Hàng Mã Street is a very interesting street where you can buy all different things such as fake money, lampshades, toys and colour paper, even ceramic piggy banks....
This street is always crowded especially on and before the first, 15th and 30th lunar days, the Mid-Autumn festival, Lunar New year, and when the Kitchen God returns to Heaven.
On such days, people go there to buy paper statues, such as horses, air planes, clothes, shoes, hats, TVs and radios, money, gold, houses, cars, motorbikes and air con, etc. These statues are then burnt and offered up to deceased relatives. Whatever we use in daily life, they need too. Vietnamese spend a fortune during these events to celebrate and commemorate, and they are happy because it brings good luck and it's part of our culture.
Our government has been trying really hard to stop people burning these paper offerings on the street as it affects the traffic and the environment. This practise may be illegal in the near future just like public use of fireworks which was banned about 10 years ago.
Walk along Hàng Mã Street on any of these days to see the colors and the crowds.
7 comments:
Gosh, your blog makes me so homesick, I don't know whether to read it or not! No, really, I love it. I always used to laugh at the idea of burning cell phones for your ancestors...they even had specific brands...hmm I think he'd like the Nokia better than the Erikson!
Hi Preya,
Glad to know that you like my blog. What about the fridges and Air con?
Got a comment from your sister, thanks for passing my blog along.
godknows,
I have to agree that this practice should be phased out in the future. But it will take alot of education to convince people to change. It is a part of the Vietnamese culture for so long that it is hard to not do it for some people. However, I think it is more of a supertition practice than anything else. As a kid I love to lid the fire to start the string of firer cracker to celebrate the New Year. Is that something has been banned or it is allowed? It is sad if that activity is banned.
I think it great burning stuff, especily my sister when she is anonning
I've ordered a pizza and it was burnted call 14723985 now
Hoang, It's banned
It is quite interesting to find that kind of things there. I would like to go there more often.
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