Traditional markets need a new look

BAC NINH - Traditional markets are not only places for trading and supplying regional products to serve the essential needs of local people, but also places for people to meet and exchange whenever there is a market; preserving many cultural features and customs of the indigenous people. Therefore, the province always pays attention to the renovation and upgrading of traditional markets.

Not just a place to trade goods

Tan Son market, Tan Son commune was established a long time ago. Not only serving goods for the people in the commune, Tan Son market also supplies essential items for the people of the communes: Son Hai, Sa Ly, Bien Son, Bac Ninh province and some localities of Lang Son province. The market is held every 5 days on the 2nd, 7th, 12th, 17th, 22nd, 27th (lunar calendar). The most special market is held on the 12th of January every year. People call it "Thac Luoi Love Market", formed a hundred years ago, carrying the unique culture of the ethnic people here.

Yen market is overloaded, people trade right on the sidewalk, in the middle of the road.

Mr. Lang Quoc Ky, a Nung ethnic group in Bac Hoa village, Head of the Nung ethnic folk song club in Tan Son commune, shared that for the people in the area, going to the market on January 12 is also going to a festival. People come here not only to buy goods or sell agricultural products they make, but also to exchange and meet old friends over tea or spring wine. In particular, they also gather in groups, in pairs to sing together, express their love, and exchange love through Sloong hao melodies.

Mr. La Trieu Van, a folk culture collector and former Director of the Culture, Information and Sports Center of Son Dong district, Bac Giang province (old) said that people in the highlands often live on high hills and mountains. Many houses and villages are dozens of kilometers apart. The road has to cross mountains and forests, so people cannot visit each other often. Therefore, for many generations, people in the highlands often take the market day as a meeting day to exchange, invite each other to drink, sing and exchange love songs. Only when the market is over or they are drunk do they say goodbye and make plans to meet again at the next market. "So many couples have become husband and wife from going to the market. There are also so many couples whose love is unfinished, so every year they come back to the love market to meet again," said Mr. Van.

In addition to Tan Son market, Bac Ninh currently has many markets such as Phong Van market, Bien Son commune; Que Son market, Dai Son commune; Bien Dong market, Bien Dong commune... which still preserve the beauty of antiphonal singing and love singing through the sloong hao, sli, and luong melodies of the Tay and Nung people during Tet markets. To preserve and promote the cultural values ​​of highland markets, functional agencies and local authorities have built and developed them into spring festivals such as "Spring Festival and Luc Ngan Highland Market" or also known as Sloong Hao Singing Festival and Thac Luoi - Tan Son Love Market. Thereby, both preserving the beauty of highland culture and promoting the value of traditional markets, helping to develop trade and services, increasing income for people.

Building a civilized and modern market

To date, Bac Ninh province has 238 markets (including 2 class I markets, 24 class II markets and 212 class III markets). Currently, 173 markets are invested in, built and managed by the state. The remaining markets are invested in, managed and exploited by enterprises and cooperatives. It is estimated that the markets create jobs for more than 25,000 workers. To promote the effectiveness of traditional markets, from 2021 to now, Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces (old) have invested tens of billions of VND to renovate and upgrade these markets.

Up to now, in the new Bac Ninh province, there are 238 markets (including 2 class I markets, 24 class II markets and 212 class III markets). Currently, there are 173 markets invested in, built and managed by the state. The remaining markets are invested in, managed and exploited by enterprises and cooperatives. It is estimated that the markets create jobs for more than 25 thousand workers.

Specifically, Bac Giang province has developed two more markets, including Ninh Son market and Nui Hieu market, in Van Ha ward, with a total investment of 10.5 billion VND from the state budget. Localities have combined capital sources (National target program for socio -economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas, National target program for new rural construction...) with a total of more than 73 billion VND to repair, renovate and upgrade 18 markets.

Including some markets such as: Ke, My Do, Bac Giang ward; Kep market, Kep commune; Duong Huu market, Duong Huu commune... At the same time, Bac Ninh province (old) also invested tens of billions of VND to upgrade traditional markets such as: Chau Cau, Chau Phong ward; Nam Son, Nam Son ward; Chi Long, Yen Trung, Yen Phong commune... The renovation and upgrading of markets helps ensure food hygiene and safety, prevent fires and explosions, prevent environmental pollution, build a civilized trade, contributing to building a clean, civilized and modern area.

In addition to the markets invested in construction and renovation by the state, there are also many markets invested in by enterprises. For example, Green Environment Limited Company invested more than 142 billion VND (excluding land rent) to implement the "Project to build a Grade II market in Nenh town" in Nenh ward, with a total area of ​​more than 18.3 thousand m2, with a modern 3-storey main market (with escalators and elevators), 100 2-storey kiosks and 180 points of sale. Mr. Nguyen Bach Dang, Deputy Director of the Company, said that after completion and put into operation (expected in October 2025), the new Nenh market will replace the old Nenh market, meeting the increasing needs of people in the surrounding area and workers coming to work and reside in the locality.

In recent years, e-commerce has been constantly developing and dominating. Therefore, the retail business model through traditional markets in many places is at risk of fading away. In order to attract people to the market to shop, Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces (old) have continuously paid attention to and invested in renovating and upgrading traditional markets. At the same time, they have attracted investment in building traditional markets in a civilized and modern direction. Among them, there is the case of Yen market, Kinh Bac ward.

Mr. Nguyen Kinh Quyen, former Chairman of the People's Committee of Kinh Bac Ward (old) informed that Yen market was formed a long time ago. Previously, Yen market mainly served the people of Yen Man village. However, due to the rapid development of Bac Ninh city (old) and the increasing population density, the local government planned a new land area of ​​nearly 2 hectares, next to Provincial Road 286 (about 2 km from the old Yen market) to build a modern commercial and service area to replace the old Yen market. Currently, the province has a clean land and is attracting investment.

Bac Ninh province strives to become a centrally-governed city in the coming period. Therefore, the development of trade and services (including traditional markets) is extremely necessary and needs to be continued. Because these markets not only meet the needs of local people, but also meet the needs of workers from all over the country who come to Bac Ninh to live and work in industrial parks and clusters or other trade and service activities.

Article and photos: Dai La

Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/cho-truyen-thong-can-dien-mao-moi-postid421221.bbg