Maintaining old crafts along Hanoi’s old streets

Traditional professions were a unique cultural feature of ancient Hanoi. In order to preserve this feature, the Management Board of Hoan Kiem Lake and Hanoi’s Old Quarter have held a series of cultural activities with the theme “Preserving ancient professions on the streets”, focusing on introducing Vietnamese traditional medicine on Lan Ong Street.

Lan Ong Street is famous for producing Vietnamese traditional medicine. A space recreating the craft can be found at 50 Dao Duy Tu in the Old Quarter. The space includes a display area introducing medicinal plants and medicinal products, an area for preparing Vietnamese traditional medicine, and a space for health checks.

According to the Management Board, Vietnamese traditional medicine in Lan Ong Street is not only famous for its professional techniques and diverse treatment methods but also for the teachings of the ancestors. A typical example is progenitor and physician Hai Thuong Lan Ong, who had a humanistic ideology of living for everyone, adopted a spirit of lifelong learning, and followed 8 things a physician should possess, including Humanity, Virtue, Intelligence, Generosity, and others.

Taking place until May 12, the series of cultural activities are being organised to celebrate the country’s major holidays and look towards the 300th birthday of famous physician Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac.

Within these activities will also be a discussion on “Hoan Kiem’s traditional medicine profession associated with the development of Lan Ong craft street”, an art exhibition entitled “Thang Long converges”, and an introduction to the Xi Thoai brocade craft village, all held at several locations in Hanoi’s Old Quarter./.

VNA