From the afternoon of the 7th day of the first lunar month, which falls on February 11 this year, people flock to the northern province of Nam Dinh for a unique market which is held only once a year to sell - guess what - bad luck as well as to buy good luck for the year to come.
Visitors to the Vieng market (Photo: VNA)
Nam Dinh (VNA) – From theafternoon of the 7th day of the first lunar month, which falls on February 11this year, people flock to the northern province of Nam Dinh for a uniquemarket which is held only once a year to sell - guess what - bad luck as wellas to buy good luck for the year to come.
The Vieng market opened at midnight of the 7th day and lastedonly through the morning of the 8th day of the first lunar month.
According to popular belief, anything bought at the marketwould bring good luck to the buyer in the whole year.
The spring market displays handicraft products, genuineantiquities along with their fake, home utensils, tools for agriculturalproduction, and many kinds of ornamental plants. Specialties are grilled vealand "banh day" (sticky rice cake).
The cheapest things at the Vieng market are flowers and treesapplings, which bring both the buyer and seller happiness and luck.
Visitors then can go on to pray for a happy new year atseveral local temples.
There are four Vieng markets in Nam Dinh province, with onein Nam Giang township, Nam Truc district, and the other in Trung Thanh commune,Vu Ban district, being the most popular.
The market in Nam Truc district is famous for the Dai Bipagoda where Buddhist Monk and Zen Master Tu Dao Hanh is worshipped, while theother in Vu Ban district is home to the Phu Day relics complex dedicated toGoddess Lieu Hanh – one of four immortals in Vietnamese legends.
The Phu Day historical and cultural relics complex wasrecognised as the national cultural heritage in 1975. “Practices Related to theViet Beliefs in the Mother Goddesses in Three Realms" was named anIntangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the UNESCO in April, 2017.-VNA
VNA
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Hoang Van Thai from Kim Thai commune in the northern province of Nam Dinh said he has sold farming tools at Vieng Market for 10 years.
On the early morning of the 8th day of the first lunar month, people flock to the northern province of Nam Dinh for a unique market which is held only once a year to sell - guess what - bad luck as well as to buy good luck for the year to come
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A large crowd of locals and tourists flocked to Vieng market in Trung Thanh and Kim Thai commune, Vu Ban district, in the northern province of Nam Dinh on February 23.
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Visitors to the Vieng market (Photo: VNA)