A series of Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations was held Saturday in Southern California, which is home to most Chinese Americans in the United States. Many people told Xinhua they expected more cultural exchanges between the two countries.

In Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, a two-day Chinese New Year festival kicked off Saturday morning, which featured lion dances, face-changing performances, martial arts demonstrations, music, as well as art and craft shows.

"It was amazing! It was beautiful!" said Catherine and her boyfriend Brandon, who only gave their first names. They said they were attracted by the traditional Chinese opera featured at the event.

Calling it "a good opportunity," they said the performance gave them another perspective on Chinese culture and its beauty.

At USC Pacific Asia Museum, an Asian art museum in Pasadena, thousands of attendees enjoyed traditional lion dances, calligraphy and craft displays, as well as performances featuring traditional Chinese clothes (Hanfu).

Briony James, a volunteer at Saturday's event, said, "Cultural exchange absolutely played an important role for these communities in Los Angeles to understand each other."

Noting that she is planning a trip to China, James said she hoped flights across the Pacific would be increased in the coming years.

He Yushan, a graduate student at the University of Southern California, joined the Hanfu performance and said that many people had praised her costume.

The celebration provided a platform for her to share Chinese culture with locals, the student told Xinhua.

"The Angelinos like to know more about different cultures, and I am glad to be a cultural ambassador," she said. 

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