Feature: Chinatown in Yangon bustling with festive hustling as Chinese New Year approaches

YANGON, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinatown of Yangon in Myanmar is bustling with people selling and buying festive items to celebrate the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Dragon, which falls on Feb. 10.

Many stalls have been selling red banners, various styles of lanterns, snacks, hongbao (red envelope), and candies in Chinatown market.

"As the New Year approaches, the sale rate is gradually increasing. But this year sales are down compared to previous year and the flow of the goods is decreasing. Last year, I couldn't even sit down because many people flock to our shop to buy items," Pa Pa Lin, a 21-year-old manager of the Wang Wang store, told Xinhua on Saturday.

On the weekends, the sales rate is better than on weekdays, she said.

"I bought incense, joss paper, gold and silver foil to honor ancestors and traditional snacks will be bought on the actual day," Soe Lin Tun, a 36-year-old shopper at the Chinatown, told Xinhua.

Chinese people are happy on Lunar New Year's Day. Most people love the Year of the Dragon because it is powerful, he said.

Khant Ko Ko, a 22-year-old sales staff of Royal Trading store, told Xinhua, "At our shop, the stickers and hongbao are the most popular items. Sales are good on Lunar New Year's Day, so I'll spend the day selling stuff."

Khin Khin Aye, a shopper at Chinatown, said, "I bought gold and silver papers, necessary items to pay respect to ancestors and decorations. The New Year will be celebrated with my family happily cooking various foods, decorating red banners at my home and doing good deeds on that day."

"We buy the items in advance before the actual day because if we buy the things late, we won't be able to buy the things we want," she said.

Some people from far away came to buy the things in Chinatown market where a variety of traditional Chinese New Year items are available, she added.