Chinese people visit a temple during a Lunar New Year celebration at Chinatown in Yangon on Jan 29, 2025. - AP
YANGON: Chinese New Year is a vibrant and highly anticipated event in Myanmar, with Myanmar-born Chinese families across the country actively upholding their traditions.
Wai Wai Tun, 30, a resident of Mandalay region, said that preparations, including buying snacks, incense, fruits, and joss paper, begin weeks or even a month before Chinese New Year.
"On Chinese New Year's Eve, we typically make offerings to welcome wealth, pray for good fortune, and honour ancestors," she said.
Beyond traditions, the Spring Festival also serves as an opportunity to foster cultural exchange. Inviting local Myanmar friends to participate in the celebrations allows them to experience the lively atmosphere, fostering a deeper understanding of Chinese culture and strengthening Myanmar-China relations, Wai Wai Tun said.
Khin Myint, 31, from Shan State, shared her Chinese New Year plans, which include cleaning her home, setting up money trees, and visiting temples.
"On the first day of the Chinese New Year, I will take my kids to the temple to pray and visit relatives to wish them Happy Chinese New Year," she said.
She added that with Chinese New Year recognised as a public holiday in Myanmar starting this year, families no longer need to request leave from schools for the festival, which has made celebrating with family easier. This initiative has been welcomed by Chinese families.
Nanda Han, 47, a resident of the Yangon region, shared his experience, "For this Chinese New Year, I attended various Spring Festival events, including celebrations at Chinese schools in Yangon and the Chinatown festive market, with my family. We will also pray to our ancestors to honour our traditions."
This year, a notable highlight was the recognition of Chinese New Year as a public holiday in Myanmar. This initiative is especially significant, as it allows people to perform good deeds, pray, and spend quality time with their families during the Spring Festival without asking for leave, he said.
Tradition is tradition, no matter the era. Traditional customs will be preserved as much as possible, he added.
The Chinese New Year 2025, or the Year of the Snake, falls on Jan 29 this year. - Xinhua
