Ethnic Han, Tibetans celebrate new year together

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Yan Fan wants to be sure that they do as the Tibetans do in a Tibetan family. First is to choose the right New Year gift. The traditional hada, or a piece of silk that symbolizes pure and good luck, is a must.

Basang, also a Lhasa resident, said, "I'm very excited to  have a Han friend to visit my family during the New Year  time. Tibetans enjoy getting together a lot during the year,  but Hans and Tibetans don't have many chances to do so. Yan  Fan is very kind, I enjoy with her."

Days into the Tibetan New Year, the festive mood is still felt across the streets.

Here they are, the family of Basang, a former neighbor who Yan Fan calls, her bigger sister.