VI
EN
Recently, the People's Committee of Hue City and the Hue Ancient Citadel Relics Conservation Center, Thua Thien Hue province, inaugurated the Hue Imperial Citadel Night Street. The location has attracted considerable attention from both tourists and Hue residents.
According to Mr. Vo Le Nhat, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hue City, the Imperial Citadel Night Street is organized to further promote the development of tourism, services, and socio-economic activities in the area. Each visitor will experience the unique imperial and folk culture of Hue, unlike anywhere else.
So, what makes the Hue Imperial Citadel night market unique compared to other night tourism products?
1. A place to display and recreate traditional heritage.
With the aim of recreating the atmosphere of ancient Hue, the Hue Imperial Citadel pedestrian street is divided into four main spaces with different activity themes: the ancient Hue space showcasing traditional handicrafts; the royal court space with royal performances, changing of the guard, etc.; the Hue folk space with activities such as organizing Bài Chòi (a traditional Hue folk game), selling Thanh Tien paper flowers, fans, conical hats, products made from lotus, etc.
In the food court, Hue's signature dishes are also sold, such as Hue sweet soup, Hue cakes, Hue local products, tea, medicinal herbs, and spices...
Additionally, the night market area is encouraged to hang Hue-style lanterns and decorative lights (avoiding white light) to create a focal point and evoke a distinctive nostalgic atmosphere for the street.
And most notably, perhaps uniquely in Hue, visitors will admire the graceful and natural way in which traditional ao dai dresses are worn by both the vendors and the local people attending the event.
2. Promoting and showcasing cultural and artistic identity.
At the Hue Imperial Citadel pedestrian street, unique artistic activities, deeply rooted in royal and folk culture, take place vibrantly with diverse forms such as the changing of the guard ceremony at Ngo Mon Gate, "Nostalgia for Ancient Hue," Hue folk songs, excerpts from Hue operas such as "Tran Bo Taking a Concubine," "Tro Tria" and "Masked Opera," puppet shows, "Eight Immortals Offering Longevity" dance, rice pounding chants, and Chau Van singing...
The stalls sell handicrafts, fine art products, traditional Hue ao dai (Vietnamese dress), kites, drums, Thanh Tien paper flowers, fans, conical hats, and products made from lotus...
Furthermore, visitors can immerse themselves in the vibrant atmosphere at community art performance venues such as living statues, street music, bamboo flute performances, and traditional Vietnamese folk singing.
3. "Specialty" salespeople
Another unique aspect of the pedestrian street is that the Hue City People's Committee prioritizes creating favorable conditions for poor people to conduct business there. In addition, the city will continue to seek out and invite artisans – those practicing traditional crafts that were thought to have disappeared – to the street. This will be a driving force to promote the development of the local economy and enhance the cultural and humanistic values of the ancient capital.
4. Say "no" to alcoholic beverages.
Unlike other night-time tourism products in general, and pedestrian streets in particular, that are being developed in many localities, the Hue Imperial Citadel night street is built on the foundation of traditional cultural elements, deeply rooted in the imperial court and folk traditions of Hue.
Therefore, the pedestrian street will say "no" to the sale of alcoholic beverages such as beer and wine to tourists who come to enjoy themselves and sightsee.
Joining in the lively atmosphere of the pedestrian street, photojournalist Le Huy Hoang Hai shared: “Hue now has another interesting spot for tourists to enjoy in the evening, dispelling the notion that nights in Hue are boring. The pedestrian street around the Imperial Citadel is beautiful; with a little more lighting around the citadel walls and more Hue cuisine, this will be an area that attracts many tourists when they come to Hue.”
Developing tourism products that utilize local cultural elements, such as the Imperial Citadel night market, will create a unique economic and cultural space for the ancient capital region, offering exciting experiences for tourists; at the same time, it will contribute to promoting beautiful images of the people and the land of rich history and culture, with many UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Additional information
The Imperial Citadel Night Street is organized along two main streets: 23-8 Street (in front of the Hue Imperial Citadel) and Le Huan Street. This is a cultural and tourism product combining a pedestrian street with art programs, exhibitions, food businesses, and unique traditional craft products.
The Hue Imperial Citadel Night Street operates from 7 PM to 11 PM every Friday and Saturday. This is the third pedestrian night street in Hue City, after the street along the Perfume River and the Chu Van An - Vo Thi Sau - Pham Ngu Lao street.
The Imperial Citadel Night Street features 3 main stages, 4 community performance venues, and 27 stalls selling and displaying traditional handicrafts.
