The Chinese have always taken books and flowers as the token of a rich and well-educated family. Many people sent their friends and relatives books and a bouquet of flowers to extend their best wishes during the Spring Festival.

Though the one-week Spring Festival holiday has passed, Spring Festival still gives off fragrance in Chinese cities. Kids have been seen sitting on the floor or standing at the bookshelves of the bookstores, reading their favorite cartoon albums or science books during the festival.

The young and the old also chose the books they need during the Chinese Lunar New Year. A middle-aged man said," I have got to learn more as I am now competing with well-educated young for the job."

Jin Xiaoxia, general manager of a Xinhua Bookstore in An'shan City, northeast China's Liaoning Province, said unlike the previous years, they were busy the whole day during the Spring Festival this year. The sales volume from January 25 to February 1 was around 90,000 yuan (about US$10,800).

Flowers were also sold like hot cakes during the Spring Festival. Red, Pink, yellow and white blossoms decorated the barren cold days in the northeastern city.

Zhangjun, who opened a small flower shop himself, said," We didn't close one day during the Spring Festival. Business is quite good, we sold dozens of flower bouquets everyday."

Carnations, roses and little bamboo sold unexpectedly well. Carnations usually keep in full bloom for half a month, symbolizing health and best wishes. Roses are tokens of love, and bamboo plants are the best to express wishes for good luck and fortune.

Flower purchases in China have been on the rise over the past few years during the holiday. Beijing sold as much as 10 million yuan worth of flowers last year, and Nanjing sold about the same.

(People's Daily 02/05/2001)