Buddhist festival marked in Yangon

In a reminder of the deep ties that bind China and Myanmar, Yangon’s Chinese community on October 5 held a festival dedicated to the revered monk Shin U Pagoke, a follower of the Guatama Buddha. The annual festival, known as ‘Ye Hmyaw Pwe’, concludes with a pot of ashes being ceremonially dropped into the Yangon River. Features of the festival include loud parades through the streets of Chinatown, dragon dancing and multitudes of incense.