Unique street market in the city

Amidst the bustling city, there existed a rural market steeped in the distinctive cultural characteristics of Vietnamese villages. This was the Nu Market, also known as Lu Market (Nu or Lu are both corrupted pronunciations of Lua), located in what is now Viet Tri ward.

Nu Market was established very early on, but no one can pinpoint the exact time of its founding. Mr. Le Van Thuy from Viet Tri ward shared: "Now I am 95 years old, having been associated with Nu Market for almost a century, witnessing countless changes in this rural market."

The Nu Market was held periodically, and since the houses were near the market, families would go there to buy and sell goods on market days, rarely going to other markets. The old Nu Market usually opened in the early morning and closed after noon. The market was simple, consisting only of stalls thatched with straw or palm leaves.

The market features items such as vegetables and fruits from home gardens, a few dozen eggs, chickens, and ducks; some stalls sell farming tools, while others offer snacks like sticky rice, sweet soups, and other local delicacies. The entire market exudes the simplicity and rustic charm of a rural area.

Traditional conical hats are a common item sold at local markets.

To date, Nu Market has undergone many changes, with its activities becoming distinctly commercial. However, the market still retains its traditional charm. The market maintains regular sessions on the 3rd, 5th, 8th, 10th, 13th, 15th, 18th, 20th... of each lunar month, with the 3rd, 8th, 13th, and 18th being the main sessions, while the others are secondary (off-peak) sessions. The market opens very early, before dawn.

The market, located in the heart of the usually quiet neighborhood, becomes bustling and lively on market days. Goods from all over arrive in droves by various means. The roads leading to the market are crowded with people. The shouts and calls of vendors blend together, creating a unique symphony of sounds characteristic of a street market.

The market is divided into different sections. There are sections for meat and fish, sections for vegetables and fruits, sections for dried goods, handicrafts, ironware, and copperware... Without being told, everyone sequentially brings their goods to their designated places, creating an orderly space that is very convenient for customers to find what they need.

The area selling banana leaves and bamboo strips was quite crowded with women choosing ingredients for wrapping banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) during Tet.

The goods at each market are incredibly diverse, and the prices are very reasonable. This is because it brings together all kinds of goods, either sourced by traders from nearby rural areas or produced by the local people themselves...

It seems that they save up all the delicious and beautiful things to bring to the market, creating a rich variety for the street market and also giving buyers many choices of products that suit their budget.

At the market, buyers can choose from a wide variety of goods with a distinctly rural flavor.

The market still retains stalls selling snacks and various types of cakes, such as honey-fried cakes, ball-shaped cakes, cassava cakes, and even rice cakes, sticky rice cakes, and thorny rice cakes... these are authentic rural foods that you'll remember forever after just one taste.

The market here sells a variety of traditional snacks.

The Nu market wouldn't be complete without a section selling traditional handcrafted woven goods, such as baskets, sieves, and other containers, all skillfully crafted by farmers using rattan, bamboo, and reeds.

We also cannot forget the agricultural tools section, a product always present at every market. These are essential tools for agricultural production, a constant companion for farmers.

Mr. Phung Van Dinh, residing in Nong Trang ward, has been running a hardware stall at the market for nearly 30 years.

The market space is further enhanced by the vibrant colors of vegetables and fruits neatly displayed by the women selling them... The green of the vegetables and the red of the fruits create a lively picture, adding joy to life.

Visiting the Nu market, we not only see a vibrant and bustling atmosphere but also clearly feel the breath of modern life intertwined with traditional cultural space.

This is not just a place for the simple exchange of goods, but also a place that evokes joy, pride, and community bonding; a place that preserves the unique cultural characteristics of the Vietnamese countryside within the urban landscape, which have been built, preserved over thousands of years of history, and continue to exist to this day.

Every spring, that culturally rich space evokes feelings of nostalgia and longing in those who visit the Nu market, filling them with hope for a new year filled with good fortune, happiness, and success.

Phuong Thao

Source: https://baophutho.vn/doc-dao-cho-phien-trong-pho-247484.htm