Desolate Hang Vo street in the 7th lunar month
According to Lao Dong's records on the morning of August 18 (July 15 of the lunar calendar), trading activities on Hang Ma Street are no longer as vibrant and bustling as in previous years, although stores have imported many new models to serve consumer demand.
Mr. Ngo Tung Duong (Cau Giay, Hanoi ) said that in the past, every time he burned votive paper, his family bought at least 5-7 million VND to send to deceased relatives. "But from the beginning of 2024, the family only buys less than 1 million VND each time, just for symbolic purposes," Mr. Duong added.
Also worried about the possibility of fire and explosion from burning votive paper, Ms. Bui Minh Thu (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) said that in the past, Hang Ma Street was crowded with buyers and sellers, but this year, the shops on Hang Ma Street are increasingly deserted.
"Instead of burning votive paper like every year on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month, this year the family did not burn votive paper but instead went to the pagoda to pray, contribute to charity and social welfare funds, expressing their spirituality in a way that is beneficial to society," Ms. Thu added.
Combine seasonal product business
Although it is the full moon day of the 7th lunar month, the number of customers coming to buy is very low, making many traders worried. This is a common situation happening not only on Hang Ma street but also in markets in Hanoi.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hue ( person requested to change name ) - owner of the gold paper shop at 6B on Hang Ma Street - said that the buying and selling of gold paper is busiest on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month and on Tet holiday. These are occasions that are usually expected to bring in revenue for the shop. However, this year, the number of customers coming to the shop to buy gold paper to burn has decreased significantly compared to previous years.
According to Ms. Hue, the number of customers coming to buy votive paper products this year has decreased by about 70 - 80%, most of the people coming to buy are families belonging to the ancestral temple, so the number of sales is very small.
"The situation of buying and selling votive papers is sluggish, so my family has switched to selling Mid-Autumn Festival toys for a month now. The number of votive papers accounts for a small amount inside the store," Ms. Hue added.
Mr. Trinh Huu Quyet (67 years old, living at 24 Hang Ma Street) said that his family has a tradition of selling votive paper on Hang Ma Street for nearly 100 years. He is feeling worried because the number of customers is increasingly sparse and deserted.
According to Mr. Quyet, the reason for the sharp decrease in the consumption of votive paper may be because many people think that burning votive paper is a waste of money, and burning too much will pollute the environment, which may be one of the causes of fires.
Many people have changed their concept, instead of burning votive paper, they have used their family's money to contribute to charity and social welfare funds, expressing their spiritual beliefs in a new way.
“To survive and make ends meet, the family plans to switch to selling decorative items to serve people during major holidays such as Mid-Autumn Festival, Christmas, and Lunar New Year,” Mr. Quyet added.
Source: https://laodong.vn/kinh-doanh/thu-phu-hang-ma-diu-hiu-ngay-ram-thang-7-1381250.ldo
Comment (0)