Buy Some Luck at a Traditional, Vietnamese Spring Market

In the early days of the spring season, many localities have the custom of opening unique markets, where tourists from everywhere in Vietnam flock here to do the shopping and ask for luck, happiness, and prosperity in the New Year.

Charlotte Pho

January 27, 2023 | 10:25

Going to the market on the first day of Spring is a beautiful custom of the Vietnamese people, in order to pray for a new year of fortune, luck, and peace.

In the first days of the Tet holiday, some localities have the custom of opening spring markets, which only happens once on each New Year’s occasion.

What makes these markets special from others is that the sellers do not care about how much they will sell or the prices of their products, and they are mostly sold to get lucky for year-round business. Buyers who come to the market only hope for luck, prosperity, and peace granted to themselves and their loved ones for the whole year.

The spring markets have become a cultural rendezvous for locals and visitors every year during the Tet holiday and springtime.

Dinh Ca Market, Hai Duong

Photo: VietnamNet

Every year, on the morning of the 2nd day of the Lunar New Year, a special spring market takes place only once a year in front of the Dinh Ca area, Ninh Giang district, Hai Duong province, which attracts thousands of people and tourists joining in the event. This is also a market that has existed for hundreds of years in the land of the East.

Not only selling familiar items for daily life, but the market also sells salt and betel nuts that will bring opportunities and fortune for young people in the New Year. Therefore, this is also considered a place where couples come to ask for love and happiness at the beginning of the year.

Photo: Bao Hai Duong

After the trip to the market, people often go to Dinh Ca offer incense to commemorate the heroes who fought against foreign invaders, set up villages, and brought prosperity to the villagers.

Am Duong Market, Bac Ninh

Am Duong market, also known as the Chicken market of O village (now Xuan O village, Vo Cuong ward, Bac Ninh city) is only open at night from the 4th to 5th of the Lunar New Year. The market only buys and sells sacrifices and black chickens.

Legend has it that the black chicken breed can enter the underworld to meet the Thanh Hoang God, and this god will grant the villagers good health and prosperity. Those who have black chickens to sell at the market to sacrifice to Thanh Hoang will be blessed with a good year of fortune and happiness.

Photo: Vtcnews

The market usually opens at dusk. According to the beliefs and tales of the local people, this is when the living and the spirits will be together in this place. Therefore, people who go to the market do not talk or laugh loudly or turn on the lights which causes the chickens to panic and scare the spirits of the dead.

Vieng Market, Nam Dinh

Vieng Market is a famous destination that tourists often come to ask for luck in Nam Dinh. You can visit the one that is opened every year in Kim Thai commune, Vu Ban district, meeting from the night of the 7th to the end of the 8th day of the first lunar month.

Photo: Bao Lao Dong

At Vieng market, many kinds of goods are sold, from ornamental plants, and seedlings, to buffalo meat, beef, or farmer's production tools such as plows, hoes, baskets, etc.

Every year, buyers and sellers not only in the province but from all over the country flock to this market and gather around to sell their goods for a lucky new year.

Chuong Market, Thanh Hoa

Photo: Bao Lao Dong

Over many generations, the Chuong market in Dong Hoang commune, Dong Son district, Thanh Hoa still attracts many travelers and sellers coming here at the beginning of the year to buy goods and ask for luck and prosperity.

The unique feature of Chuong market is that whoever comes here and gets thrown at with tomatoes the most will have a lot of luck in the New Year. That’s why you can find lots of red ripe tomatoes sold in this market because this is a "lucky weapon" used to throw at each other.

Gia Lac Market, Hue

Photo: Tour Du Lich

Gia Lac market has a very long history, and it opens every New Year's time, where people will come and buy items for luck and happiness for the whole year.

Gia Lac Market attracts a large number of people to participate in shopping and exchanges. Coming to this market, visitors can find a lot of items from fruits, and betel nuts, to food, famous specialties of Hue, or children's toys.