys are doing requires precision.
0:48:37 > 0:48:38It has to be safe.
0:48:38 > 0:48:41If they get it wrong, the outcome could be catastrophic.
0:48:44 > 0:48:48The technician carefully adds the balls that will give the firework its colour,
0:48:48 > 0:48:51and the ingredient which makes it explode,
0:48:51 > 0:48:53rice kernels coated with flammable compounds.
0:48:56 > 0:48:59Once the shell is packed with explosives, it is time to wrap it.
0:49:01 > 0:49:04Different clients demand a different finish.
0:49:05 > 0:49:07The Americans like a machine wrap,
0:49:07 > 0:49:10while the Japanese prefer theirs handcrafted.
0:49:12 > 0:49:16Everyone here is paid by the firework, so they are very fast workers.
0:49:16 > 0:49:19So you are really quick. How many do you get through a day?
0:49:29 > 0:49:33The shells are left to dry before being sent all over the world.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38And here it is - a finished firework.
0:49:38 > 0:49:41Now, the factory has to make sure that these definitely work,
0:49:41 > 0:49:44and the only true way of doing that is to let them off.
0:49:44 > 0:49:46And it is nearly dark.
0:49:54 > 0:49:59I'm joined by Dancing Factory's general manager Eva Zhong for an hour's
0:49:59 > 0:50:02quality-control - just a perk of her job.
0:50:03 > 0:50:07Every evening, the hills of Liuyang are alive with the sound of fireworks
0:50:07 > 0:50:10as each factory detonates its latest designs.
0:50:14 > 0:50:17Seeing your fireworks in the sky, how does that make you feel?
0:50:17 > 0:50:19I'm so proud.
0:50:19 > 0:50:23It's my father's business, and also, our family business.
0:50:23 > 0:50:25We made it from nothing.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27And then we light the night sky.
0:50:39 > 0:50:43The fireworks for tonight's display have been set up on the three barges
0:50:43 > 0:50:46out there in the middle of the harbour.
0:50:46 > 0:50:51Now, the budget for this event is a staggering £750,000,
0:50:51 > 0:50:54and it takes months of planning and preparation.
0:50:54 > 0:50:59To find out a bit more, I went to meet the brains behind the display, Wilson Mao.
0:51:10 > 0:51:15A beautiful early morning in Hong Kong, and I am heading out to the barge,
0:51:15 > 0:51:18which is where Wilson and his crew are working,
0:51:18 > 0:51:22setting up all the fireworks in preparation for the display.
0:51:30 > 0:51:38It takes a week to load up the barges with 4,500 kg of highly-explosive pyrotechnics.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44Wilson's mapped out a spectacular show,
0:51:44 > 0:51:48so he is making sure they are positioned perfectly to go off at the right place and time.
0:51:51 > 0:51:57So those are the launch tubes, so the actual explosives, the fireworks, are stuffed in those?
0:51:57 > 0:51:58- Yes.- Right.
0:51:58 > 0:52:00There is an electric match,
0:52:00 > 0:52:01together with the shell.
0:52:01 > 0:52:03When the electric match ignites,
0:52:03 > 0:52:06the shell is going to propel from the launch tube.
0:52:08 > 0:52:12Isn't there any danger, when you've got this much explosive in one crate,
0:52:12 > 0:52:17that one will go off and that will somehow set off the rest of them?
0:52:17 > 0:52:20We have very rare incidents like what you said.
0:52:20 > 0:52:25Although sometimes there may be some fire burn on some wires.
0:52:25 > 0:52:26- That may happen.- Right.
0:52:29 > 0:52:33Millions will be watching around the harbour and across the nation on TV,
0:52:33 > 0:52:38so Wilson's devised an ambitious firework to celebrate the incoming year.
0:52:40 > 0:52:42We have 60 monkey faces in the show.
0:52:42 > 0:52:44For the Year Of The Monkey?
0:52:44 > 0:52:46For the Year Of The Monkey, that's right.
0:52:47 > 0:52:49We have the monkeys.
0:52:49 > 0:52:51Oh, look at them!
0:52:51 > 0:52:54He has spent months timing and testing his monkey face design.
0:52:58 > 0:52:59Wow!
0:52:59 > 0:53:05But for now, the show exists only in his imagination and this computer simulation.
0:53:05 > 0:53:08It's still an unpredictable art,
0:53:08 > 0:53:12and there is so much he just can't control.
0:53:12 > 0:53:18Sometimes, the 2-D effect doesn't turn out to be facing to the audience.
0:53:18 > 0:53:23Because the shell is spinning in very, very high speed.
0:53:23 > 0:53:25If it bursts like this,
0:53:25 > 0:53:27you will see the monkey face.
0:53:27 > 0:53:32But if it turns out like this, if it bursts like this, you see a line.
0:53:32 > 0:53:34You won't see the face.
0:53:34 > 0:53:36So you might just get a completely different view?
0:53:36 > 0:53:39Oh, yeah. We can't do any kind of rehearsal.
0:53:39 > 0:53:42That 23 minutes is the moment of truth.
0:53:46 > 0:53:51- ANT:- Well, night has fallen, and there's now over 150,000 people
0:53:51 > 0:53:56cramming every viewpoint around Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour.
0:54:03 > 0:54:08The barges carrying Wilson's monkey face fireworks are over there, in position.
0:54:11 > 0:54:14You couldn't hope for a more spectacular setting.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18Hong Kong really comes alive at night.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20Look at that - that is the perfect backdrop for tonight's fireworks.
0:54:20 > 0:54:24It is looking absolutely fantastic, and better still,
0:54:24 > 0:54:29the conditions tonight are exactly the way that Wilson hoped they would be - humidity's low,
0:54:29 > 0:54:32it is a dry night, little bit of wind to dispel the smoke.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35I think we are going to be in for a tremendous treat,
0:54:35 > 0:54:38and it's going to start any moment now.
0:54:46 > 0:54:48There they go!
0:54:48 > 0:54:50Whoo-hoo!
0:54:51 > 0:54:53Oh, my goodness!
0:55:02 > 0:55:06On the other side, there is another whole crowd of people,
0:55:06 > 0:55:10and there's just this kind of constant winking of cameras going off.
0:55:18 > 0:55:20It's the monkeys.
0:55:20 > 0:55:22These are the monkeys now.
0:55:22 > 0:55:23There they go.
0:55:23 > 0:55:25Woo!
0:55:25 > 0:55:27The red bursts are the monkey faces.
0:55:27 > 0:55:31Like Wilson said, quite a few are side-on to us.
0:55:31 > 0:55:34But that's good news for the crowd over there.
0:55:34 > 0:55:36Do you know what, months and months of work,
0:55:36 > 0:55:38- and it all goes up in a moment. - I know.
0:55:38 > 0:55:40- I know.- What do you reckon Wilson is feeling right now?
0:55:40 > 0:55:44He is just so cool and calm, isn't he?
0:55:44 > 0:55:46He is just like "Yeah, I have done it."
0:55:46 > 0:55:48- "I've done it." - "I've done it again."
0:55:49 > 0:55:52- Oh, my God!- Wow!
0:55:56 > 0:55:57Oh!
0:55:57 > 0:56:01That was bonkers. I'm speechless.
0:56:02 > 0:56:05That was absolutely extraordinary.
0:56:05 > 0:56:10And what a fitting end to what has been an extraordinary insight into the traditions
0:56:10 > 0:56:15that go to making truly the greatest celebration on Earth.
0:56:20 > 0:56:22Wow. We're pulling it out.
0:56:22 > 0:56:26- We're pulling it out. - It's like watching a magic trick.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29- Wow!- This is TV on a huge scale.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31And it's extraordinary.
0:56:35 > 0:56:37And here it is in all its frosty glory.
0:56:40 > 0:56:45We began our journey in the ice city of Harbin...
0:56:45 > 0:56:51Witness the spectacular transformation that happens when darkness falls...
0:56:56 > 0:57:02We followed millions of people on the move heading home to their families...
0:57:02 > 0:57:05Oh, that is so sad, it makes me cry.
0:57:12 > 0:57:14Look at you!
0:57:17 > 0:57:18Hotpot?
0:57:22 > 0:57:26And we've gone behind the scenes at this immense festival as no-one has done before.
0:57:30 > 0:57:33They are about to do the performance of a lifetime.
0:57:33 > 0:57:35I'm not keeping up at all!
0:57:39 > 0:57:45We have loved being able to enjoy the celebration with people all over China.
0:57:45 > 0:57:46They need to be the same length?
0:57:48 > 0:57:51Xin nian kuai le!
0:57:51 > 0:57:53Stretches?
0:57:54 > 0:57:55Oh, my God.
0:57:57 > 0:58:00- Cheers! Yes.- Thank you.
0:58:01 > 0:58:08Discovering a little bit of what it is to live in this enormous country as it enters the Year Of The Monkey.
0:58:09 > 0:58:11Oh, my goodness!
0:58:14 > 0:58:17Happy New Year!
0:58:17 > 0:58:19Real sense of joy.
0:58:22 > 0:58:23Woohoo!
0:58:32 > 0:58:34It has been a real privilege.
0:58:34 > 0:58:36It has been fantastic.
0:58:36 > 0:58:39And all that's left from us to say is Happy Chinese New Year.
0:58:39 > 0:58:42From Ant and me in Hong Kong, have a very good night.