By Yisu Kim, News Staff

Chinatown in winter is ordinarily blanketed with snow – but for one week in January every year, colorful stands beckoning with bundles of flowers dot Kneeland Street as far as the eye can see.

From last Thursday to Sunday, the second annual Chinese New Year Hin Sang Flower Market took place on the greenway in Chinatown, in celebration of the Lunar New Year. Vendors sold plum blossoms by the basketful on either side of the street, protected from the snow under their tents.

For centuries, flowers have played an integral role in Chinese New Year festivities. As China’s most momentous holiday, the new year allows participants to celebrate their rich culture. Tricia Brown wrote in her book, “Chinese New Year” that before families decorate for the new year, they scrub their homes from top to bottom to usher in a new season of good fortune and blessings. It is a Chinese New Year tradition to then decorate homes with flowers and welcome the new year together.

In the Chinese culture, different types of flowers have different meanings. As Brown wrote, plum blossoms signify longevity and courage, while the water narcissus brings good luck. A combination of varying flowers and fruits is thought to bring good fortune to a family. The vendors participating in the Flower Street Festival had an array of plants ranging from traditional flowers to bamboo stalks and fruits.

Despite the snow on the ground, customers at the festival milled around the tents with armfuls of flowers and branches. Street passersby had the opportunity to visit the stalls and learn more about the Chinese tradition.

“The festival was intriguing,” said freshman pharmacy major Stephanie Rabino. “It was impressive that they were all out there even though it was snowing. Since I don’t celebrate Chinese New Year, it was really interesting to see what other cultures do for their holidays.”

Tents sold not only different types of flowers, but also Chinese keepsakes and tokens. Strings of lanterns and long, red paper Chinese dragons lined the tops of several stands. Headpieces in the traditional color of red were also strung from the ceilings of the tents.

Decorations in red and gold also hung from the ceiling of Northeastern’s International Village dining hall to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The dining hall brought in some festivity Monday with a dragon cake display and traditional Chinese fare like Szechuan green beans and braised bok choy.

To continue celebrating the Chinese New Year, Chinatown will host the Chinese New Year Parade in Phillips Square Sunday, during which cultural clubs will parade around Chinatown. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., fireworks, dancing and food will fill the square, open to the public for free.