(Vietnam Travel) Hanoi has an old quarter of 36 streets,
each being closely attached to a traditional trade that is clearly shown
by its name, such as Hang Muoi (salt) Street selling salt, Hang Manh
(curtain) Street selling bamboo curtains, Hang Bac (silver) Street
selling silver jewellery.
A corner of Hang Quat Street in Hanoi
Mentioning the old streets of Hanoi, the essay “Notes taken on rainy
days” by Pham Dinh Ho writes: “Dien Hung ward (present-day Hang Ngang)
and Dong Lac ward (present-day Hang Dao) are places where many cloths
and silk products are sold.” According to Hanoi researcher Nguyen Vinh
Phuc, all kinds of papers, such as Giay ban (tissue paper), Giay moi
(inferior tissue paper), Giay boi (coarse paper) and other popular
papers made by people in Buoi and Cot Villages were sold on Hang Giay
Street in the past.
Some streets were named after a legend or special ana, such as Hang Chao
(rice porridge) Street which was the place selling rice porridge to
candidates who came to the capital to attend “Thi Hoi” (National
Examination) and “Thi Dinh” (Court Examination) or Trang Tien Street
near Hoan Kiem Lake where once existed a coin casting workshop of the
Nguyen Dynasty (the 19th century).
At present, the number of old streets in Hanoi is a matter of
controversy because someone said that 36 is only a symbolic number.
However, it is correct to say that people on each old street engaged in a
trade. In the past, people from all parts of the country flocked to the
capital to set themselves up in business. Following the trade motto “It
needs friends when trading and it needs to establish guilds when
selling”, they lived together in one place and gradually established
guilds specializing in trades and products.
Due to this unique feature, Hanoians usually think of one street where
they can buy what they want. For example, the locals usually venture to
Hang Manh Street to buy bamboo curtains, Thuoc Bac Street to buy
medicinal herbs, Hang Chieu Street to buy mats, etc.
Hanoi is undergoing drastic changes daily and the old quarter with
“Hang” streets are also affected by the process of development. Hotels,
restaurants, coffee shops, etc., have mushroomed on these streets, so
only a few streets with the traditional trades remain, such as Hang Bac,
Hang Ma, Hang Manh, Hang Chieu, Hang Dong, etc.
The others have engaged in other trades, for example, Hang Than Street
now sells Banh com (green rice flake cakes), teas and cigarettes in
service of wedding ceremonies; Hang Vai Street sells bamboo products;
Hang Chao sells mechanical and electric products to meet the demand of
customers in the modern life. In addition, many new streets with new
trades have been established in Hanoi, such as Hai Ba Trung Street
selling electronic products, Ly Nam De Street selling computers, Luong
Van Can Street selling children toys, Hoang Hoa Tham Street selling
ornamental trees and Dang Dung Street selling second-hand mobile
telephones.
Strolling through the old quarter or “36 streets” of Hanoi one can
perceive the beauty as well as typical feature of these streets which
should be preserved by not only the authorities but also the locals.
Lo Duc is the only street having rows of Sao trees (Hopea odorata) hundreds of years old
A family engaging in the traditional goldsmithery on Hang Bac Street
Making unicorn’s heads on Hang Ma Street
Traditional toys are available on Hang Ma Street
A stall selling different kinds of bamboo curtains on Hang Manh Street
Thin Pho restaurant on Lo Duc Street
Hang Than Street is famous nationwide for making cakes for wedding ceremonies
Hang Thiec Street still preserves the
traditional craft and now the locals in the street also participate in
making other mechanical products
Making bronze products on Hang Dong Street
