People line up to buy traditional tangyuan at a store in Beijing on March 1 ahead of the Lantern Festival. Some waited in line for three hours at the Jinfang Tangyuan outlet in Ciqikou to buy the sweet, glutinous rice balls traditionally eaten to mark the holiday, which this year falls on March 2. Anticipating demand, the store, a time-honored brand in Beijing, has prepared 250 tons of the treat. Photos: Li Hao/GT