The Mountainous Get-Together: A Matchmaking Extravaganza in Ha Giang

Nestled in a convenient location, at the junction of Can Ho and Lung Hau villages in Thai An commune, Quan Ba district, Ha Giang province, Ba Tien Love Market is an ideal gathering place for ethnic minorities in the highlands, especially young people, to meet, exchange and connect. The market is not only a place for trading goods but also a space where love, friendship, and cultural identity are cherished and promoted.

Every Thursday evening, as the sun paints the villages and hills with a golden hue, people from far and wide journey through the rugged mountains and deep streams to gather at Ba Tien Love Market. The atmosphere buzzes with laughter, sweet melodies of love duets, and the haunting sounds of Mong flutes and panpipes. These melodies are not just calls for lovers but also expressions of a culture, creating a romantic and dreamy landscape amidst the stone plateau.

Conveniently located on the road connecting Thai An commune (Quan Ba district) and Duong Thuong commune (Yen Minh district), Ba Tien Market attracts young people from the surrounding areas who arrive early to secure the best spots for their heart-to-hearts. Upon arrival, young couples often go shopping together. The market offers a diverse range of products, from vibrant traditional costumes and daily necessities to delicious highland specialties. They then indulge in local delicacies like smoky “thang co” (a traditional Vietnamese meat dish) and fragrant “men men” (a sticky rice dish) while sipping warm corn wine, immersing themselves in the festive atmosphere until the early hours of the next morning.

Ba Tien Love Market is unique not only for its romantic encounters but also for the older generation it attracts. Amid the bustling crowd, one can spot silver-haired individuals with a gleam of hope in their eyes, longing to reconnect with old flames. They come not just to reminisce about the past but also to inquire about each other’s well-being: “How have you been? Are your family and children doing well? Are your cornfields thriving?” These encounters showcase the depth of the market’s cultural significance, where kinship, camaraderie, and memories are cherished.

Additionally, many visitors come to the market purely to reunite with friends. After arduous seasons in the fields, they gather around the familiar “thang co” pot, sometimes sitting on rocks by the market’s edge, sharing stories, singing, and dancing through the night without a hint of fatigue. It is a sleepless night, immersed in the romantic and emotional cultural space of Ba Tien Love Market.

The market also showcases the traditional costumes of various ethnic groups. The Mong girls, with their flushed cheeks and shy smiles, resemble delicate peach blossoms in the morning sun, moving gracefully in their embroidered black, white, and green outfits. In contrast, the Dao girls stand out in their vibrant black and red attire, adorned with intricate patterns that illuminate their faces. The intricate silver jewelry of the Dao women creates a joyful melody with each step, adding to the lively atmosphere. Young men and women join in the dances, their skirts swaying to the rhythm of the panpipes, creating a captivating and vibrant scene.

To preserve and promote the unique cultural identity of the ethnic minorities in the region, the authorities of Thai An commune have been actively implementing various initiatives. They regularly encourage the local community to maintain the cleanliness of the market, ensuring a tidy trading space. Efforts are also made to sustain trade, promote local products, and support vendors. Every two weeks, the commune organizes cultural exchange programs featuring ethnic performing arts, attracting domestic and international tourists and contributing to the fame of Ba Tien Love Market.

Previously, Ba Tien Love Market was held on Friday evenings, which posed challenges for the management and supervision by local officials due to the weekend overlap. Therefore, since July of this year, the market has been rescheduled to Thursday evenings to facilitate better administration. Alongside this change, Thai An commune is seeking social investment to expand the market’s scale and complete various construction projects, fostering the market’s growth. These efforts not only generate more jobs and increase local incomes but also contribute to the overall development of Ha Giang’s tourism industry, making Ba Tien Love Market an unmissable highlight on the journey through the stone plateau.