Morning market gives a taste of tradition

On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, despite the challenging -5 C temperature, the Xiaoheyan morning market in Shenhe district in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, was already buzzing before 8 am.

Lines were forming at stalls offering tempting treats like lyudagun ("donkey rolls", which are glutinous rice rolls with sweet bean paste), meat-and-egg buns, and silky tofu pudding. The streets were packed, making it a shuffle-forward-with-the-crowd affair.

Spanning about 400 meters, this lively morning market boasted over 400 stalls bustling with activity. Tourists from all corners of the country, amid the warmth of the market, eagerly selected their favorite hot and fresh delicacies to start their day.

As the morning market-goers made their way back home, they were laden with bags filled with goodies. From the younger crowd with their arms full of soup dumplings and fried dough sticks to the older generation carrying fresh vegetables and meat, everyone found something to delight their taste buds.

Amid the hustle and bustle, cameras clicked and phones were raised for photos and livestreams. What was once a local market has now transformed into a lively attraction, drawing in visitors from far and wide.

Since last year, there's been a surge in young customers, mostly college students, visiting the Xiaoheyan morning market. Starting from New Year's Day, more and more tourists from all over the country have been flocking to Xiaoheyan.