Countryside market - A place to preserve Vietnamese soul

With socio-economic development, the urbanization process takes place in each countryside at an increasingly rapid pace. However, amidst the hustle and bustle of modern life, the countryside market still retains traditional cultural values imbued with the countryside and Vietnamese soul. Not simply a place to exchange and trade goods, rural markets also contain many aspects of life, carrying the cultural values of each region, deeply imprinted in the minds of each person.

Banh da is sold at Xom market, Hung Lo commune.

In memory, every time my mother went to Dau market (Du Lau, Viet Tri), we were extremely excited because she bought a lot of food, including her favorite gifts, which were powdered candy or banh ram cake. , sometimes it’s a new shirt, wearing it makes you extremely proud of your friends.

In my childhood thoughts at that time, to me, Dau Market was a place with all the most magical and precious things in the world. When I grew up and had some understanding, I learned that Dau market has special things that are not found everywhere because the ancient Trau village grew a lot of betel trees, so Dau market became a place to provide betel leaves for people. midland provinces, plains and later Thang Long Citadel.

Dau Market used to be held right along the Lo River on Mo Cu Hill. Now the market has moved to Tran Phu Street but still takes the name Dau Market to remember the Trau countryside. Today, the market is still crowded, bustling and noisy with all kinds of sounds and smells mixed together, creating the development of a peaceful countryside.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Dau (73 years old) in Bao Da area, Du Lau ward said: Dau Market often sells a variety of goods to serve the consumption needs of people inside and outside the area. Today, although the market has changed compared to the past, it still retains its nostalgic features, so our people are always attached to the market. Coming to the market, I met many familiar people, the prices were reasonable, the food was fresh, delicious, rustic, close to life...

Sellers and buyers at the rural market can easily exchange and negotiate prices.

Present at Xom market, Hung Lo commune, Viet Tri city, we felt the countryside market here with very simple and straightforward people. Those are the chatter and laughter between small businesses and customers, between customers about prices, life... it sounds so close and familiar.

Through many ups and downs of time, Xom market still retains the unique characteristics of a rural market, which is that the market often holds sessions: main session and side session. During the main session, the market meets on the 1st, 6th, 11th, 16th, 21st, 26th lunar month, the number of people coming to buy, sell, play, and exchange goods is larger, richer, diverse, and bustling. clearer than usual; In the private session, the number of people and items is less.

Xom Market sells all sorts of things, including many local specialties such as: Rice noodles, grilled rice cakes, banh chung... which have been produced by the skillful hands of countryside people, so they have a rich rural character. Aromatic herbs become goods, partly sold in rural markets, most are transported to localities inside and outside the province...

Nowadays, there are many supermarkets formed and developed, along with online shopping services, but with inherent characteristics, rural markets are not only meaningful in preserving and promoting cultural values. but also makes a significant contribution to local socio-economic development. After hundreds of years of formation and development with many changes and fluctuations in history, the rural market still maintains its unique and distinctive features... Through a survey of most rural markets in Phu Tho shows the fact that markets, whether they are markets of many villages, many communes or regional markets, still belong to the management of that village or commune. This is an outstanding and very unique feature of the rural market that still exists today.

Anh Duong