"China Gets Ready For Lunar New Year"

RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne. For its New Year, China has an equivalent of the glittering ball falling in Times Square. It's a big bash on state TV, featuring movie stars, political big wigs, hundreds of dancers. This year, for the first time, the official show has competition, the Wall Street Journal reports. It's a homemade variety show aimed at the little people. Amateur acts are on the popular Web site include a man who does tricks on a bicycle and a dancing troop of monks. It's Morning Edition.