Traditional flower market adds vibrancy to Hanoi’s Tet flamboyance

A flower market on Hoang Hoa Tham Street ahead of Tet holiday (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hanoi (VNA) – As the traditional Lunar New Year (Tet) is around the corner,  Hanoi’s streets become more bustling with shoppers buying flowers and bonsai for Tet decoration.

Market Buoi on Hoang Hoa Tham street is filled with a wide range of flowers, and is busy from dawn to dusk. Coming to the market at the end of the year, some people buy Tet flowers, some contemplate them, some buy seeds, while others simply consider it as their habit every Tet holiday.

Tuan, a resident in Nghia Tan ward, Cau Giay district said he goes to Tet traditional flower markets to buy seeds and take care of the trees by himself.

“Although the traditional markets have its scale downsized for years, with me, Buoi market has maintained its rustic charm”, Tuan said.

A flower market on Hoang Hoa Tham Street ahead of Tet holiday (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hanoi’s biggest flower-growing areas, Quang An and Nhat Tan wards also draw crowds of visitors and buyers. Tet flowers are also sold along Au Co and Lac Long Quan streets in Tay Ho district.

Vietnamese people have a tradition of buying flowers to decorate their houses before Tet holiday. As the capital city has grown in size and is now several times larger than it was decades ago, a number of flower markets have mushroomed across the city to meet the increasing demand of the additional residents during the festival.

Hang Luoc Street in the old quarter is famous for its traditional Tet flower market. The flower market in Hang Luoc is actually known as one of the oldest of its kinds in Hanoi that opens once a year for the country’s biggest and most important holiday.

A week before the New Year, people flock to the market for fresh flowers, ornamental plants and a slew of other Tet decorations.

Vietnamese people have a long tradition of offering fresh flowers to deities and their ancestors during the holiday to pray for luck and peace.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made it difficult for locals to visit traditional markets. People, who want to rush out to the markets to buy necessary decorative items, have to wear facemasks as recommended by local authorities. 

According to Le Viet Nga, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Domestic Markets Department, traditional market is a standout feature of the northern residents, and Vietnamese people as a whole.

Coming to traditional markets, people can make bargains, talk with each other, and share stories about life, Nga said, adding that the organisation of traditional market adds charm to the capital city, particularly when many markets’ scale has been reduced due to rapid urbanisation.

In several places, traditional markets have been given new appearance, with spaces replaced by supermarkets or shopping malls.

Traditional markets play an important role in preserving and promoting cultural as well as in boosting socio-economic development, Vu Vinh Phu, former Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade said.

“During the planning process, competent authorities should develop meticulous study so that traditional markets could receive locals’ interests, and create cultural highlights for the city”, he proposed./.

Hang Luoc Street is packed with shoppers ahead of Tet. (Photo: VietnamPlus)