Banh khuc, so delicious!

Banh khuc is a traditional cake of Vietnam and so delicious! The cake is a rice ball made of glutinous rice mixed with cudweed (khuc)-most important ingredient and filled with green bean paste, pork, and spices.

Cudweed grows during lunar January and February, when the drizzling rain lasts all day, and it can be found along the edges of rice fields. There are two kinds: nep and te. The latter is ore fle!ible and fragrant and is preferred for aking the cake. First, the cudweed is washed, ground and then i!ed with husked glutinous rice. "reen beans, that are flayed and turned into paste after being cooked, are then added to the i!ture. Finally, the cakes are sprinkled with grains of glutinous stea ed rice. #s ti e goes by it is increasingly difficult to find cudweed as fields are eaten up by de$elop ent. For now, you still can find banh khuc in %anoi. %owe$er, so e bakers not be using cudweed and ay substitute it with cabbage or water orning glory. ay

&ishing to ha$e the chance to satisfy your hunger for banh khuc, you can $isit cake stall at '( )guyen Cong Tru *treet, that has been churning out banh khuc for years. +s. )guyen Thi ,an, the seller, has to hire locals in rural areas in %anoi or in neighbouring pro$inces to seek out the elusi$e cudweed. -n winter, it grows in abundance so enough has to be collected to last the su er. The surplus will be dried and stored. -f you are in the old .uarter of %anoi, you ight hear so eone cry #i banh khuc nong day/ 0who wants hot banh khuc/1. 2ou can stop the and ask if the banh khuc is fro )goai %oang $illage in %a )oi, a place that is fa ous for ha$ing the ost delicious and tasty banh khuc. Then, you can buy one for tasting. The cake should be ser$ed hot and dipped into a i!ture of roasted and crushed sesa e seeds and salt...

Cm - Autumns special gift

"Cm" (green sticky rice) is a delicacy that is made only in autumn and cherished by all Vietnamese. For Hanoians nothing e!okes autumn like the taste of young rice from Vong !illage the grain so s"eetly scented that they left a lasting im#ression...

Served with red persimmons or ripe bananas, " !m" is trul" delicious. #ong village, on the outskirts of $anoi, is said to produce the best " !m" in northern #ietnam. %hen autumn comes, $anoians ever"where alwa"s remember the special taste of " !m" which is a special gift from the soil made b" hard-working peasants, holding a simple and fresh fragrance.

3$ery autu n, when the cool north4westerly wind brings a cold dew, the sticky rice ears bend the sel$es into arches waiting for ripe grains because these rice grains are at their fullest and the rice4 ilk is already concentrated in the grains, and the local far ers will know it is ti e to ake C5 6 a specialty ade fro young green sticky rice. 7C5 7 is often eaten by hand, directly fro the lotus lea$es, a pinch at a ti e. &hen eating C5 , you ust en8oy slowly and chew $ery deliberately in order to appreciate all the scents, tastes, and plasticity of the young rice which is sweet, nutty and buttery. From the complicated process... 9isitors to %anoi during the 7C5 7 aking season are in$ited to go to 9ong 9illage where they will ha$e a chance to listen to the special rhyth ic pounding of wooden pestles against

ortars filled with young rice and see wo en shifting and winnowing the pounded young rice. -n 9ong $illage, aking C5 used to be a co on trade. :eople fro 9ong $illage are said to ha$e the ost co plicated process for aking 7C5 7. Firstly, glutinous paddy is planted. To produce their fa ous 7C5 7, residents of 9ong $illage grow a special $ariety of sticky rice. The sticky rice ust be har$ested at 8ust the right o ent. &hen the paddy begins to ripen and still contains ilk it is reaped but only at early dawn. The rice is plucked off anually so that the grains are not broken. )e!t, the choice grains are carefully selected, sifted and washed. #t night, the grains are dried in a large pan
over a soft fire and then pounded in stone mortars. &ollowing this, the "oung rice is removed from the mortar and winnowed before being poured again into the mortar and the process repeated. This is then repeated exactl" seven times so that all the husk is removed from the "oung stick" grains. There is an art to this part of the process. 'f the pounding is done irregularl" and in haste, or it is not repeated seven times, the green colour of the grains will disappear and be replaced b" an unexpected brown colour. Then the whole process will have been to no avail because customers will refuse to bu" such produce. This should go some wa" to explaining exactl" how difficult the whole process of " !m" making is.

)ot e$ery one can dry and pound 7C5 7. -t is a closely guarded secret in so e fa ilies that is ne$er re$ealed to the others or daughters; says <=4year4old :ha Thi )guyet, whose fa ily still produces C5 . #fter the C5 has been pounded, the crystal spring rice is wrapped tightly in e erald lotus lea$es to keep it fro drying and allowing it to absorb lotus fla$our. ...to other specialities >etter than any other person, peasants are the only ones who truly understand when the rice ears are ripe enough to be reaped to begin aking C5 . Fro then on, C5 is still a$ailable, howe$er, as it is used in different local specialties.
( !m) is an ingredient used in man" specialities of #ietnam, including ( !m x*o) (browned green stick" rice), (+,nh c!m) (green stick" rice cake) and ( h- c!m) (sweetened green stick" rice paste) and so on.

>?nh c5 is the well4known as it is found at e$ery engage ent cere ony. The cakes are wrapped with bananas lea$es into s.uares, tied with a red string and sta ped on the outside with a Chinese character eaning 7double happiness7. &ith these characteristics, >?nh c5 is belie$ed to be a sy bol of steadfast and eternal lo$e. "reen sticky rice cakes are sold on %ang Than *treet. *ticky cakes stuffed with green rice are sold on %ang @ieu *treet and Auoc %uong green rice paste is sold on %ang >ong *treet. Bestaurants also offer dishes in$ol$ing C5 , such as chicken stewed with herbs and green rice, or green rice ser$ed with fried shri p. Nowadays, thanks to convenient means of transport, many Hanoians send Vong Villages "Cm" to their relatives in other parts of the country, and even abroad, as a special gift !y this way, the delicious taste of "Cm" always stays in the hearts of Hanoians wherever they live "o those who have ever been involved in farming, eating "Cm" often reminds them of a fresh and fragrant paddy

 mai a dilicious nosh!

dry apricot or sugared dry apricot that is a favourite nosh for many people in Hanoi and other provinces
O MAI WAS SALTED

C ai is produced for traditional ethod, since chosing aterial, the co pany also send staff to gardens in %ung 2en, %ai %ung, %oa >inh, ,ai Chau in order to gather all crop of kinds of sour fresh fruit like plu , apricot, draconto elu , star, ta arind, ku .uat, pineaple, canari, le on. That is the secret of %ang @uong e!perts, they plus sugar, ginger, add chilli, stir li.uorice to ha$e s ooth yellow food with sweet4s elling. This product is for instant all year and you can en8oy with a pot of tea and a few friends to chat. This is also $aluable present fro %a )oi people gi$ing to their friends. How to make dried apricot# -f you would like to ake dried apricot, you can use the following recipe and you can ake the perfect nosh. First, you soak the apricots in water to co$er o$ernight. Then, place the to cook in the sa e water. Cook until tender. +ash the or chop in blender. #fter that, peel, core, and cut the pineapple into s all pieces. Co$er with water and cook until tender. +easure the fruits and 8uices. ,ast, place e.ual a ounts of sugar with the easured fruits into a hea$y kettle and cook slowly until thick and clear.

Banh gio P !amidal !ice dumpling

$ot e!eryone can eat "banh gio". %et it is !ery easy to get addicted to it. &hat is true! This simple dish sold in countr" markets has become a favorite breakfast of man" $anoians. .eople can find this dish in small stands on an" street in $anoi. The stands are alwa"s crowed with diners. $anoians can en/o" this dish at an" time, at breakfast, lunch or post-lunch. 0lthough p"ramidal rice dumpling is simple, it is ver" good and health", especiall" its appealing fragrance. This white and smooth dumpling is wrapped in green banana leaf, which is regarded as the 1uintessence of heaven and earth. The p"ramidal rice dumpling is made from a few ingredients including plain rice flour, minced lean meat, cat2s ear, onion and mushroom. The process of stirring and kneading flour is the most important, which decides the deliciousness of the dumpling. .rocessing the dumpling flour is a secret handed from generation to generation. Some famous makers of p"ramidal rice dumpling said that the" bought flour in $a 3ong 3istrict but still kept secret what kind of flour was. Therefore, it is not eas" to make delicious rice dumplings. 0fter soaking in water, flour is dried, which is similar to the kind of (banh te) (rice cake). This flour is continousl" dissolved in water when being cooked. 0fter 45 minutes, the flour turns pure white and viscid, which means it is well-cooked. Then the flour is placed on phr"nium leaf and wrapped with meat. These rice dumplings are then put into the boiling water for 67 minutes. 0fter that, p"ramidal rice dumplings are picked up. .eople can feel the fragrance of the filling, rice flour and the special smell of phr"nium or banana leaf. 't is so great to serve this dish with sour vegetable pickles, which makes good taste8 therefore, some people can eat two or three dumplings at a time. Sitting in crowded stands, feeling hungry and enjoying this dish, you will find it a pleasure in life...

Pho "!ice nooddle soup#

.ho, a t"pical dish of $anoi people, has been existing for a long time. .ho is prepered not onl" in a sophisticated manner but also in the techni1ue which is re1uired to have sweet but pure bouillon, soft but not crasded noodle,

soft and sweet smelling meat. 9nl" in cold da"s, having a hot and sweet smelling bowl of .ho to en/o" would make "ou experience the complete flavor of the special dish of $anoi.

The bouillon. >oil DE cups water. >urn the whole fresh onions o$er high heat until golden brown. #dd beef spareribs or o! tail into the boiling water. *ki while cooking to ake a clear broth. #dd browned onion and carrots after D hour of boiling. Cook another hour. Then re o$e eat and $egetable. *train the bouillon, season it with spices, salt, fish sause as indicated and keep boiling to ser$er $ery hot soup. #dd boiled water, if necessary, to ha$e '4F cups of bouillon. This broth is $ery spicy and a little salty. *lice tender beef finely and cooked beef coarsely. *oak dry rice noodles in hot water DE inutes before cooking. Coolk rice noodles sparately until done 0about DE4DG inutes1, drain in hot water to re o$e the starch. Server at once into bowl. >eef soup, rare: cooked rice noodles DHI bowl, raw beef inced on top. :our o$er the cup boiling bouillon. #dd bib lettuce, green onion and onion rings. one

>eef soup, done: cooked rice noodles, cooked beef, bib lettuce, onion rings, green onion in top. :our o$er all ingredients D cup boiling bouillon. :ro$ide the guests with spoons and chopstichs to take the soup.

Banh cuon "!olled !ice pancake#

'mong Vietnam(s delicate s#ecialties "b)nh cun* ranks to# thanks to its softness s"eet fragance of cinnamon dried onion and strong taste of minced meat and sources! 0mong other members of the extended noodle famil", bnh cun almost ranks first. 't is a paper-thin steamed rice flour pancake, much like delicate sheets of fresh rice noodles. The pancakes are plucked off of the linen steamer base, and immediatel" rolled with minced pork and mushrooms, then piled on a plate, sprinkled with deep fried shallots, snipped with scissors into bite si:ed sections, and topped with fresh herbs such as cilantro or #ietnamese basil. 0 plate of b,nh cu!n is a light dish traditionall" eaten as breakfast in $anoi but now can also be found as a late night snack. To eat, dip a section of rolled noodle goodness into the accompan"ing warm fish sauce broth, brightened with a s1uee:e of fresh lime. ;ou can also pick the leaves off the herbs and add them to the dipping sauce, grabbing a leaf or two as "ou dip, or "ou can follow each bite with a chaser of herbs. +,nh cu!n are often eaten with different sides of pork sausages, including sheets of an orange hued, roasted cinnamon sausage called ch qu. +here to find it, 0 short walk north of $*ng 3a <arket and $*ng =i>u street will bring "ou to Bnh Cun Thanh Vn, /ust look for the b,nh cu!n station?two large covered steaming pots?out front along the sidewalk. @ust take a lookA The practiced hands keep the b,nh cu!n rolling out with experiences, alternating seamlessl" between spreading the thin batter on the linen base of one steamer, then at right time, turning to the other to peel the delicatel" steamed pancake off the linen base with a bamboo stick. +" the time the batter is spread on its newl" emptied linen base, the pancake in the first steamer is read" and waiting. %ith onl" B tables nestled inside the small open storefront, the pace never slows. Serving C0<-D.< and 5.<-DD.<. Coordinator ! Eo. D4 $*ng F* street, between $*ng <G and $*ng #Hi (the $*ng #Hi corner is lined with bamboo ladders and poles). 't is located on the west side of the street, not far from where the street name changes from $*ng It to $*ng F*. The restaurant Ju,n Kn Egon, Eo.DL .han +Mi hNu Street, also does a ver" respectable version of b,nh cu!n.

$Banh Chung$ - the soul of %ietnamese &e' (ea!!

"Banh Chung" (Chung cake) is a traditional and irre#laceable cake of Vietnamese #eo#le in the &et Holidays and -ing Hung(s anni!ersary (./th 0arch 1unar). For the Vietnamese making "Banh Chung" is the ideal "ay to e2#ress gratitude to their ancestors and homeland. Th" #"$"nd o% & Banh Chun$&

Chung cake was in$ented by the DFth :rince of %ung 3 peror in the contest of looking for new 3 peror. #ccording to the legend, I,EEE4J,EEE years ago, :rince ,ang ,ieu, ade round and s.uare cakes, the round @ay cake sy bolizing the sky and the s.uare Chung cake sy bolizing the 3arth 0under the ancient 9ietna ese perception1, to be offered on the occasion of *pring. -n the ancient conception, the 3arth is s.uare, hence Chung cakeKs shape is s.uare, too, to reflect the 3arth shape. *ince the cakes he offered were of special eaning and delicious taste, ,ang ,ieu was selected to be the ne!t 3 peror. *ince then, in honor of this DFth :rince, 9ietna ese people always ake and ha$e Chung cake in the ,unar )ew 2ear. Lp to now, Chung cake has beco e the ost fa ous and irreplaceable traditional 9ietna ese food in Tet %oliday. This legend ai s to re ind the ne!t generations of the ancient tradition as well as the pri ary of Chung cake. >esides, it e phasizes the i portant role of rice and nature in water rice culture. How to make a "Banh Chung"? -n contrast to the fast food in odern life, the process of aking Chung cake is ti e4 consu ing and re.uires the contribution of se$eral people. +ain ingredients are glutinous rice, pork eat, and green beans wrapped in a s.uare of ba boo lea$es that will gi$e the rice a green color after boiling. The stick" rice must be ver" good and was soaked in water in the previous da".
Oice cake is wrapped in s1uare shape, and the wrapping power must be neither tight nor loose. Then the cake will be boiled in about D6 hours b" wood. TheFreen hung cake has nutrition with an original tast" flavor and ma" be kept for a long time. Pating hung cake with vegetable pickles will bring "ou unforgettable tasteA

In the traditional conception of 9ietna ese people, the process of aking Chung cake is the opportunity for fa ily to co e together. *itting around the war fire, all e bers in the fa ily tell one another the past stories and are ready for a )ew 2ear with wishes of best things. )owadays, in so e big cities, the business lifestyle of odern society pre$ent people fro preparing the cake, howe$er, the habit of worship ancestors with Chung cake ne$er changes. -t is the e$idence of the 9ietna ese loyalty and deep gratitude to ancestors.

)aking home a$ non la$ - that is, to take a piece of %ietnam

3$on la* (translated as 3conical hat*) is not only a normal hat but also one of Vietnam(s symbols of charm. Pver" countr" has its own national headgear. The Qnited States has the baseball cap, +ritain is famous for the Rondon bobb"Ss helmet. Freece is associated with the fishermanSs hat, while the beret is the s"mbol of &rance. The 'sraelis use the "armulke and we usuall" see the Saudi 0rabians in their white headdresses. 'ndian Sikhs wrap their heads in elaborate turbans while Oussians warm their craniums with fur hats, which are of good use even at fift" 3egree elsius below :ero. 'n #ietnam, the national chapeau is the non, or conical peasant hat. 0long with the graceful silk ao dai, the non has become a sort of informal #ietnamese national s"mbol that is recogni:ed worldwide.

Ao *ai, the %ietnamese long d!ess

&he beauty of "omen dressed in 3'o 4ai*al"ays lea!es a dee# im#ression on foreign !isitors to Vietnam The beaut" of women dressed in (0o 3ai)alwa"s leaves a deep impression on foreign visitors to #ietnam. Firl students dressed in white long robes take to streets on the wa" to schools or back home, or gracefull" sail on their bikes along streets. &emale secretaries in delicate pastels greet "ou at an office door and older ladies in deep shades of purple, green or blue cut a striking pose at a restaurant dinner. The (0o 3ai) appears to flatter ever" figure. Parl" versions of the (0o 3ai)date back to DC44 when Rord #u #uong of the Egu"en 3"nast" decreed both men and women should wear an ensemble of trousers and a gown that buttoned down the front. $owever, not until DTU7 did (0o 3ai)appear partl" similar to its look toda". Eow, <en wore it less, generall" onl" on ceremonial occasions such as weddings or funerals. 3uring the DT57s two tailors in Saigon started producing (0o 3ai)with raglan sleeves. This creates a diagonal seam running from the collar to the underarm and this st"le is still preferred toda" (0o 3ai)is made individuall" to fit each customerSs shape to create the most graceful look. 'ts bod"-hugging top flows over wide trousers that brush the floor. The pants should reach the soles of the feet and flow along the floor. Splits in the gown extend well above waist height and make it comfortable and eas" to move in. omfortabilit" is alwa"s taken into account for fashions and beaut". Tailoring must ensure the wearerSs freedom of movements. 3espite it is a long robe, (0o 3ai)must be cool to wear. S"nthetic or silk fabrics are preferred as the" do not crush and are 1uick dr"ing, making the (0o 3ai)a practical uniform for dail" wear. The color is indicative of the wearerSs age and status. ;oung girls wear pure white, full"-lined outfits s"mboli:ing their purit". 9lder but unmarried girls move into soft pastel shades. 9nl" married women wear (0o 3ai)in strong, rich colors, usuall" over white or black pants. $owever, (0o 3ai)is rarel" seen in places where manual work is practiced. The nineties saw a real resurgence of ao dai. 't has become standard and common attire for girl students as well as female staff at offices and hotels. Traditionall", (0o 3ai)has become the most preferred dress on formal occasions. Toda", (0o 3ai)has been a bit modified. 'ts length is cut shorter usuall" /ust below the knee. #ariations in the neck, between boat and mandarin st"le, are common. 0nd even adventurous alterations such as a low scooped neckline, puffed sleeves or off the shoulder designs are appearing as ladies experiment with fashion. olor patterns are no longer rigidl" controlled and accesses to new fabrics have generated some da::ling results. $owever, most visitors to #ietnam have highl" appreciated local tailorsS skills when making ao dai. 't is hard to think of a more elegant, demure and charming outfit, that suits #ietnamese women of different ages, than ao dai.

How inseparable it is? The hat has a conical shape, ade out of straw and is kept on the head by a silk cloth chin trap that keeps the hat fro slipping out of the wearerKs head. This traditional conical hat is particularly suitable for far ers in such a tropical country as9ietna where fierce sunshine and hard rains take place as often as girlsM sulking. -t can be used as a basin or a bowl to contain water when they are thirsty, as a fan when they are hot, as a basket of a bunch of $egetables. Bo antically, young couples can $eil their kisses behind this traditional conical hat during their dates. The legend behind the hat is that, once upon a ti e, there was a $ery tall wo an who often wore a agical kind of hat ade fro four round lea$es knitted together with ba boo. &here$er this wo an appeared, clouds passed and the weather beca e fa$orable. #fter teaching people to plant $egetables and trees for their li$ing, she secretly passed and ascended to the hea$ens. 2et, she was honored as the "oddess of %u an and e$er since, they ha$e ade hats in the shape of hers to protect the sel$es fro the sun and the rain.

Is making a conical hat di icult/ -f you look at a hat, it see s easily to ake. 2et, it is not; 7Conical hat aking re.uires painstaking precision7, said FI year4old ,e Thi 9iet, the oldest aster of Chuong $illage where thousands of conical hats are produced e$ery day. -t is therefore considered the ho e of the conical hat in todayMs 9ietna .
To make a proper hat, not onl" the maker is talent but also their experiences are plentiful. 0fter being separated into ver" thin strings during the dr" season, bamboo cataph"ll then must be 1uickl" submerged in water to preclude tearing and breaking. The palm, after being cleaned b" sand, will be torn and turned from dark green to white after being sun-seasoned. The stronger the sun, the whiter the palms will become. &inall", to make them whiter and to preserve the color, the" will be exposed sulfur, separated and ironed. Sewing and decorating must be sophisticated, too. ;ou have to sew small and even stitches, which means "ou need time and patience.

Nnly watching crafts en sewing conical hats inside brown tile4roofed houses in Chuong $illage can gi$e you the real understanding. ,ooking at an old wo an with crooked back, wrinkled face and shri$eled hands, itMs hard to i agine that she can hold her hands steady enough to do the needlework, but she anages it skillfully. +y other taught e to sew non la when - was si! years old. )ow -M <F. - could sew hats with y eyes closed, Ta s iled. ! long histor". #ccording to historian ,e 9an ,an, 9ietna ese girls and wo en ha$e worn the conical hat for a long ti e. The ancestor of todayMs conical hat was car$ed on )goc ,u kettledru and #o Thinh bronze 8ar =,GEE to IEEE years ago. Though no one knows e!actly when the hat was born, for a long ti e the conical hat has been considered the sy bol of 9ietna ese far ers and 9ietna ese people, in general, says ,an. The original lands o conical hat -f you ask e where you can find the best conical hat, - would say that due to its popularity, each region in 9ietna has a well4known conical hat 4 aking $illage. The conical hat of the Tay group has a distincti$ely red color, whereas that in Thanh %oa differs fro others with a =E4he fra e. %ueKs is thin and elegant, contrary to the thick ones fro >inh @inh. Chuong $illage produces <,EEE to F,EEE conical hats per day and about three illion hats per year for both do estic use and e!port. Nur regular clients fro the south, the centre or other northern pro$inces phone in orders so we can deli$er i ediately, said Tuy, a JE4year old crafts an. +y latest contract is with a handicrafts e!port co pany, in which - proposed to e!port up to G,EEE conical hats to Japan. -t see s that e$ery fa ily in Chuong $illage is aking conical hats. #ccording to statistics, FE percent of the $illageMs population earn their li$ing by conical hat production. The a$erage inco e is around 9)@ <EE,EEE to 9)@ D illion a onthO the inco e is higher in su er than in winter as it is harder to sew the hats in winter. -n the $illage, you only pay 9)@ I,GEE4 9)@ DE,EEE for a hat but in %anoi, it ight cost 9)@ IE,EEE to 9)@DEE, EEE depending on the .uality.

%ietnamese 'edding ce!emon !

&he traditional Vietnamese "edding is one of the most im#ortant ceremonies in Vietnamese culture "ith influence from Confucian andBuddhist ideologies. 5t is a significant day not only to the cou#le in!ol!ed but also for both families. &hus it usually includes 6uite a fe" formal ritual obser!ances. 3epending on habits of specific ethnic groups, marriage includes !arious ste#s and related procedures, but in general, there are two main ceremoniesV 1e an hoi (betrothal ceremon")V Eormall", both bride and groom or their parents go to the fortuneteller to see what date and time is best for them. The" strongl" believe in this date and time so the groomSs famil" and relatives must come on time. Some da"s before the wedding, the" will visit the bride and her famil" with round lac1uered boxes known as betrothal

presents. 't composes of areca nuts and betel leaves, tea, cake, fruits, wines and other delicacies which covered with red cloth and carried b" unmarried girls or bo"s. 1e cuoi (wedding ceremon")V 9n the wedding da", the groomSs famil" and relatives go to the brideSs house bringing a lot of gifts wrapped in red papers. These gifts are similar to those of the engagementV betel leaves and areca nuts, wines, fruits, cakes, tea ... The persons hold these tra"s are also carefull" chosen, usuall" the" are happil" married couples. Radies and women are all dressed in 0go 3ai. <en could be in their suits or men traditional Ao Dai. The troop is usuall" led b" a couple that is most wealth" and successful among the relatives, this means to wish the to-be-wed couples a blessing life together in the future. The groomSs famil" would stop in front of the brideSs house. The leading couple should enter the house first with a tra" with wine. The" would invite the brideSs parents to take a sip. +" accepting the toast, the brideSs famil" agrees for the groom2s famil" to enter their house. The firework is immediatel" fired to greet the groomSs famil". The groomSs famil" would introduce themselves and ask permission for their son to marr" his bride. The master of the ceremon" (usuall" a respected person among the brideSs relatives) instructs the brideSs parents to present their daughter. The bride then follows her parents out. She will wear red traditional wedding ao dai, followed b" her bride maids. The couple should pra" before the altar ask their ancestors for permission for their marriage, then express their gratitude to both groom2s and bride2s parents for raising and protecting them. Then, the" bow their head to each other to show their gratitude and respect toward their soon-to-be husband or wife. The master of the ceremon" would gave the wedding couple advices on starting a new famil". Their parents would take turn to share their experience and give blessing. 0fter that, the groom and the bride exchange their wedding rings and receive the gifts from their parents such as golden bracelets, ear rings, necklace... The ceremon" is ended with a round applause. 0fter the wedding ceremon" is over, there will be a part" at the groomSs house. Some traditional #ietnamese wedding part" is celebrated at their houses (usuall" in countr"-side)8 other is celebrated in the restaurant. This da" is the culmination of desires, da" dreams, hopes and anxieties. There is a band to pla" music during their meal. Some guests are free to sing related wedding songs on the stage to luck the bride and the groom. 'n the middle of the part", the couple goes to each table to get wishes, congratulations as well as mone". Toda", a lot of #ietnamese couples have their wedding ceremon" done in Temples or hurches which is ver" much similar to 0merican and %estern st"le, including exchanging vows and wedding rings. $owever, the" still maintain #ietnamese traditional ceremon" in the brideSs home before heading to temples or churches.

%ietnamese +una! &e' (ea!

&he festi!al is the best e#itomi7es Vietnam8s cultural identity

<eaning of #ietnamese Eew ;ear

The festival which best epitomi:es #ietnamSs cultural identit" is #ietnamese Eew ;ear or Tet. (Tet) is the phonetic deformation of "Tiet", a Sino #ietnamese term which means "@oint of a bamboo stern" and in a wider sense, the "beginning of a period of the "ear". The passage from one period to the next ma" cause a meteorological disturbance (heat, rain, mist) that must be exercised b" ritual sacrifices and festivities. There are man" Tets throughout the "ear (<id-autumn #ietnamese Eew ;ear, old &ood #ietnamese Eew ;ear, etc.). +ut the most significant of all is "#ietnamese Eew ;ear", which marks the Runar Eew ;ear. #ietnamese Eew ;ear occurs somewhere in the last ten da"s of @anuar" or the first twent" da"s of &ebruar", nearl" halfwa" between winter solstice and spring e1uinox. 0lthough the Runar Eew ;ear is observed throughout Past 0sia, each countr" celebrates #ietnamese Eew ;ear in its own wa" in conformit" with its own national ps"che and cultural conditions.

&or the #ietnamese people, #ietnamese Eew ;ear is like a combination of %estern Saint S"lvester, Eew ;earSs 3a", hristmas, Paster and Thanksgiving. 't is the festival of .urit" and Oenewal.

#ietnamese $ew %ear Customs

1. Clean and decorate the home $omes are often cleaned and decorated before Eew ;earSs Pve. hildren are in charge of sweeping and scrubbing the floor. The kitchen needs to be cleaned before the 6Urd night of the last month. Qsuall", the head of the household cleans the dust and ashes (from incense) from the ancestral altars. 't is a common belief that cleaning the house will get rid of the bad fortunes associated with the old "ear. Some people would paint their house and decorate with festive items. 2. Literally means "getting new clothes" This is often the most exciting part of the #ietnamese Eew ;ear among children. .arents usuall" purchase new clothes and shoes for their children a month prior to the Eew ;ear. $owever, children cannot wear their new clothes until the first da" of the Eew ;ear and onward. The best outfit is alwa"s worn on the first da" of the "ear. . !arewell ceremony for the "itchen #ods $%ng &ao' Seven da"s (the 6Urd night of the last lunar month) prior to Tet, each #ietnamese famil" offers a farewell ceremon" for 9ng Tao to go up to $eaven .alace. $is task is to make an annual report to the @ade Pmperor of the famil"Ss affairs throughout the "ear. (. Lunar )ew *ear+s ,-e $owever, in a literal translation, it means ".assage from the 9ld to the Eew ;ear". 't is a common belief among #ietnamese people that there are D6 Sacred 0nimals from the Wodiac taking turn monitoring and controlling the affairs of the earth. Thus, Fiao Thua (Eew ;earSs Pve)is the moment of seeing the old chief (3ragon for 6777) end his ruling term and pass his power to the new chief (Snake for 677D). Fiao Thua is also the time for 9ng Tao (Xitchen Fod) to return to earth after making the report to the @ade Pmperor. Pver" single famil" should offer an open-air ceremon" to welcome him back to their kitchen. .. &he Aura of the ,arth Fiao Thua is the most sacred time of the "ear. Therefore, the first houseguest to offer the first greeting is ver" important. 'f that particular guest has a good aura (well respected, well educated, successful, famous, etc.), then the famil" believes that the" will receive luck and good fortune throughout the "ear. The belief of xong dat still remains nowada"s, especiall" among families with businesses. /. Apricot flowers and peach flowers &lower buds and blossoms are the s"mbols for new beginning. These two distinctive flowers are widel" sold and purchased during Tet. $oa <ai are the "ellow apricot flowers often seen in Southern #iet Eam. $oa <ai are more adaptable to the hot weather of southern regions, thus, it is known as the primar" flower in ever" home. $oa 3ao are the warm pink of the peach blossoms that match well with the dr", cold weather from the Eorth. Tet is not Tet if there is no sight of $oa <ai (south) or $oa 3ao (north) in ever" home. 0. #i-ing away red en-elopes $filled with luc1y money' This is a cultural practice that has been maintained for generations. The red envelopes s"mboli:e luck and wealth. 't is ver" common to see older people giving awa" sealed red envelopes to "ounger people. Oeciprocall", the older ones would return good advice and words of wisdom, encouraging the "ounger ones to keep up with the schoolwork, live harmoniousl" with others, and obe" their parents. This greeting ritual and Ri Yi is also known as <ung Tuoi, honoring the achievement of another "ear to oneSs life. 2. 3a1ing offers for the Ancestors

This ceremon" is held on the first da" of the Eew ;ear before noontime. The head of the household should perform the proper ritual (offering food, wine, cakes, fruits, and burn incense) to invite the souls of the ancestors to /oin the celebration with the famil". This is the time families honor the souls of their ancestors and present the welfare of the famil".

#ietnamese Eew ;ear &oods

9ne of the most traditional special foods for Eew ;ears (Tet) of #ietnamese is +anh hung or stick" rice cake. +anh hung is made of stick" rice, pork meat and green bean, ever" ingredient is wrapper inside a special leaf which calls 3ong. <aking the +anh hung re1uires care and precision in ever" step. The rice and green bean has to be soaked in water for a da" to make it stickier. The pork meat is usuall" soaked with pepper for several hours. S1uaring off and t"ing the cakes with bamboo strings re1uire skillful hands to make it a perfect s1uare. +anh hung is a must among other foods to be placed on the ancestors2 altars during Tet holida". 'n the old time, one or two da"s before Tet, ever" famil" prepares and cooks the +anh hung around the warm fire. 't is also the time for parents to tell their children folklore stories. Eowada"s, families which live in villages still maitain making +anh hung before Eew ;ears but the people in the cit" does not. The" donSt have time and prefer to go to the shop to bu" it.

T>t
Tt, or #ietnamese Eew ;ear, is the most important celebration of #ietnamese culture. The word is a shortened form of Tt '$u()n *n. 't features aspects of the western Thanksgiving, Eew ;ear2s 3a", $alloween and +irthda". 't is the #ietnamese Eew ;ear marking the arrival of spring based on the calendar, a lunisolar calendar. $owever, like #ietnam, each of these countries have incorporated characteristic rituals and celebrations that are indigenous to their regions, and are harmonious with their cultural histor" and geographical climate.The name T>t Egu"Zn =,n is Sino-#ietnamese for &east of the &irst <orning of the first da", derived from the $,n E[m characters . The actual da" of Tet is determined b" the Runar alendar which counts approximatel" UB5 da"s in a "ear, hence Tet usuall" falls hinese

between the western calendar months of @anuar" or &ebruar". \D] T>t is celebrated on the same da" as hinese Eew ;ear, though exceptions arise due to the one-hour time

difference between $anoi and+ei/ing resulting in the alternate calculation of the new moon. 't takes place from the first da" of the first month of the Runar calendar (around late @anuar" or earl" &ebruar") until at least the third da". <an" #ietnamese prepare for T>t b" cooking special holida" foods and cleaning the house. There are a lot of customs practiced during T>t, such as visiting a personSs house on the first da" of the new "ear (45ng nh6), ancestral worshipping, wishing Eew ;earSs greetings, giving luck" mone" to children and elderl" people, and opening a shop. T>t is also an occasion for pilgrims and famil" reunions. 3uring T>t, #ietnamese visit their relatives and temples, forgetting about the troubles of the past "ear and hoping for a better upcoming "ear. The" consider T>t to be the first da" of spring and the festival is often called 78i 4u9n(spring festival).

Cu to+
#ietnamese people usuall" return to their families during T>t. Some return to worship at the famil" altar or visit the graves of their ancestors in their homeland. The" also clean the grave of their famil" as a sign of respect. 0lthough T>t is a national holida" among all #ietnamese, each region and religion has its own customs.

T>t in the three #ietnamese regions can be divided into three periods, known as &:t )i;n (penultimate Eew ;earSs Pve), #iao &h<a (Eew ;earSs Pve), and &9n )i;n (the Eew ;ear), representing the preparation before T>t, the eve of T>t, and the da"s of and following T>t, respectivel". 0ll of these customs are to celebrate T>t in #ietnam.

B"%or" '", -"ar. E/"

This period begins one or two weeks before the actual celebration. The general atmosphere leading up to T>t is in the bustle of shopping, decorating the home, cooking traditional T>t food and waiting for relatives to return home. .eople tr" to pa" off their debts in advance so that the" can be debt-free on T>t. .arents bu" new clothes for their children so that the children can wear them when T>t arrives. 'n the da"s leading up to T>t, the streets and markets are full of people. 0s the shops will be closed during T>t, people tr" to stock up on supplies as much as possible. Vi"tna+" " %a+i#i" u ua##( ha/" a %a+i#( a#tar0 to ho, r" 1"ct to th"ir anc" tor 2 Durin$ Tt th" a#tar i thorou$h#( c#"an"d and n", o%%"rin$ ar" 1#ac"d th"r"2 Thi inc#ud" a tra( o% %i/" di%%"r"nt %ruit on th" a#tar ca##"d &M+ '$3 4u& 5#it"ra##(0 %i/" %ruit t(1"6

$,am &gu -ua$ sends )et t!aditional fla.ou!s

, ore co only known by its shortened na e Tet, is the ost i portant and popular holiday in 9ietna . -t is a rela!ing and special occasion for e$eryone to think about the achie$e ents of the past year and plan for the )ew 2ear. # +a )gu Aua 0fi$e4fruit tray1 on the ancestral altar during Tet holiday sy bolizes the ad iration and gratitude of the 9ietna ese to %ea$en and 3arth and their ancestors, and de onstrates their aspiration for prosperity. For a long ti e, together with horizontal lac.uered boards engra$ed with Chinese characters, parallel sentences written on cri son paper, orna ental ku .uat and peach trees, and popular %ang Trong and @ong %o pictures, the fi$e4fruit tray prepared for Tet has transcended its aterial $alue to beco e a spiritual sy bol, an original national product in the spiritual life of the 9ietna ese. #t present, while any of the ancient spiritual $alues ha$e sunk into obli$ion, the custo of arranging the fi$e4fruit tray on the altar during the lunar )ew 2ear days is being 8ealously preser$ed as a fine legacy of 9ietna Ks traditional culture. The buying of $oti$e offerings and the decoration of ancestral altars during the traditional )ew 2ear days are closely connected with the rituals of worship practiced by the 9ietna ese towards their ancestors. @uring these )ew 2ear days, in addition to such national dishes and products as "$at pork, salted onions, parallel sentences written on red paper %ong bamboo poles planted upright, strings of fireworks, and s&uare glutinous rice cakes", it is indispensable for each 9ietna ese fa ily to display a fi$e4fruit tray on the ancestral altar for Tet. )o atter whether rich or poor, on )ew 2earMs 3$e, it is also $ery i portant for the 9ietna ese to select the best fi$e4fruit tray. The fruits are placed on a red4lac.uered wooden tray and arranged in a balanced cone and in har onious colours. Fruits that ay be laid out on the tray include bananas, finger citrons, water elons, oranges, ku .uats, coconuts, apples, persi ons or to atoes, and chilis. 3ach kind of fruit has its own indication. # hand of green bananas or a finger citron, for e!a ple, sy bolises oneKs wish for the protection of supernatural powers and ancestors, po elos and water elons indicate fertility, and ku .uats or persi ons connote wealth and prosperity. Custom o the ive& ruit tra"...

Nne theory says that the fi$e fruits are sy bolic of the fi$e basic ele ents of oriental philosophy 4 etal, wood, water, fire and soil. Nther theories regard the tray as sy bolic of the fruits of a fa ilyKs hard work throughout the past year, which are consecrated to hea$en and earth and their ancestors as sign of respect and gratitude. # fi$e4fruit tray, though $arying fro one region to another due to differences in cli ate and fruit crops, light up altars with their a ple colours. -n northern areas, fi$e4fruit trays orna ented with po elos, peaches, ku .uats, bananas and persi ons are relati$ely s aller than those in southern areas with pairs of water elons, coconuts, papayas, custard apples, angos, and figs. - pro$e ents in peopleKs li$ing conditions in recent years ha$e led to a greater sophistication in choosing fruits for the altar for the Tet holiday. # tray ay contain ore e!pensi$e, rarer fruits like grapes and pears, but all in all it is still a fi$e4fruit tray, a nice offering of the 9ietna ese people to their ancestors. -t not only displays a life4long tradition but also sends a essage of hope for happiness, good luck and prosperity for the new year. The custo of displaying the fi$e4fruit tray as $oti$e offerings at the holy place of the house has been reflected in any popular legends and tales. -t has originated fro ancient popular beliefs obser$ed fro one generation to another in their worship towards their forefathers. To this day, the 9ietna ese still obser$e a long4standing custo of placing the first ripe fruits har$ested fro the ho e garden on the altar and burning incense sticks in e ory of their ancestors. 'reparation or a ive& ruit tra" ,ike other popular rituals, the preparation of a fi$e4fruit tray for Tet has beco e an established con$ention. #lthough it is called a fi$e4fruit tray, it does not necessarily contain e!actly fi$e kinds of fruit. #rranging fruits on the cri son, hourglass4shaped wooden tray is really an art. Nne has to co bine the colours and shapes of the different fruits in arranging the on the tray to ake it look like a still life picture. To ensure balance on the tray, one usually places the hand of bananas in the iddle with the bananas pointing upright and the po elo on the conca$e surface of the hand of bananas. Then one puts the oranges, sapodilla plu s, apples, etc. in the gaps between the bananas and the po elo. The last little gaps are filled in with little ku .uats to create a full, co pact tray of fruits. -n colours, the fruit4tray presents a har onious co bination of the different colours of fruits: dark green of banana, light yellow of po elo, deep red of persi on, reddish4yellow of orange and ku .uat, light green of apple, and dark brown of sapodilla plu . To co plete the picture, the fruit4tray will be co$ered here and there with so e s all, fresh lea$es of ku .uat. The +a )gu Aua in Tet festi$al represent the .uintessence that %ea$en and 3arth bless hu ans. This is one of the general perceptions of life of the 9ietna ese, which is '(n &u) nh* k+ tr,ng c-y. /"0hen taking fruit, you should think of the grower"1
.Traditionall", the three kitchen guardians for each house (=ng &>o) (Xitchen Fod), who report to the @ade Pmperor about the events in that house over the past "ear, return to heaven on the 6Urd da" of the twelfth month b" lunar calendar. Their departure is marked b" a modest ceremon" where the famil" offers sacrifices for them to use on their /ourne". 'n the da"s leading up to T>t, each famil" cooks special holida" foods such as ?>nh ch@ng and ?>nh dAy. .reparations for these foods are 1uite extensive. &amil" members often take turns to keep watch on the fire overnight, telling each other stories about T>t of past "ears.

The Eew ;earThe first da" of T>t is reserved for the nuclear famil".

hildren receive a red

envelope containing mone" from their elders. This tradition is called m<ng tuBi (happ" new age) in the north and lC 4i in the south. Qsuall", children wear their new clothes and give their elders the traditional T>t

greetings before receiving the mone". Since the #ietnamese believe that the first visitor a famil" receives in the "ear determines their fortune for the entire "ear, people never enter an" house on the first da" without being invited first. The act of being the first person to enter a house on T>t is called 45ng D:t, 45ng nh6 orDEp D:t, which is one of the most important rituals during T>t. 0ccording to #ietnamese tradition, if good things come to the famil" on the first da" of the lunar Eew ;ear, the entire following "ear will also be full of blessings. Qsuall", a person of good temper, moralit" and success will be the luck" sign for the host famil" and be invited first into the house. $owever, /ust to be safe, the owner of the house will leave the house a few minutes before midnight and come back /ust as the clock strikes midnight to prevent an"one else entering the house first who might potentiall" bring an" unfortunate events in the new "ear to the household. Sweeping during T>t is taboo or 4ui (unluck"), since it s"mboli:es sweeping the luck awa"8 that is wh" the" clean before the new "ear. 't is also taboo for an"one who experienced a recent loss of a famil" member to visit an"one else during T>t. 3uring subse1uent da"s, people visit relatives and friends. Traditionall" but not strictl", the second da" of T>t is usuall" reserved for friends, while the third da" is for teachers, who command respect in #ietnam. Rocal +uddhist temples are popular spots as people like to give donations and to get their fortunes told during T>t. hildren are free to spend their new mone" on to"s or on gambling games such as ?Au cua c>

cFp, which can be found in the streets. .rosperous families can pa" for dragon dancers to perform at their house. There are also public performances for ever"one to watch.

Traditiona# C"#"bration 7"dit8

These celebrations can last from a da" up to the entire week, and the Eew ;ear is filled with people in the streets tr"ing to make as much noise as possible using firecrackers, drums, bells, gongs, and an"thing the" can think of to ward off evil spirits. This parade will also include different masks, and dancers hidden under the guise of what is known as the <ua Ran or Rion 3ancing. The Ran is an animal between a lion and a dragon, and is the s"mbol of strength in the #ietnamese culture that is used to scare awa" evil spirits. 0fter the parade, families and friends will come together to have a feast of traditional #ietnamese dishes, and share the happiness and /o" of the Eew ;ear with one another. This is also the time where the elders will hand out to red envelopes with mone" to the children for good luck in exchange for T>t greetings (below). Traditionall", each famil" displa"s c9y n;u, an artificial Eew ;ear Tree consisting of a bamboo pole 5 to B m long. The top end is usuall" decorated with man" ob/ects, depending on the localit", including good luck charms, origami fish, cactus branches, etc. 0t T>t ever" house is usuall" decorated b" hoa mai ^ %chna integerrima (in the central and southern parts of #ietnam) or hoa D6o ^ peach flower (in the northern part of #ietnam) or hoa ?an (in mountain areas). 'n the north, some people (especiall" the elite in the past) also decorate their house with a .runus mume tree (also called mai in #ietnamese, but referring to a totall" different species from %chna integerrima). 'n the north or central, the kum1uat tree is a popular decoration for the living room during T>t. 'ts man" fruits s"mboli:e the fertilit" and fruitfulness that the famil" hopes for in the coming "ear.

#ietnamese people also decorate their homes with bonsai and flower plants such as chr"santhemum (hoa c_c), marigold (v`n tha) s"mboli:ing longevit", celosia (m*o g*) in Southern #ietnam and paperwhite flower (thGy ti;n), hoa bbcm in Eorthern #ietnam. 'n the past, there was a tradition that old people tried to make their paperwhite flowers blossom right the watch-night time. The" also hung up 3ong $o .aintings and thu ph,p (calligraph" pictures).

9r""tin$ 7"dit8
The traditional greetings are "chHc m<ng nIm mJi" ($app" Eew ;ear) and "cung chHc t9n 4u9n" (gracious wishes of the new spring). .eople also wish each other prosperit" and luck. ommon wishes for T>t includeV

SKng l9u trIm tuBi (Rong life of D77 "ears)V used b" children for elders. Traditionall", ever"one is one "ear older on T>t, so children would wish their grandparents health and longevit" in exchange for m<ng tuBi or lC 4C .

An 1hang thLnh -@Mng (, Securit", good health, and prosperit") NEn sO nh@ P (, <a" m"riad things go according to "our will) SQc 1hRe dSi d6o (.lent" of health) Cung hT ph>t t6i, from the antonese #ung hy fat choy (, ongratulations and be prosperous)

&iUn -5 nh@ n@Jc (<a" mone" flow in like water)V used informall"

'n #ietnamese language, to celebrate T>t is to In &Vt, literall" meaning "eat T>t", showing the importance of food in its celebration. Some of the food is also eaten "ear-round, while other dishes are onl" eaten during T>t. 0lso, some of the food is vegetarian since it is believed to be good luck to eat vegetarian on T>t. Some traditional food on T>t areV

W>nh ch@ng and ?>nh dAyV essentiall" tightl" packed stick" rice with meat or bean fillings wrapped in 3ong (.hr"nium placentarium) leaves. %hen these leaves are unavailable banana leaves can be used as a substitute. +,nh chbng (rectangular to represent Parth) and b,nh dd" (circular to represent Sk") are s"mbolicall" connected with T>t and are essential in an" T>t celebration. .reparation is timeconsuming, and can take da"s to cook. The stor" of their origins and their connection with T>t is often recounted to children while cooking them overnight.

7Et D@aV roasted watermelon seeds, also eaten during T>t. D@a 76nh"X pic1led onion and pic1led ca??age. CG "iYuV pickled small leeks. 3QtV These dried candied fruits are rarel" eaten at an" time besides T>t.

CAu D<a ZG [o6i - 'n southern #ietnam, popular fruits used for offerings at the famil" altar in fruit arranging art are the custard-appleesugar-appleesoursop (mGng cdu), coconut (dfa), papa"a (gu gh), and mango (xo*i), since the" sound like "cdu vfa gh x*i" ( \]e^ pray for enough \money_resoures_funds_goods_etc.^ to use) in the southern dialect of #ietnamese.

&hLt "ho )@Jc D<a <eaning "<eat Stewed in

oconut @uice", it is a traditional dish of fatt" pork

stomach and medium boiled eggs stewed in a broth-like sauce made overnight of "oung coconut /uice and nuoc mam. 't is often eaten with pickled bean sprouts and chives, and white rice.

9a+" and "nt"rtain+"nt7"dit8

.eople en/o" traditional games during T>t, includingV bdu cua, ci tbcng, njm ckn, chai trNu, g, g* and marshmallow toss. The" also participate in some competitions presenting their knowledge, strength and aestheticism, such as the bird competition and ngNm thl competition. &irework displa" has also become an irreplaceable part of a T>t celebration in #ietnam. 3uring the Eew ;earSs Pve, firework displa"s at ma/or cities like $* EMi, $o hi <inh it", 3a Eang, are broadcast through

multiple national and local T# channels, accompanied b" Eew ;ear wishes of the current president. #`p nhau cuKi nIm, ;ear-end gathering, is a national favorite comed" show broadcast until the last U7 minutes before the Eew ;earSs Pve. The Puropop song 7appy )ew *ear b" Swedish band 0++0 is usuall" pla"ed during the festival nowada"s.\6]

:o#; $a+" 7"dit8

Wr" t#in$ 'n #ietnam, wrestling is mainl" pla"ed during Tet holida" or other festivals. 't shows sportsmanship like no other game. .la"ers must be strong and health" because the winner will be the one with the most power ^ the wrestler who can lift his or her opponent off the ground and slam them down with their backs on the floor. 't takes brute strength, careful planning and intense mind games. Coin To oin toss is one of the most popular games in the countr"side. 't attracts a lot of attention from all ages because it re1uires skill, which excites a pla"er2s desire to win. Some children use their luck" mone" received from elders at Tet as pri:es. To starts, all "ou need is a flat surface that can have holes carved into it. The si:es of the wholes determine the level of difficult"V the smaller the hole, someone else will win b" throwing it onto a smaller one. Catch Th" Duc; B#ind%o#d"d <ost Tet holida" games usuall" aim at obtaining good fortune or good blessing. %hile the games var" up and down the countr", catching the duck while blindfolded is popular among all #ietnamese villages. &or this game, pla"ers and spectators group together in a large circle. Two pla"ers are blindfolded and pushed inside. 0 strong duck is also placed into the circle and the pla"ers must listen to its frantic movements to

/udge where it is and how the" can catch it. Spectators roar with laughter as both the duck and pla"ers run noisil" and disorderl" around the circle. <u+an Ch" The game of chess gets a whole lot larger during Tet festivities. .eople in beautifull" crafted costumes make the pieces and the board is giant si:e, too ^ made b" paint on the ground. #ietnamese human chess follows the rules of hinese chess. There are U6 people and one team consists of DB bo"s while the other

of DB girls. 3uring the sunn" da"s, each (chess piece) has one person who stands nearb" with an umbrella to keep the sun off. Ba+boo S,in$ <an" of #ietnam2s parks have swings, which are made from metal and have seats. +ut the swing in this game is made from bamboo, and has no seat. 't is eas" to pla" and has man" variations. T"picall", one or two people will stand on the wooden platform and swing themselves high in the air ^ so high that their bodies are almost parallel to the ground. The one who can go highest or for those who do not like the feeling of being di::". Catch Th" Duc; On Th" =ond 'f it happens to be warm during the Tet holida", some people pla" catch the duck on the pond, which is like catching the duck while blindfolded onl" in water ^ and without the blindfold. There are usuall" two or four pla"ers depending on the si:e of the pond. This game tests a pla"er2s swimming abilit" and usuall" creates /ust as man" laughs as its land-based counterpart. B#ind Man> B#u%% <ost of the time, this is pla"ed merel" for fun, without an" pri:es. .la"ers have their e"es covered with blindfolds. 9ne pla"er will be goat, and another will pla" hunter while others will form a circle around both. The game begins when the hunter "ellsV 3oneA The goat can move wherever he or she likes but must occasionall" make a bleating sound. The hunter listens to the sound to tr" tp catch the other pla"er ^ something made awkward b" bleats of the spectators, who do their best to distract both pla"ers. Wa#;in$ Th" Ba+boo Brid$" +amboo is plain and simple, often said to s"mboli:e #ietnamese beaut". To make a game from a simple stick of bamboo, pla"ers organi:e the game in a large pit, or at a pond. The chosen bamboo is laid over the bond to form an unstable bridge. 't is hard to walk on and has 1 pri:e at one end. <ost people never reach it8 the" fall off within the first few steps. Tu$ O% War 5Vi"tna+" "! ?@o co6 hildren and adults love to pla" tug of war because it re1uires no particular skill or training. There is no limit as to how man" people take part so it is alwa"s a favorite for festival and special occasions like Tet. .la"ers are divided into two groups. Pach group takes one end of the rope. %hen the game starts, both teams pull on the rope as hard as the" can. Pventuall", one team releases its grip and the opposing group is hailed victorious.

Coc; %i$htin$ 5Vi"tna+" "! * $A6 Traditionall", cock fighting encourages farmers to raise their cocks as well as possible. The sport re1uires cocks to be strong and health" so farmers would carefull" choose suitable "oung cocks and train them for a long time. The fighting often take place over man" hours and attracts man" people, especiall" during Tet.
\U]

Ca#"ndar and Bodiac di%%"r"nc" 7"dit8

The hinese calendar is based on astronomical observations and is therefore dependent on what is considered the local standard time. Eorth #ietnam switched from QT mL to QT mC on 0ugust L, DTBC, with South #ietnam doing likewise in DTC5 at the end of the #ietnam %ar. 0s a result of the shift, Eorth and South #ietnam celebrated T>t DTBL on different da"s.\4] The moving backwards of one hour had a similar effect to the DT6T +ei/ing time change and the effect of this change was also seen with the %inter Solstice of DTL4. 9n $anoi time the solstice fell on 3ecember 6D, though on +ei/ing time the solstice fell on 3ecember 66. 0s the DDth month of the hinese calendar must contain the %inter Solstice, it is not the month from

Eovember 6U, DTL4 to 3ecember 6D, DTL4 as per the #ietnamese calendar, but rather the one from 3ecember 66, DTL4 to @anuar" 67, DTL5. The effect of this is that the #ietnamese Eew ;ear would fall on @anuar" 6D, DTL5, whereas the hinese Eew ;ear would fall on &ebruar" 67, DTL5, a one-month

difference. The two calendars agreed again after a leap month lasting from <arch 6D to 0pril DT was inserted into the #ietnamese calendar. 'n the #ietnamese :odiac, the cat replaces the Oabbit in the hinese :odiac. So, a child born in the hinese

"ear of the Oabbit must also be born in the #ietnamese "ear of the cat (maoembo). The #ietnamese :odiac uses the same animals as the hinese :odiac for the remaining DD "ears, though the 9x of the hinese

:odiac is usuall" considered to be a water buffalo (scuetr9u) in the #ietnamese :odiac.

)/ he, t!aditional to s in %ietnam

"T he" toys are sculptured figurines fashioned from colored rice dough, that make not only Vietnamese children but also adults feel so interesting...
'n the old da"s, when comics and illustrated books had "et come into existence in #ietnam, (tk he) was made to depict different heroes and ordinar" people of dail" life, s"mbolic animals like dragon or phoenix or dail"-viewed water buffalos, flowers and all beautiful things in fair" and histor" tales. hildren gethered at the common place of the village to listen to stories, see the king and mandarins in their elaborate costumes made b" skillful craftsmen to imagine the whole vivid world of heroes and fairies.

The $illage of Puan ,a in :hu Puyen @istrict, %anoi is well4known for its skill in aking delicate tQ he toys. TQ he akers do not teach the craft to wo en because the fathers fear their daughters will re$eal precious trade secrets to their husbandsM fa ilies. Interesting characteristics #ccording to an old an in Puan ,a 9illage, the recipe for success in aking tQ he lies in the preparation of the dough. The crafts an first grinds rice into fine powder, then pours water into the powder and i!es it until he achie$es a sticky lu p. %e places the lu p in a pot of water, brings the water to a boil, and cooks the paste for an hour. &hen the lu p rises to the waterKs surface, dips, and rises again, the crafts an re o$es it fro the pot. Then he

applies se$en colours: white. black, green, yellow, $iolet, pink, and red. +iraculously, the different colours ne$er stain one another when he asse bles the parts of a to lie figurine. +any generations of 9ietna ese children ha$e been o$er8oyed when their others return fro arket with a tQ he. Children can e$en eat tQ he after playing with the . 3ach Puan ,a crafts an e barking on the tQ he trade learns to hu our custo ers, especially children. The lesson of hu anity is the first one e$ery Puan ,a $illager bears in ind. 7-f we lo$e people, they will surely co e to us,7 tQ he akers say. +aking tQ he does not bring uch profit. The aterials of rice paste, ba boo4stick holders, colourings are ine!pensi$e and locally a$ailable. # crafts an only charges custo ers for his patience and care. Custo ers can place their orders, watch the crafts an ould the toy, and be pleased with the results in inutes. # tQ he can depict a person, a fa ous general, a folk4 tale character, an ani al, or a flower. The akers re e ber the characteristics of e$ery sub8ect. They are e!perts in using e!actly the right a ount of paste to for each separate part of each kind of toy as if these skills were an inborn talent. +r. @ang 9an To who is eighty4two, is the oldest tQ he aker in Puan ,a. %e talks proudly about his life and career. +r. ToKs fa ily has been aking tQ he for ten generations. %e learned the trade when he was si! and is nationally known. The +inistry of Culture and -nfor ation often asks hi to de onstrate tQ he aking at festi$als. +r. ToKs passion and skill ha$e not lessened despite his age. %e can ake e$ery kind of tQ he, fro kings and andarins with elaborate i perial costu es to co plicated dragons. %e can finish an i age of Ring Auang Trung 4 a national hero, in less than ten inutes. ...and the meaning ul lessons -t was also the o ent when the tradition, lessons of $irtues and orals were passed on to the young generation. Puan ,a $illage is the place where passionate crafts en follow generations of fa ily to carry on with their tQ he toys and the ad$enture of i aginati$e figurines despite the o$erwhe ing influ! of odern toys and illustrated books.
<r. To also likes to teach children about the underl"ing meaning of (tk he). $e explains that the lifeline of the (tk he) trade is peopleSs /o", not mone". &or example, as <r. To creates a (tk he) rat, he explains that rats have pointed noses and long tails, that the" destro" farmersS crops, and that the children should help get rid of rats. The children are fascinated to listen to <r. To as the" watch the (tk he) emerge in his hands.

Today, plastic and electronic toys flood city and countryside arkets. #lthough tQ he cannot co pete, Puan ,a $illagers still struggle to aintain their traditional trade. #t present, about IEE $illagers ake tQ he. Chu 9an )ghe, a war $eteran who is si!ty4se$en, still pursues the craft. %is four4year4old granddaughter has asked hi to teach her to ake tQ he. )owadays, any wo en assist their husbands and fa ilies in preser$ing the $illage trade. 3$eryday, Puan ,a $illagers tra$el to different corners of the countryside 4 fro ha lets to arkets to parks 4 selling tQ he to children and tQ he lo$ers. Puan ,a $illagers take pride that, nowadays, tQ he akers can be found nationwide and e$en abroad in China, ,aos, Ca bodia and Thailand. This pro$es that the craft has not entirely disappeared. #lthough a tQ he is s all, it e bodies a lot of the senti ent, honour and industry that began with Puan ,a $illagers long, long ago.

%ietnamese 0ate! Puppet ",ua 1oi &uoc#

If you are ever in Hanoi it will be regretful to miss the ater !uppet Theater " even if you think you are not a puppet kind of person. ater !uppets literally means #puppets that dance on the water$. This show is not %ust geared for kids, but meant to delight adults as well.
<i tor(!

9ietna ese &ater :uppet originated fro the Bed Bi$er @elta of 9ietna in the tenth century. *o e of the earliest troupes are in )guySn P? co une, TUng %Vng district, Thai >inh pro$ince. &ater puppetry is deeply i bued with the cultural characteristics of the people of this area. This uni.ue art first appeared around the DGth century, when post4har$est, artists who were also far ers would gather to perfor and rela!. The custo re ains today in any localities in the Bed Bi$er @elta such as @ao Thuc, :hu @a, @ong Ca, )guyen Pa, @ong )gu, )han %oa and )a Chan.
'n ancient #ietnam, the rural #ietnamese believed that spirits controlled all aspects of their life, from the kitchen to the rice paddies. That is the reason wh" the farmers in this region devised a form of entertainment and worship to satisf" these spirits. %ater puppetr" is the livel" creation of farmers who spent their da"s in flooded rice fields. 0t some point, the" discovered that the water was an excellent medium for puppetr"V it not onl" concealed the puppeteersS rod and string mechanisms, but it also provided exciting effects like waves and splashes. %hen water puppetr" became more popular, villages competed against each other with their puppet shows. This led puppet societies to be secretive and exclusive, including an initiation ceremon" that involved drinking rooster blood.

*o far this art for has been uni.ue to )orth 9ietna . Tourists can en8oy this kind of art all days in a week at Thang ,ong :uppet Theatre, which is the ost well known one in %a )oi.
="r%or+anc" &or over a thousand "ears, performers in #ietnamese %ater .uppet Theater2s feet have alwa"s suffered in cold and wet condition. %ater puppetr" is performed in a chest-deep pool of water, with the waterSs surface as a stage. The puppeteers stand behind a screen and control the puppets using long bamboo rods and string mechanism hidden beneath the water surface. The puppet is carved out of wood and often weighs up to D5 kg. 0 large rod supports the puppet under the water and is used b" the puppeteers to control them. The appearance is of the puppets moving over the water. The puppets enter from either side of the stage, or emerge from the murk" depths of the water. 'n the past when the rice fields were flooded the villagers would entertain each other using this puppet form.

# traditional 9ietna ese orchestra pro$ides background usic acco pani ent. *ingers of Cheo 0a for of opera1 with origin in )orth 9ietna sing the songs which tell the story being acted out by the puppets. :erfor ances of up to DF short scenes are usually introduced by a pig4tailed bu pkin known as Teu, and acco panied by a s all folk orchestra. The usicians and the puppets interact during perfor anceO the usicians ay yell a word of warning to a puppet in danger or a word of encourage ent to a puppet in need.
0long with singing the atmosphere, while the decorations set the stage for each particula, traditional musical instruments like drums, wooden bells, c"mbals, horns, two-string hinese violins and flutes create r st"le of water puppetr". Oesearcher Egu"en $u" $ong believes that water puppetr" combines sculpture, architecture, painting, music, stage and literature. Cont"nt The theme of the skits is rural and has a strong reference to #ietnamese folklore. 't tells of da"-to-da" living in rural #ietnam and #ietnamese folk tales that are told older generation to "ounger generation. 9f which stories of the harvest, of fishing and of festivals are highlighted.

The water also provides the best setting for the puppeteersS themeV da"-to-da" village life. %ater puppets bring wr" humor to scenes of farming, fishing, festival events such as buffalo fights, and childrenSs games of marbles and coin-toss. &ishing turns into a game of wits between the fisherman and his pre", with the fisherman getting the short end (often capturing his surprised neighbor b" mistake). +esides village life, scenes include legends and national histor". Rion dogs romp like puppies while dragons exhale smoke and shoot spra"s of water at the audience. Teu, a pig-tailed bumpkin, is the character who usuall" pla"s the role of introducing the performances. The introduction is alwa"s accompanied b" a small folk orchestra. Spotlights and colorful flags adorn the stage and create a festive atmosphere. Regends and national histor" are also told through short skits. <an" of the skits, especiall" those involving the tales of da"-to-da" living, often have a humorous twist.

&ater puppetry has always gone hand in hand with festi$als. 3ach ,unar +arch DI, >o @uong $illagers hold $illage festi$al to co e orate their tutelary god. #side fro worship, the festi$al is also an opportunity for $illagers to rela! by watching water puppetry, taking in fireworks displays, flying kites and entering cock4fighting contests. The festi$al always attracts thousands of attendants. 9illage festi$als are great wind down for far ers and artists alike.

%oa ,o :rison
The <Ca LD =ri on was a prison used b" the &rench colonists in #ietnam for political prisoners, and later b" Eorth #ietnam for prisoners of warduring the #ietnam %ar when it was sarcasticall" known to 0merican prisoners of war as the &<anoi <i#ton&. The prison was demolished during the DTT7s, though the gatehouse remains as a museum. The name $oa Ro, commonl" translated as "fier" furnace" or even "$ellSs hole", \D] also means "stove". The name originated from the street name ph! $na Rk, due to the concentration of stores selling wood stoves and coal-fire stoves along the street from pre-colonial times. The prison was built in $anoi b" the &rench, in dates ranging from DLLB^DLLT\D] to DLTL\6] to DT7D,\U] \4] when #ietnam was still part of &rench 'ndochina. The &rench called the prison Mai on C"ntra#"\D]? literall", entral $ouse, a traditional euphemism to denote prisons in &rance. 't was located near $anoiSs &rench Juarter.\6] 't was intended to hold #ietnamese prisoners, particularl" political prisoners agitating for independence who were often sub/ect to torture and execution. \4] 0 DTDU renovation expanded its capacit" from 4B7 inmates to B77. \6] 't was nevertheless often overcrowded, holding some CU7 prisoners on a given da" in DTDB, a figure which would rise to LT5 in DT66 and D,4U7 in DTUU.\6] +" DT54 it held more than 6777 people8\D] with its inmates held in subhuman conditions,\4] it had become a s"mbol of colonialist exploitation and of the bitterness of the #ietnamese towards the &rench.\D] The central urban location of the prison also became part of its earl" character. 3uring the DTD7s through DTU7s, street peddlers made an occupation of passing outside messages in through the /ailSs windows and tossing tobacco and opium over the walls8 letters and packets would be thrown out to the street in the opposite direction.\5] %ithin the prison itself, communication and ideas passed. 'ndeed, man" of the future leading figures in ommunist Eorth #ietnam spent time in <aison entrale during the DTU7s and DT47s8\B] &ollowing the defeat at the battle of 3ien +ien .hu and the DT54 Feneva 0ccords the &rench left $anoi and the prison came under the authorit" of the 3emocratic Oepublic of #ietnam.\C] Thereafter the prison served as an education center for revolutionar" doctrine and activit", and it was kept around after the &rench left to mark its historical significance to the Eorth #ietnamese. \B]

3uring the #ietnam %ar, the first Q.S. prisoner to be sent to $oa Ro was Rieutenant, @unior Frade Pverett 0lvare: @r., who was shot down on 0ugust 5, DTB4.\L] &rom the beginning, Q.S. .9%s endured miserable conditions, including poor food and unsanitar" conditions. \T] The prison complex was sarcasticall" nicknamed the "$anoi $ilton" b" the 0merican .9%s, in reference to the wellknown $ilton $otel chain. There is some disagreement among the first group of .9%s who coined the name but &L3 pilot +ob Shumaker\D7] was the first to write it down, carving "%elcome to the $anoi $ilton" on the handle of a pail to greet the arrival of 0ir &orce Rieutenant Oobert .eel. \DD] +eginning in earl" DTBC, a new area of the prison was opened for incoming 0merican .9%s8 \D6] it was dubbed "Rittle #egas", and its individual buildings and areas were named after Ras #egas Strip landmarks, such as "Folden Eugget," "Thunderbird," "Stardust," "Oiviera," and the "3esert 'nn."\DU] These names were chosen because man" pilots had trained at Eellis 0ir &orce +ase, located in proximit" to Ras #egas.\D6] 0merican pilots were fre1uentl" alread" in bad shape b" the time the" were captured, in/ured either during their e/ection or in landing on the ground. \D4] The $anoi $ilton was one site used b" the Eorth #ietnamese 0rm" to house, torture and interrogate captured servicemen, mostl" 0merican pilots shot down during bombing raids.\D5] 0lthough Eorth #ietnam was a signator" of the Third Feneva onvention of DT4T,\D5] which demanded "decent and humane treatment" of prisoners of war, severe torture methods were emplo"ed, such as rope bindings, irons, beatings, and prolonged solitar" confinement. \L]\D5]\DB] The aim of the torture was usuall" not ac1uiring militar" information8 \L] rather, it was to break the will of the prisoners, both individuall" and as a group.\L]\DC] The goal of the Eorth #ietnamese was to get written or recorded statements from the prisoners that critici:ed Q.S. conduct of the war and praised how the Eorth #ietnamese treated them.\L] Such .9% statements would be viewed as a propaganda victor" in the battle to swa" world and Q.S. domestic opinion against the Q.S. war effort. \L]\DU] 'n the end, Eorth #ietnamese torture was sufficientl" brutal and prolonged that virtuall" ever" 0merican .9% so sub/ected made a statement of some kind at some time. \DL] (0s one later wrote of finall" being forced to make an anti-0merican statementV "' had learned what we all learned over thereV Pver" man has his breaking point. ' had reached mine.")\DU] Oeali:ing this, the 0mericansS aim became to absorb as much torture as the" could before giving in8\DB] one later described the internal code the .9%s developed and instructed new arrivals on asV "Take ph"sical torture until "ou are right at the edge of losing "our abilit" to be rational. 0t that point, lie, do, or sa" whatever "ou must do to survive. +ut "ou first must take ph"sical torture."\DT] 0fter making statements, the .9%s would admit to each other what had happened, lest shame or guilt consume them or make them more vulnerable to additional Eorth #ietnamese pressure. \DB] Eevertheless, the .9%s obsessed over what the" had done, and would "ears after their release still be haunted b" the "confessions" or other statements the" had made. \67] 0s another .9% later said, "To this da" ' get angr" with m"self. +ut we did the best we could. \%e reali:e], over time, that we all fall short of what we aspire to be. 0nd that is where forgiveness comes in." \67] Oegarding treatment at $oa Ro and other prisons, ommunists countered b" stating that prisoners were treated well and in accordance with the Feneva onventions. \6D] 3uring DTBT, the" broadcast a series of coerced statements from 0merican prisoners that purported to support this notion. \6D] The Eorth #ietnamese would also maintain that their prisons were no worse than prisons for .9%s and political prisoners in South #ietnam, such as the one on on Son 'sland.\citation needed] <istreatment of #iet ong and Eorth #ietnamese prisoners and South #ietnamese dissidents in South #ietnamSs prisons was indeed fre1uent, as was Eorth #ietnamese treatment of South #ietnamese prisoners and their own dissidents.\66] %hen prisoners of war began to be released from this and other Eorth #ietnamese prisons during the @ohnson administration, their testimonies revealed widespread and s"stematic abuse of prisoners of war. 'nitiall", this information was downpla"ed b" 0merican authorities for fear that conditions might

worsen for those remaining in Eorth #ietnamese custod". \DU] .olic" changed under the Eixon administration, when mistreatment of the prisoners was publici:ed b" Q.S. Secretar" of 3efense <elvin Raird and others.\DU] +eginning in late DTBT, treatment of the prisoners became less severe and generall" more tolerable.\L] &ollowing the late DTC7 attempted rescue operation at Son Ta" prison camp, most of the .9%s at the outl"ing camps were moved to $oa Ro, so that the Eorth #ietnamese had fewer camps to protect.\6U] This created the " amp Qnit"" communal living area at $oa Ro, which greatl" reduced the isolation of the .9%s and improved their morale. \DU]\6U] &uture Q.S. #ice .residential candidate @ames Stockdale and decorated Q.S. 0ir &orce pilot +ud 3a" were held as prisoners at the $anoi $ilton, as was future Senator and 677L Oepublican presidential nominee @ohn <c ain, who spent parts of his five and a half "ears as a .9% there. 0ir &orce colonel and record-setting parachutist @oseph Xittinger spent DD months in prison there.+rigadier Feneral Oobinson Oisner was the senior ranking .9%, responsible for maintaining chain of command among his fellow prisoners, from DTB5 to DTCU. 0nother notable prisoner is future <a/or Feneral @ohn R. +orling, who spent B De6 "ears as a .9%. 0fter the implementation of the DTCU .aris .eace 0ccords, neither the Qnited States nor its allies ever formall" charged Eorth #ietnam with the war crimes revealed to have been committed there. Similarl", the 0mericans and their allies were never tried for their poor treatment of prisoners either. Pxtradition of Eorth #ietnamese officials who had violated the Feneva onvention, which the" had alwa"s insisted officiall" did not bind them because their nation had never signed it, was not a condition of the Q.S. withdrawal from South #ietnam and ultimate abandonment of the South #ietnamese government. 'n the 6777s, the #ietnamese government has held the position that claims that prisoners were tortured during the war are fabricated, but that #ietnam wants to move past the issue as part of establishing better relations with the Q.S.\64] +ui Tin, a Eorth #ietnamese 0rm" colonel-later turned dissident and exile, who believed that the cause behind the war had been /ust but that the countr"Ss political s"stem had lost its wa" after reunification,\65] maintained in 6777 that no torture had occurred in the .9% camps.\6B] Tin stated that there were "a few ph"sical hits like a slap across the face, or threats, in order to obtain the specific confessions," and that the worst that especiall" resistant prisoners such as Stockdale and @eremiah 3entonencountered was being confined to small cells. \6B] Tran Trong 3u"et, a /ailer at $oa Ro beginning in DTBL and its commandant for the last three "ears of the war, maintained in 677L that no prisoners were tortured. \64] $owever, e"ewitness accounts b" 0merican servicemen present a different account of their captivit". 0fter the war, Oisner wrote the book dassing of the )ight detailing his C "ears at the $anoi $ilton. 'ndeed, a considerable literature emerged from released .9%s after repatriation, depicting $oa Ro and the other prisons as places where such atrocities as murder8 beatings8 broken bones, teeth and eardrums8 dislocated limbs8 starvation8 serving of food contaminated with human and animal feces8 and medical neglect of infections and tropical disease occurred. These details are revealed in famous accounts b" <c ain (!aith of 3y !athers), 3enton, 0lvare:, 3a", Oisner, Stockdale and do:ens of others.\citation needed] 'n addition, the $anoi $ilton was depicted in the epon"mous DTLC $oll"wood movie &he 7anoi 7ilton. The prison continued to be in use after the release of the 0merican prisoners. 0mong the last inmates was dissident poet Egu"on hp Thiqn, who was reimprisoned in DTCT after attempting to deliver his poems to the +ritish Pmbass", and spent the next six "ears in $na Rk until DTL5 when he was transferred to a more modern prison. $e mentions the last "ears of the prison, partl" in fictional form, in 7Ra Le_7anoi 7ilton Stories (677C)\6C] <ost of the prison was demolished in the mid-DTT7s and the site now contains two high-rise buildings, one of them the 65-stor" Somerset Frand $anoi serviced apartment building. \U] 9ther parts have been converted into a commercial complex retaining the original &rench colonial walls. \6L] 9nl" part of the prison exists toda" as a museum. The displa"s mainl" show the prison during the &rench colonial period, including the guillotine room, still with original e1uipment, and the 1uarters for men and women

#ietnamese political prisoners.\6T] Pxhibits related to the 0merican prisoners include the interrogation room where man" newl" captured 0mericans were 1uestioned (notorious among former prisoners as the "blue room") is now made up to look like a ver" comfortable, if spartan, barracks-st"le room. 3ispla"s in the room claim that 0mericans were treated well and not harmed (and even cite the nickname "$anoi $ilton" as proof that inmates found the accommodations comparable to a hotelSs). The museumSs claims are contradicted b" former prisonersS published memoirs and oral histories broadcast on -S.0E identif" the room (and other nearb" locales) as the site of numerous acts of torture.

7o 7oan "iem
(or Rake of the Oestored Sword) was once part of the Oed river (song $ong). Throughout thousands of "ears of geographical changes, the lake moved eastward to its present position kilometers from the river. +efore the famous historical legend of Xing Re Roi here, $oan Xiem Rake used to be called Ruc Thu" Rake (or Freen %ater Rake) since the water was green all the "ear round. 'n D5th centur", it was named $oan Xiem Rake after the legend of Pmperor Re Thai To, which is somehow similar to the stor" of Xing 0rthur and the Rad" of the RakeSs. Eow please close "our e"es and turn back time to the Re 3"nast" B centuries ago to witness the legendary story. 3uring the war against the <inh aggressors, Xing Re Thai To was given a precious fair" Sword b" the Folden Turtle Fod. 0fter D7 "ears of continuous struggling, the Xing finall" defeated the hinese and reclaimed the nation2s independence. 0fter that, on a nice da", while boating on lake Ruc Thu", a large turtle came towards him. 't immediatel" grabbed the sword with its mouth and submerged. The king mourned the lost of such a valuable sword, "et could not find either the turtle or the sword. $e reali:ed that the Fod must have lent him the sword to drive back the enem", but then that his nation was free, the sword must be returned. $ence, Xing Re Thai To named the lake $o $oan Xiem or Rake of the Oestore Sword after this episode. Since the reign of Xing Re Trung $ung (Y#' centur"), ever" Xing in the Re d"nast", and Rord Trinh have all contributed to the beaut" of the lake. Rord Trinh Fiang built Xhanh Thu" shrine on Egoc island on the north end of the lake. $e also had the two man made hills built across from)goc son Shrine. 0t the end of the Re 3"nast", Xhanh Thu" was toppled b" hieu Thong. 0 philanthropist named Tin Trai built Egoc Son pagoda, which was renamed into Egoc Son shrine during the reign of Thieu Tri ''' (DL4U) as it was no longer a +uddhist shrine. 'nstead, it became a shrine of #an Yuong, a deit", in charge of literature and the various tests re1uired to become a <andarin. 't has also been a shrine of Feneral Tran $ung 3ao, a national $ero who secured numerous victories against the <ongols. $ence, $oan Xiem Rake is now situated inside a complex of )goc Son &emple, &he 7uc Wridge, den &ower in the surroundings, making a sparkling colorful natural pictureA Egoc Son has undergone a lot of renovations, one among which was the addition of Thap +ut (translated as .en Tower) on its hill, which was once called 3ao Tai. Three words were inscribed on the towerV "Ta Thien Thanh" or "write on blue sk"". 'nside the gate a pool resembling the shape of an ink well was added. +e"ond the ink well is The $uc bridge, which means "where the sun light is absorbed". The bridge leads to 3ac Egu"et Rau (or "<oon Right tower") - Egoc Son shrine. +e"ond the gates to the shrine, there are two walls called bang Oong and bang $o (dragon and tiger slate), where the names of those who passed the national test were inscribed. %hat could not be missed in this beautiful complex is the &urtle &ower, which lies in the middle of the Rake, so as to remind #ietnamese people of the Turtle Fod of his great assistance. 't was told that Xing Re Thanh Tong used to fish here. Rord Trinh also built the structure to house his entourage while visiting the lake. 4es#ite the time(s ashes and dust Hoan -iem 1ake 9 the #o#ular historical and legendary beauty9s#ot is eternal for good as an e!idence of a fairy : heroic Hanoi during the #ast "ars and a romantic : charming Hanoi of &oday! $oan Xiem Rake is considered one of the first things to see in $anoi when one arrives in this bustling capital cit". #isitors are recommended to hire a tour guide or book a $anoi da" tour so that the" can learn man" interesting

stories and legends about the lake and other attractions surrounding it. &or da" tour information, take a look at this $oan Xiem lake tour. Parl" morning sees <oan ?i"+ La;" at its best, stirring to life as walkers, /oggers and tai chi enthusiasts limber up in the half-light. Space is at a premium in this crowded cit", and the lake2s strip of park meets multiple needs, at its busiest when lunch-hour hawkers are out in force, and easing down slowl" to evenings of old men pla"ing chess and couples seeking twilight privac" on benches half-hidden among the willows. The lake itself is small ^ "ou can walk round it in thirt" minutes ^ and not particularl" spectacular, but to $anoians this is the soul of their cit". The name of the lake, which means (Rake of the Oestored Sword), refers to a legend of the great #ietnamese hero, Re Roi, who led a successful uprising against the hinese in the fifteenth centur". Tradition has it that Re Roi netted a gleaming sword while out fishing in a sampan and when he returned as Xing R" Thai To, after ten "ears of battle, he wanted to thank the spirit of the lake. 0s he prepared the sacrifice there was a timel" peal of thunder and the miraculous sword flew out of its scabbard, into the mouth of a golden turtle (#ietnamese use the same word for turtle and tortoise) sent b" the gods to reclaim the weapon. 0 good wa" to get "our bearings in $anoi is to make a 1uick circuit of the lake, a pleasant walk at an" time of "ear and stunning when the flame trees flower in @une and @ul". The sights below are given in a clockwise order, beginning at the iconic $uc +ridge (possibl" the most photographed sight in the cit") at the lake2s northeast corner. 3en Egoc Son rossing over the striking The $uc +ridge, an arch of red-lac1uered wood poeticall" labelled the (place where morning sunlight rests), "ou find the secluded D"n '$oc Son, (Temple of the @ade <ound), sheltering among ancient trees. This small temple was founded in the fourteenth centur" and is dedicated to an eclectic groupV national hero Feneral Tran $ung 3ao, who defeated the <ongols in D6LL, sits on the principal altar8 #an Yuong, Fod of Riterature8 ph"sician Ra To8 and a martial arts practitioner, Juan #u. The temple buildings date from the DL77s and are t"pical of the Egu"en 3"nast"8 in the antechamber, look out for the dragon heads, carved with bulbous noses and teeth bared in manic grins. Statue of Xing R" Thai To $eading south along the eastern side of the lake, "ou2ll come to an imperious statue of $anoi2s founding father, Xing R" Thai To, which was erected in 6774 in anticipation of celebrations to mark the cit"2s millennium in 67D7. 0t dusk, the expanse of polished stone paving around it provides an incongruous venue for $anoi2s small but keen band of break-dancers. The Tortoise Tower 0 s1uat, three-tiered pavilion known as Tha1 Eua, or the Tortoi " To,"r, ornaments a tin" island at the southern end of $o $oan Xiem. 't2s illuminated after dark, and is another of $anoi2s most prevalent icons, with its reflection shimmering in the lake. 't was built in the DTth centur" to commemorate the legend of the golden turtle and the restored sword, but is not accessible to the public. The Feneral .ost 9ffice 0t the southeast corner of the lake stands the enormous 9"n"ra# =o t O%%ic", which marks the northern fringe of the &rench Juarter. 9pposite the post office, on the shore of the lake, stands a small and ancient brick tower. This is all that remains of an enormous pagoda complex, hua +ao 0n, after &rench town planners cleared the site in DLT6 to construct the administrative offices and residences of their new possession.

St @oseph2s athedral 0s "ou round the southern tip of the lake and head up its western shore "ou2ll spot $anoi2s neo-Fothic cathedral over the rooftops to "our left. #eer left along $ang Trong, then left into Eha Tho, to reach it. 't was constructed in the earl" DLL7s, partl" financed b" two lotteries, and though the exterior is badl" weathered its high-vaulted interior is still imposing. 0mong the first things "ou notice inside are the ornate altar screen and the stained-glass windows, most of which are &rench originals. 9ver the black marble tomb of a former cardinal of #ietnam stands one of several statues commemorating mart"red #ietnamese saints, in this case 0ndrj 3ung Rac who was executed in DLUT on the orders of the ferventl" anti- hristian emperor <inh <ang. The cathedral2s main door is open during services (the celebration of <ass was allowed to resume on hristmas Pve DTT7 after a long hiatus)8 at other times walk round to the small door in the southwest corner. The cathedral is on Eha Tho, one of the most fashionable streets in the cit" for shopping, dining and drinking. R" Juoc Su .agoda %alking north from St @oseph2s athedral along R" Juoc Su brings "ou to L( 4uoc Su =a$oda, a small pagoda with a genuinel" interesting collection of statues. R" Juoc Su (sometimes also known as <inh Xhong) was a +uddhist teacher, healer and ro"al adviser who cured the hallucinating Xing R" Than Tong of believing he was a tiger. Juoc Su2s image resides alongside that of the white-bearded Tu 3ao $anh on the principal altar of this twelfth-centur" temple ^ when it later became a pagoda the" simpl" added a few +uddhas behind. 'n front of the altar, two groups of statues face each other across the pra"er floorV four secular, female figures sit opposite three perfectl" inscrutable mandarins of the nineteenth centur", clothed in rich red lac1uer. &rom R" Juoc Su, make "our wa" back to $oan Xiem Rake and continue northwards to where &huy &a cafj offers respite from the traffic and a fine place to relax.

$90 R9 .O'S9E
The name $oa Ro, commonl" translated as "fier" furnace" or even "$ellSs hole", also means "stove". The name originated from the street name ".ho $oa Ro", due to the concentration of stores selling wood stoves and coal-fire stoves along the street from pre-colonial times. The prison was built in $anoi b" the &rench, in dates ranging from DLLB^DLLT to DLTL to DT7D, when #ietnam was still part of &rench 'ndochina. The &rench called the prison <aison entrale - a traditional euphemism to denote prisons in &rance. 't was located near $anoiSs &rench Juarter. 't was intended to hold #ietnamese prisoners, particularl" political prisoners agitating for independence who were often sub/ect to torture and execution. 0 DTDU renovation expanded its capacit" from 4B7 inmates to B77. 't was nevertheless often overcrowded, holding some CU7 prisoners on a given da" in DTDB, a figure which would rise to LT5 in DT66 and D,4U7 in DTUU. +" DT54 it held more than 6777 people8 with its inmates held in subhuman conditions, it had become a s"mbol of colonialist exploitation and of the bitterness of the #ietnamese towards the &rench. Xnown widel" b" the nickname r$anoi $ilton2 given to it b" the 0mericans during the Second 'ndochina %ar, $oa Ro .rison was originall" established b" the &rench colonial government in DLTB for the purpose of detaining political prisoners and formed part of a northern network of run/ust and cruel prisons2 which included ao +ang, Son Ra, Rai hau and $ai .hong. <an" leading revolutionaries were incarcerated here during the &rench colonial period, including .han +oi hau, $oang Trong <au, Ruong #an an, Egu"en Ju"en, Egu"en Ruong +ang and five future Feneral Secretaries of the ommunist .art" - Egu"en #an u, Re 3uan, Truong hinh, Egu"en #an Rinh and 3o <uoi. +etween DTB4 and DTCU the prison2s inmates included several captured 0merican pilots, notabl" Senator @ohn <c ain and 3ouglas S.eteS .eterson, 0merica2s first 0mbassador to the Socialist Oepublic of #ietnam.

<ost of the original prison was demolished in DTTB to make wa" for the $anoi Towers (now Somerset Frand $anoi) serviced apartment and office complex, but the southernmost corner has been preserved and reopened to the public as a memorial to the revolutionaries who died here in atrocious conditions. #isitors can view the original cells, complete with leg-irons, along with a selection of bilingual (#ietnamese and Pnglish) displa"s illustrating the horrors of life in the prison during the &rench colonial period. onditions were appalling8 food was water" soup and bread. .risoners were variousl" isolated, starved, beaten, tortured for countless hours and paraded in anti-0merican propaganda. "'t is eas" to die but hard to live," a prison guard told one new arrival, "and we will show "ou /ust how hard it is to live." The prison is reall" (0 $ell on Parth). The $anoi $ilton was depicted in the epon"mous DTLC $oll"wood movie The $anoi $ilton. $anoi Tower, built on the site of the infamous prison "$anoi $ilton"8 the entrance to the remaining parts of the prison visible in the foreground. +" DTTB, most of the walls of the $anoi $ilton had been torn down to make wa" for new construction. .ortions of the walls were retained for historical reasons. The #ietnamese also have bitter memories of the prison, for man" communist revolutionaries were kept and tortured there. 'n DTTL, the old front of the prison was painted and restored and the remaining portions of the prison were turned into a tourist site. Some of the cells have been opened and considerable information about #ietnamese prisoners is available. The information about the Q.S. prisoners of war is unreliable. There is now a $ilton $otel in $anoi, called the $ilton $anoi 9pera $otel, which opened in DTTT. 't was built decades after the #ietnam %ar was over, but $ilton carefull" avoided reusing the dreaded name $anoi $ilton.

LF Thi TG (birth name Rs

Ear#( ("ar 7"dit8

[ng Qtn was =`i #iqt Pmperor and was the founder of the Rs

3"nast", he reigned from D77T to D76L 03.

$e was born in u .h,p village, =vnh +Hng, Tf Sln, +wc Einh .rovince in TC4. There is little details about his parents and famil" background as the" were not prominentl" recorded. 't is known however, that his mother was called (.h`m Thx) which means "Rad" .h`m". 't is possible that his father who remains a m"ster", ma" have been a minor official of the 0nterior RZ 3"nast" or perhaps the =inh 3"nast", or even has some connection to the u .h,p .agoda monastic clerg". $e was born at u .h,p .agoda, also known as Oyn .agoda or 3zn .agoda. 0t the age of U, his mother brought him back to the pagoda. Rs Xh,nh #{n, head monk of the pagoda, adopted him and named him Rs [ng Qtn. $e was brought to the pagoda and became a +uddhist disciple. Rater in his "outh, he was put under the guardianship of the pagodaSs new headmaster Rs #`n $`nh, who was a ver" well respected cleric during the 0nterior RZ 3"nast" era, he came to the ro"al capital $oa Rb to be religious advisor for the RZ ro"al court. $e was graduall" promoted from a minor official to a prominent post of the imperial government and was ultimatel" bestowed with the title (TH ThNn #q =iqn Ti|n h} $u" S~) meaning "The ommander of the .alaceSs Reft &lank", which was one of the most important position within the imperial guards. 'n D77T, RZ Ego` Tri|u, the last monarch of the 0nterior RZ 3"nast" died under the wrath of the people because of his brutalit" and cruelt" he brought onto them during his reign. =*o am <Mc, an imperial official, and #`n $`nh sei:ed the opportunit" and imposed their power and political influence to enthrone their trusted disciple Rs [ng Qtn without much resistance, thus ended the 0nterior RZ 3"nast". 0fter his ascension to the throne, Rs [ng Qtn named his era "Thuzn ThiZn" meaning "%ill of $eaven". $is ro"al title became Rs Th,i Tu and the first "ear of his reign was in $oa Rb.

I+1"ria# ca1ita# r"#ocation7"dit8

Rs Th,i Tu is best known\citation needed] for relocating the imperial capital from $oa Rb to Th{ng Rong (modern da" $* EMi) in D7D7 03. $e is generall" viewed as the founder of the cit" of $* EMi. 'n 67D7, the cit" of $* EMi celebrated its D777th anniversar" and in honoring Rs Th,i Tu.

0lthough $oa Rb was a strategic citadel surrounded b" mountains and marshland that was difficult for invading armies to attack or con1uer, $oa Rb was geographicall" too small and difficult for commerce and urban development to flourish. Rs [ng Qtn, who had wished to implement civic development and economic growth within the realm, soon reali:ed that $oa Rb was not a suitable place for such aspirations. This prompted Rs Th,i Tu to move the capital to a more spacious landscaped settlement called =`i Ra, now $* EMi. =`i Ra was an ideal location for the new capital since it was on flatland and surrounded b" rivers and lakes, which was advantageous for transportation, commerce, and militar" mobili:ation. 'n D7D7, he issued a ro"al decree called Pdict on the Transfer of the apital for moving the imperial capital from $oa Rb to =`i Ra. %hile travelling from $oa Rb to the imperial settlement, he claimed to have had a vision of "a "ellow dragon ascending" which inspired him to change the new settlementSs name from =`i Ra to Th{ng Rong which means "0scending 3ragon". Rs [ng Qtn also built Trbing 0n itadel in the former capital $oa Rb to further fortif" the garrison for militar" defense and ThiZn =~c itadel in u .h,p village as a tributar" honor to his childhood home town.

E"#i$ion7"dit8
$aving begun life as a +uddhist monk, Rs Th,i Tu practiced +uddhism and promoted it as the national religion. 0s a result, he gave much support to the +uddhist clerg" and institutions. $e donated mone" to build pagodas throughout =`i #iqt. <an" citi:ens /oined monastic institutions during this reign since he was a strong patron of the +uddhist religion. lerical officials such as Egu"on =`o Thanh and .h`m $`c were sent to hina (Song 3"nast" court) to stud" and bring back the sutra named Tam T`ng (Tripi2aka) to =`i #iqt.

=o#ici" 7"dit8
3uring the reign of Rs Th,i Tu, the Song 3"nast" were pre-occupied with maintaining internal stabilit" and still recovering from previous defeats or skirmishes with =`i #iqt mainl" left the kingdom alone and political relations between the two kingdoms revived. Rs Th,i Tu sent man" envo"s to the Song court and demanded that its government officiall" recogni:e =`i #iqtSs status as a vassal independent kingdom rather than an autonomous hinese province of Song. The Pmperor of the Song 3"nast" consented and sent envo"s in return to be formall" entitled Rs Th,i Tu as the "Xing of =`i #iqt" superseding the title "Rord of Fiao h}", 'n turn, some vassal kingdoms of =`i #iqt to the south such as hampa (modern-da" central #ietnam) and henla (modern-da" ambodia) brought annual tributes to =`i #iqt, which he brought good relations between these neighboring kingdoms. Rs Th,i TuSs political skills enabled =`i #iqt to secure peace with its neighboring kingdoms to the north and south. 3uring his reign, =`i #iqt had a stabili:ed political infrastructure and good relations with its neighbors, which enabled =`i #iqtSs economic development to flourish. There were some small rebellions in Eghq 0n and in highland areas in the southwest. Rs Th,i Tu himself led the arm" and 1uelled these rebellions successfull". 3uring the Rs 3"nast", all ro"al princes were granted the title (#blng) or "Xing", a title given emperorsS kin or occasionall" some primar" officials or commanders who had achieved meritorious services or victories. The princes themselves were granted and led their own arm" regiments into battles. The ro"al institution enabled the princes to learn and man" became experts in arm" tactics and martial arts as a result. Rs Th,i Tu also paid close attention to civic development, he issued man" ro"al decrees and edicts that amended man" of the previous RZ 3"nast"Ss rigid and primitive policies, such as reforming the ro"al administration s"stem, establishment of the national universit" for higher education, and division of the realm into 64 (lM) or commanderies, in particular $oan hNu and i hNu, to strengthen strategic militar" defenses. $e also reformed the tax s"stem b" creating six tax classifications, which enabled the ro"al court to efficientl" collect taxes and citi:ens to clearl" know which tax classification affected themV Tax on fishing and seafood production

Tax on agricultural production (farming) Tax on loggingewood and masonr" Tax on salt production Tax on luxur" goods production (ivor", gold, silk, precious materials, etc.) Tax on fruits and vegetable production

34plo!ing the 5ld )o'n

Hanoi would not be Hanoi without its Old Quarter, a maze of streets dating back to the 13th century, its present-day chaos just a different version of the old chaos, when specialized trade guilds were responsible for each street. he !uarter is e"hausting #$%hat&s with all the honking'($ my friend asks) and crowded* you&ll be jostled by passing motorbikes, cyclos, and hawkers with shoulder-poles hanging pendulous burdens of local produce. he !uarter is one of those places in the world that grows on you the more you e"perience it. +aid to resemble a tree sprouting from the cool waters of Hoan ,iem -ake, the streets are like chaotic branches and tendrils as they fan out in jagged patterns across the area north of Hanoi&s famed lake. -imited on one side by the .ed .iver and on the other by the once-great Hanoi /itadel, whose walls are still standing in some areas, the 0ld 1uarter is, as the name denotes, the oldest area of the town and has long been an important economic center. 2n its earliest inceptions, the 0ld 1uarter was accessed by a series of canals on its northeast edge that lead to regional waterways. he western end of the !uarter was developed in the early 13th century when the completion of the Hanoi /itadel left open areas that were settled by outlying villages and tradespeople. he !uarter hosts the city&s largest market, 4ong 5uan, and welcomes the bulk of foreign visitors to the city with its maze of streets, multitude of services, and great hotel and restaurant $finds.$ 6etting lost in the maze is one of the biggest joys of Hanoi. 7ost interesting are the Communal Houses set up by the guilds in each area. -ike small temples to honor a local god, many to the 8ach 7a, or $%hite Horse,$ who represents the city of Hanoi, these little courtyard areas are usually protected from the street and have often hidden entrances or just humble low roofs out front that give way to elaborate interior courtyards and temple buildings. 9side from communal houses, you find standard Buddhist and Daoist temples among the city&s crooked streets. 7ost notable is the Bach Ma Temple in the eastern end of the !uarter. ,eep an eye out for the classic 0ld 1uarter tube house, the best and most accessible e"ample of which is at :; 7a 7ay +t. or at 3: Hang 4ao #directly north of the lake). ube houses are so named because they are just that< a long, narrow tube of space that is subdivided into sections that served the family&s every need. %hy so narrow' 9nd, in fact, why do =ietnamese still build so narrow and high today' >roperties were ta"ed on the basis of their street frontage, and real estate has always been e"pensive in this bustling !uarter #real estate prices in Hanoi rival any city in the %est these days). ube houses are divided into sections. he front is the business office, where any goods are displayed and where business is conducted. 2n a succession of courtyards and interior spaces, some two stories, a tube house has areas set aside for gardening and for servants, and, at the back, private family !uarters with the kitchen and the loo, which was traditionally nothing more than a large latrine pot that fit into a nook and had to be emptied regularly. ?ou can spot traditional homes by their low tile roofs parallel to the street.

European buildings of the @rench are more elaborate, usually two-story structures, with architectural flourishes like overhanging bay windows and a high sloping roof, some of the mansard variety. he more time you spend in the 0ld 1uarter, the more adept you get at finding the old among the new. 2n fact, many shops with the most modern, neonlit storefronts on the first floor are, in fact, old colonials, so be sure to keep an eye on the roofline to spot some anti!ue gems among the clutter. he 0ld 1uarter evolved from workshop villages organized by trades, or guilds, and even today, streets are dedicated to a product or trade. +ome streets still offer the services of old -- for e"ample Hang Thiec Street, or insmith +treet, is still the place to buy tin receptacles and for sheet-metal work -- but others have changed< Hang Vai, or /loth +treet, is now home to the bamboo trade, and many old streets support new trades. ?ou won&t find anything named $7otorcycle +eat .epair +treet$ or $/heap >lastic oys 2mported from /hina +treet,$ but they do e"ist. 2t&s a fascinating slice of centuries-old life in Hanoi, including markets that are so crowded that the streets themselves narrow to a few feet. Hanoi&s 0ld 1uarter is also where the seeds of /ommunist revolution were sown -starting in 13A; with the onkin @ree +chool 7ovement, a program of study at a school in the 0ld 1uarter, just north of Hoan ,iem -ake, which focused on =ietnamese traditions instead of the de rigueur @rench curriculum. he 0ld 1uarter school was closed down by @rench officials, but the patriotic zeal that founded it would never die and instead produced small workers& strikes throughout the 13BAs, many of which brought bloodshed. 0ld 1uarter trade guilds were fertile ground for the worker&s revolution, spawning independent presses* over time, /ommunist cells emerged that would unite during the 9ugust .evolution of 13CD. he 0ld 1uarter was, in fact, =ietnamese turf during violent skirmishes with the colonial @rench in their bid to control the upstart colony from 13CD until complete =ietnamese victory at 4ien 8ien >hu and @rench withdrawal. 2 had the good fortune of meeting an 9merican Viet Kieu, or returning =ietnamese, on a trip in Halong 8ay and hearing about his life in old Hanoi and his impressions now. 8orn on Hang 8ong #/otton +t.) in the 0ld 1uarter, he grew up in a house near %est -ake but had spent a lot of his youth careening about the commercial streets at the town center while his mother worked as a seamstress. 9sked what was different between the old Hanoi and the new #this was the his first time back since taking flight after the 6eneva 9ccords divided the country), the kind gentleman talked only of the similarities, saying that his home out near %est -ake is just as it was #and the owner abruptly slammed the door on him when he told her why he&d knocked, for fear he&d come back to re-claim his house). He said that the 0ld 1uarter, barring the proliferation of motorbikes, neon, and improved pavement, was e"actly as it was when he left =ietnam in the mid-13DAs. @or those who decry the cacophony and chaos of motorbikes, cars, and trucks in the district, it&s important to remember that the 0ld 1uarter is a market area, a place for business, and business in =ietnam is conducted at high decibels. he streets of the 0ld 1uarter have always been busy and noisy, only now it is modern traffic that makes the racket, not shouting hawkers pulling bullock carts. Note: here is an initiative to make the 0ld 1uarter a pedestrian-only zone, and on weekend nights, the length of pavement along central Hang Egang and Hang 4uong is closed to car and motorbike traffic. 9 night market has opened up with lots of flea market-style sellers of tourist trinkets. he following is a translation of just some of the streets and the trades that were practiced in the 0ld 1uarter. +ome of the streets below still sell or produce the same items* others have evolved to more modern goods, but the clumps-of-industry principle remains. -ook for the following< Street Name Translations o Old Quarter Trades

Hang Bac silverHang Be rattan raftsHang Bo basketsHang Bong cottonHang Buom sailsHang Ca fishHang Can scalesHang Cot bamboo matsHang Da leatherHang Dao silkHang Dau beansHang Dieu bongs and pipesHang Dong brassHang Duong sugarHang !a chickenHang !ai hemp and ropeHang !ia" paperHang Hom coffinsHang #hoai sweet potatoesHang $uoc combsHang Ma paper replicasFtoysHang Mam fishHang Manh bamboo shadesHang Muoi saltHang Non conical hatsHang Quat fansHang Than charcoalHang Thiec tinHang Thung barrelsHang Tre bambooHang Trong drumsHang Vai cloth