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 Sapa
is also famous for its love market,
which takes place on saturday
evenings. The love market of Sapa
used to be the place to find a
partner to get married. With the
tourism, the real love market does
not take place anymore. Currently
you can only see a representation of
the love market. Do not miss it
anyway if you are staying here a
saturday night.Young Red Dzao hill
tribe used to come to Sapa to sing
songs to the opposite sex. Girls
sang the songs hidden in the dark,
when a boy found them, and if they
matched together, they disappeared
into the forest for three days. Some
of them got married after that.
While Dao women are indeed highly
industrious, the men, it seems,
prefer to spend most of their time
drinking, smoking opium or sleeping,
only occasionally slapping the rump
of a lethargic bovine moving more
slowly than they are. Few of their
songs, though, are about drinking,
smoking opium, sleeping or slapping
rumps.
Currently you may spot some young
locals singing in the dark, but they
are not looking for a partner, they
are looking for you. They will sing
a song, and ask for a tip
afterwards.
Every Saturday, the picturesque
mountain village of Sa Pa comes
alive with shoppers who know what
they want: love. They travel from
near and far to size up the goods of
the day, hoping something will
tickle their fancy.
Tall or short, sweet or sultry, they
are all on the market, looking for
love. Love markets (cho tinh) take
place in the northern mountain
provinces of Lao Cai, Ha Giang and
Son La. A rare opportunity to mix,
mingle and find a match, they are
often a not-to-be-missed social
event. For many young villagers, the
love fests are a vital marital
resource, given that many live in
villages where all the inhabitants
are blood relatives.
Here’s how it goes: singles strut
their stuff through the market,
hoping they will be lucky enough to
be asked out on a date. What follows
is not as simple as dinner and a
movie – amorous couples must abide
by the ways and mores of their
ethnic nationality.
Unlike the steady flow of sensuality
at Sa Pa, some loves must stand the
test of time. Khai Vau market in Ha
Giang province takes place only once
a year, on March 27 in the lunar
calendar, a date known as Phong Luu
(Prosperity Day), which gives the
market its name of Cho Phong Luu
(market of Prosperity). According to
legend, the market’s beginnings date
back to the unrequited love between
a young boy and girl. They met in
Meo Vac, but as they were from
different tribes, were forbidden to
be together.
In true Shakespearean fashion, a
bitter quarrel erupted between the
families, and the couple was forced
to end the affair. Unable to bear
the thought of never seeing each
other again, they decided to meet on
the same day every year in Khau Vai.
Today, the site of the forbidden
rendezvous is home to the love
market.
The market is not just for marriage
hopefuls. In this rural area, it is
also the social event of the year,
where old friends meet up and new
ones are made. No matter their age,
everyone looks forward to the chance
to chat over sticky rice, grilled
cassava or rice dumplings. Although
the market does not officially start
until March 27, the celebrations
begin the evening before. March 26
is a night of song and dance, the
performances expressing fervent
wishes for eternal love. Romantic
melodies fill the night air.
There is one day in the year
I dedicate to you
I have no gold or silver
Just my true love
Come with me if you believe in me
The dancing and singing continue
into the early hours, often
persuading men and women into each
other’s arms. That first magical
night, some are lucky enough to
leave the market with their new
partners and walk hand in hand
through the forest. But others are
simply nervous: tomorrow is the big
day, after all. Many have waited
months for the chance to find their
soul mate. The day of the Market of
Prosperity is alive with different
moods: happiness at meeting old
friends, anxiety as others wait to
meet someone new.
Whether they find a partner or not,
the happy memories of the day linger
in the minds of many of these
mountain people. And anyway, there
is always next year. Because at this
market, the goods are always ripe.
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