Hong Kong malls ride on horse decorations for Chinese New Year

Many Hong Kong shopping malls have already installed Chinese New Year decorations to welcome the festival, which falls in mid-February this year.

Chinese New Year is around the corner. With horses being the main characters of the new year, this Tai Kok Tsui shopping mall displays decoration that incorporates the animal and Chinese ink painting.

Painted by Xu Beihong, known as a pioneer of modern Chinese painting, the artwork, "Six Galloping Horses," portrays the animal charging across open plains.

The mall said that it had allocated 10 million dollars to the Chinese New Year decorations.

Through the Year of Horse decoration, the mall hopes to showcase the traditional side of the Chinese culture to visitors amid the festival.

"We are trying to bring this very conventional element and add into the digitalised element to present it to our customers," said Bella Chhoa, director, asset management, Sino Group. "Hong Kong is an international art hub. The ink painting itself, is very conventional.

"A lot of tourists, they come to Hong Kong because they think we are different."

The mall added that it expects about 10 percent growth in profit over the Chinese New Year period.

Meanwhile, some malls in Hong Kong opt for a cartoon type of installation, such as this bunny character IP.

The Tseung Kwan O mall said its target customers are local families and young people.

Its manager said IP characters can attract customers to visit the venue for pictures because of their popularity.