The Chay Market in Ha Bac during the Lunar New Year

Despite having many shopping options, many people in the Thanh Ha area still prefer to go to Chay Market in Ha Bac commune (Hai Phong) during Tet holidays.

Chay Market was one of the central markets of the former Thanh Ha district and is now the largest market in Ha Bac commune.

The Legend of Chay Market

Not everyone knows the origin of the name "Chợ Cháy" (Burning Market). According to historical records, Chợ Cháy dates back to the 12th century during the Lý Dynasty. The person credited with establishing the market was Empress Dowager Hoàng Thị Hồng. During a royal tour through Cẩm Chế, King Lý Anh Tông was impressed by her talent and virtue, so he brought her to the palace and made her his concubine.

Upon returning to her hometown, seeing that the people were still suffering from poverty and hardship, she used the gold and silver bestowed upon her by the king to establish a market, naming it Cam Che Market. At the same time, she had people build roads, bridges, and dredge rivers to help the people expand trade and commerce, creating a bustling rural area.

Legend has it that before returning to her hometown, the concubine was pregnant with the king's child but didn't know it. Upon returning to the capital, passing through Kinh Bac region, she discovered she was carrying the king's child and, fearing serious repercussions, she surrounded the area with a screen and committed suicide in the lake.

Most of the agricultural products sold at Chay Market are grown and produced by the local people themselves.

Upon hearing the news of the death of his concubine Hoang Thi, the king was saddened and enraged, believing that he had lost his wife and child because he had sent her back to her hometown. He then ordered his soldiers to burn down the market, which the locals later called the Burnt Market.

Upon hearing of Hoang Thi's death and witnessing the soldiers burning the market, the villagers submitted a petition to the king. Reflecting on the hasty and impulsive act of burning the market before the full story was understood, the king provided gold and silver to rebuild the market in a more magnificent manner and erected a temple next to it, honoring Hoang Thi Hong as the village's guardian deity. Subsequent kings elevated her consort, Hoang Thi, to the status of Empress Dowager of the Ly Dynasty.

For many people in Ha Bac commune and the surrounding areas, going to Chay market on the eve of Tet is an indispensable part of their lives.

Over the centuries, Chay Market has been maintained and developed, serving as a major market for the northern part of the former Thanh Ha district, and now for Ha Bac commune. Chay Market is a symbol of the bustling commercial development of the locality.

Maintain your unique style.

The goods sold at Chay Market are mainly agricultural products grown and produced by the local people themselves. Each corner of the market specializes in a particular type of product, making it easy for shoppers to find and choose what they need.

During Tet (Vietnamese New Year), the products on display are more diverse, but each item is sold in small quantities. From vegetables and fish to meat, everything is simple and down-to-earth. Items that evoke the spirit of Tet, such as bundles of banana leaves, bunches of bananas, pomelos for offerings, and fresh flowers, are simple yet endearing.

Chay Market offers a wide variety of goods reflecting the spirit of Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year).

As society develops and supermarkets and convenience stores become more numerous, traditional markets are not being abandoned. And Chay Market is one such rural market. Especially during Tet (Lunar New Year), many people come to the market not only to buy goods but also to evoke memories and nostalgia, though old, that are always present and poignant.

Ms. Nguyen Huong Giang from Van Tue village, Ha Bac commune, said: "Although I live and work far from home, I always go to Chay Market when I return to my hometown for Tet. When I was little, whenever I got good grades, my grandmother would reward me by taking me to Chay Market to shop. The joy and excitement of my childhood are still intact today."

The goods sold at the market are simple, ordinary, familiar, and relatable.

According to Mr. Nguyen Xuan Hien, representative of the Chay Market Management Board, before the reorganization of commune-level administrative units, Chay Market was the central market of the entire region. People from neighboring localities all came to the market to exchange and buy goods. Some goods were only available at Chay Market and not at other markets, and could only be purchased there at reasonable prices.

Therefore, regardless of whether it's a market day or a regular day, Chay Market is always bustling, and it's even more lively during Tet (Lunar New Year). Despite the busy Tet season, no one is in a hurry. Sellers and buyers, even strangers, are still friendly and cheerful. As a result, in the days leading up to Tet, the market only disperses in the late afternoon.

Chợ Cháy market still retains its unique charm in modern society.

To meet the needs of business, exchange, and trade, Chay Market has been invested in, upgraded, and expanded in recent years. Currently, the market has an area of ​​nearly 6,000 m2 ^with about 200 permanent business households. In addition, the market also has an outdoor area for non-permanent vendors.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, Chay Market still retains its unique character, contributing to the preservation of the cultural and traditional values ​​of the Lunar New Year.
HOANG LINH

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/cho-chay-o-ha-bac-ngay-tet-535787.html