Dong Xuan Market is considered to be the oldest and largest market in Hanoi Old Quarter, associated with the development of the ancient Thanh Long citadel and today’s Hanoi capital.
Dong Xuan Market is not only a trade point but also a cultural and spiritual value that reflects the daily life of the people of Hanoi in the past.
Today, Dong Xuan market still promotes the tradition of trade development by preserving culture and exploiting tourism; is a model of commercial civilization and is the only market of the country to well implement democracy regulations.
In the old time, people considered Dong Xuan market to be the “stomach” of Hanoi, as the products of all regions were sold here. The book of Hanoi in the first half of the twentieth century has written: “Hanoi is located in the middle of the Northern Delta, but it also has prawns, tanks in the eastern region, and the eastern province of the province, with stag and deer deer in mountainous areas; Hanoi has mangoes, mangosteen in the South; tea and coffee in the Central Highlands.”
Dong Xuan Market was founded in 1889 by the French after settling the flows of the To Lich and the Red Rivers. Being in Dong Xuan district, the market is called Dong Xuan; one side of the market is Huyen Thuyen pagoda (Hang Khoai street) and one side is Bach Ma temple (Hang Buom street).
People used to gather on either side of the river, on a wharf under a boat, and were mainly engaged in waterborne trading. In the course of time, To Lich river has been filled with alluvium, forming a mudflat and the French flocked people to trade here, gradually building a market.
At this time, Dong Xuan market made it very convenient for trading activities, especially when the French built Long Bien bridge, the trade developed quickly due to the favorable location of road, waterway and railway.
Dong Xuan area sold food and drinks across the country while the Bac Qua area was a self-sufficient area for people in the vicinity of Hanoi to sell plants and animals. This place was famous for many goods, since every seasonal products or delicious things were only sold at Dong Xuan market.
Year after year, the ever-growing Dong Xuan Market becomes an attraction for Hanoi people and other people to come to Hanoi.
When the national resistance erupted, Dong Xuan Market was located in Inter-Zone One and became a fierce battle point. There were battles between the Guard of the Army against the French legionnaires and many of the Guardians died there before withdrawing from Hanoi.
60 days and nights of fire and smoke, from the end of 1946 to the beginning of 1947, the people of Dong Xuan were brave and resilient in fighting, contributing to the victory against the French.
One of the events was on the morning of December 18, 1946, French soldiers attacked Hang Luoc defense headquarters. Hearing the gunfire, self-defense in Dong Xuan, Hang Khoai and surrounding streets preparing to fight; Dong Xuan market was immediately closed, a fortress made of tables and chairs and wooden stalls were quickly created as an obstacle to prevent enemy vehicles from going forward.
The French were angry because they had to go back, they shot indiscriminately on both sides of Hang Giay street. In 2005, on the occasion of Hanoi’s 995-year anniversary of Thang Long – Hanoi, the city erected a statue of Hanoi in the winter of 1946 right next to Dong Xuan market to commemorate those who died in the battle to protect the Capital.
For decades, Dong Xuan Market is still the largest wholesale market in Hanoi but still preserves its historical and cultural values.
Mr. Do Xuan Thuy, General Director of Dong Xuan Joint Stock Company, said: “The company’s orientation is to continue to build Dong Xuan market into a traditional market imbued with Vietnamese market, to continue restoring the traditional values. its history and history.”
Dong Xuan Night Market was born in 2003 to diversify the activities of the market and serve the shopping and entertainment needs of tourists. It also organizes folklore activities such as xam singing, cheo singing, Bac Ninh mandarins …. and has been highly appreciated by the Vietnam Center for Music Arts Development in the restoration of traditional culture. system.
Dong Xuan Night Market connects with Hang Dao – Dong Xuan Walking Street to form a chain of night markets extending from the Lake shore to Dong Xuan Market, attracting a large number of Hanoians and foreign tourists to visit and do their shopping.
Dong Xuan market is part of our cooking class program. When participating in Duong’s cooking class, you not only receive cooking lessons but also visit the markets in Hanoi’s old town and enjoy street food.
