[Photo/Xinhua]

Adding to the festivity, Twitter released its first-ever Chinese New Year emoji in a move to become the leading social platform for celebrations.

The hongbao, or red envelope used for gift giving, appeared on tweets containing special hashtags, including #KungHeiFatChoy, #HappyCNY and #GongXiFaCai.

And on Monday, the first day of the Chinese Year of the Monkey, New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a written statement that "The Lunar New Year has long been one of the city's most treasured traditions."

This year, U.S.-China Cultural Institute co-chaired a five-day festival dubbed "Year of the Monkey Celebration" to mark the Lunar New Year holiday in partnership with the China Central Academy of Fine Arts, the Nature Conservancy, New York Philharmonic, and other culture entities.

"We are trying to bring both Chinese and people of all ethnic backgrounds together in New York through art, education and the conservation of nature," said Chair Young.

To most New Yorkers, the events are a welcome effort to know more about the Chinese culture.

Poring over a large installation made from over 1,000 dance shoes at an exhibition held at Javits Center North Saturday, Havi Rampersaud, a Bronx resident, said "I think the art piece is super cool. There should be more events like this."

The exhibition will help break the stereotype of the Chinese culture that had been deeply set in people's minds, and add a fresh, modern dimension to its understanding, she added.

A quick tour around the exhibition that showcased contemporary Chinese art, including delicate handcraft, fine costume, painting, public art pieces, and creative photography, one may easily get the feel of how Chinese art charms the Chinese and westerners alike.