VietNamNet Bridge – Bich La communal house market, which is at least 100 years old, might be one of the most oldest once-a-year markets in Vietnam. It has special traditional characteristics of local people in Bich La village in Quang Tri Province.
The market is located in Bich La Village, Trieu Dong Commune, Trieu Phong District, 14km from Quang Tri Province’s downtown.
The market gathers on the 3rd day of the first month of the lunar year. It trades in all types of local specialties.
The legend says Bich La Communal House is resting on an unknown animal, called Cu. Cu awakes once each year but it has been sleeping for a very long time. If Cu does not wake, the villagers will suffer crop loss. Hence, on the day, they bring noise-makers like bells and gongs to wake up Cu, hoping for a new year of good weather and bumper crops.
From then till now, villagers gather in the market on the third day of the lunar year. The market day lasts for a few hours and the traded items are usually local products such as betel and areca, salt, tea leaves, sugarcane…
Both sellers and buyers take parts in the market to wish a new year full of luck and prosperity.
People visit the market only to wish health and luck, so they usually don’t bargain over prices.
This year the market lured nearly 20,000 people.
Some photos of the market this year:
VNN/VNE
Đăng ký: VietNam News