Hanoi largest fish market busily serves locals on Kitchen Gods’ Day

Hanoi’s largest fish market So Thuong was bustling with custom on January 25 as people are busy preparing for Ong Cong – Ong Tao (the Land Genie and the Kitchen Gods Day), which falls on 23rd of the last month of the Lunar New Year.

So Thuong village fish market in Yen So ward, Hoang Mai district is the largest wholesale market in the capital city of Hanoi. Each day, the market provides dozens of tons of fish to meet demand in Hanoi. The market sparks into life from 3am on Jan.25 as cars carrying golden carp from surrounding localities flock to the area.

As the day of the Kitchen God approaches, traders at the market must import more golden carp to satisfy the increased demands of city dwellers. The fish’s prices depend on the type of fish and their appearance. Small gold carps cost 10,000-25,000 VND each while the price of an iridescent fish ranges 10,000- 15,000 VND.

Vietnamese people believe that the carp will turn into dragon and then be used by the Kitchen Gods on their trip to the heaven to report the year-round situation of their families to the Ruler of Heaven.

On this day, families across the country bid farewell to the Gods of the Kitchen by offering them a feast and carps “means of transport”, thanking them for watching and managing the kitchen of their families for the year.

Retailers carefully select top quality carp to offer for sale.

Buckets of red carp are meticulously inspected by buyers seeking the healthiest fish.

A fish trader at So Thuong fish market said he transports gold fish from Ninh Giang district, Hai Duong province to the market to sell the fish to local wholesale sellers. He affirmed, "The profit is not so high compared with selling ordinary fish for meal, but I’m doing just for good deed".