Located in Thieu Huy, Cau Loc Commune, Hau Loc District, Thieu Market is a unique market in Thanh land, held only once a year on the 26th of the lunar month, just before Tet. From the early morning, thousands of people flock to the market, regardless of profit and loss. They just want to “buy luck and sell bad luck”, wishing for a peaceful, lucky, and prosperous new year.
According to legend, Thieu Market has existed since the 15th century when General Le Phuc Dong, a talented tactician under the Le Dynasty, led his army to fight on the Len River (a branch of the Ma River). When his boat got stuck and couldn’t continue downstream at the foot of Thieu Mountain, the general ordered his troops to rest and cook lunch while waiting for the tide to rise. While on shore, he came across a small shrine built by the local herdboys and offered incense to the gods, praying for a smooth journey. As soon as the incense burned out, he was amazed to see that his boat could now continue downstream. He bid farewell to the villagers and led his army to defeat the enemy at the Than Phu estuary. After the victory, General Le Phuc Dong returned to Thieu Xa village and hosted a feast to thank the locals. Since then, on this day every year, people hold a festival and a market to commemorate the victory. This tradition has been preserved to this day.
Thieu Market starts at dawn, around 4-5 am. Even before the night is over, the atmosphere is already lively with the sounds of laughter and people calling out to each other. The market is at its busiest from 8-9 am, with a stream of people pouring in, crowding the stalls that are lined up next to each other.
Although not large in scale, Thieu Market is a familiar gathering place for people from all over Hau Loc District at the end of the year. The products sold at the market also reflect the traditional Tet holiday: fruits and cakes for ancestor worship, folk toys for children, green dong leaves, flexible giang fibers, and bright flowers. All of these products are homegrown and handmade by the local people. The most bustling stalls are those selling dong leaves, as for the people of Thanh, the green and fragrant bánh chung (square glutinous rice cake) is an indispensable flavor during the Tet reunion.
Despite the cold weather during the last days of the year, many people from distant communes such as Ngu Loc, Minh Loc, and Thuan Loc wake up as early as 2-3 am to bring their goods to the market. A unique custom of the locals is that after trading, everyone goes to the nearby pagoda (the market is held in the pagoda’s yard) to burn incense and pray for peace and good luck. This tradition adds to the warm and friendly atmosphere of the market, dispelling the cold of the year’s end.
Through the centuries, Thieu Market has been preserved as a unique cultural feature of Thieu Xa village, Cau Loc Commune, and the people of Thanh land. The market is not only a place for trade but also a keeper of traditional values, contributing to the rich cultural identity of the region.
