Residents on Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark, Ha Giang province always long for a quicker return of the Khau Vai love market day. This unparalleled market day falls on the 27th day of the third month of lunar calendar in Meo Vac district, Ha Giang province. This single spring market night assembles only once a year.
Legend has it that Khau Vai commune is home to different ethnic groups like the Nung, Giay and Mong who live in separated territories. A poor Nung family has three sons in twenties and the youngest called Chang Ba (Third Boy) is handsome, intelligent and diligent. Remarkably, Chang Ba sings and plays flute so beautifully that a lot of young girls fall in love with him.
The Giay patriarch has a very beautiful girl called Nang Ut (Youngest Daughter). She likes going to the spring to see her shade in the water. She sings very beautifully because she has a clear, high-pitched voice. Chang Ba was born into a Nung lowborn farmer family while Nang Ut was born into a Giay highborn patriarchal family. But, they love each other very much. Unfortunately, they cannot marry each other because of the rules. One of the reasons is they were born into different ethnic groups who have different “Ghosts” and customs. The nice couple decide to leave home and meet on May Pass (the location of Mieu Ong Temple and Mieu Ba Temple). They exchange moments of love and songs of love every day and night.
Their love leads to bloodshed between the two peoples. Their families and clans were killed in the fight. To end the misery and mounting hostility and heal the unity between the two peoples, they decide to break up.
While parting, the two use their blood to swear their eternal mutual love although they cannot live together. They agree to meet once a year on the 27th night of the third month of the lunar calendar on May Pass where they exchange the sounds of love after one year of separation. They die on the last meeting on this sacred place on their annual appointment date.
Knowing their death and understanding their love, the two families, clans and local people organised a solemn burial service and build the Mieu Ong (Gentleman Temple) and Mieu Ba (Lady Temple) on the May Pass. Legend has it that the two very sacred temples support all couples facing problems in their love line once they come here to worship for a support. Childless couple can worship for offspring on the flagstone under the millennium-old nghien tree (scientific name: Burretiodendron hsienmu). The Khau Vai love market is gradually formed.
It remains unknown when the love market was set up. This is not a place to buy or sell anything else but for unsuccessful couples to recall the time they love each other. They have just one night a year to speak up what they think to one of their beloved.
Husbands and wives are not jealous on the day. They have the absolute rights to find their old loves. Husbands burn incenses to the Mieu Ba Temple and wives light incenses to the Mieu Ong Temple, worshipping for the presence of their old loves when the market opens. All they wish the dawn will not break because they want to be by the side of their former lovers forever once old memories are full of their mind.
Khau Vai has become a tourist site in Ha Giang province. Visitors far and wide want to explore the mysterious love market where they can overhear sweet or bitter love affairs on this planet.
You should visit the Khau Vai love market on the right day once in life to explore the purity, excitement and desire of upland northerners.
Anh Thu
Vietnamese
