1 – Bat Dan Wooden Bowls
2 – Bat Su China Bowls
3 – Cha Ca Roasted Fish
4 – Chan Cam String Instruments
5 – Cho Gao Rice Market
6 – Gia Ngu Fishermen
7 – Hai Tuong Sandals
8 – Hang Bac Silversmiths
9 – Hang Be Rafts
10 -Hang Bo Basket
11 -Hang Bong Cotton
12 -Hang Buom Sails
13 -Hang But Brushes
14 -Hang Ca Fish
15 -Hang Can Scales
16 -Hang Chai Bottles
17 -Hang Chi Threads
18 -Hang Chieu Mats
19 -Hang Chinh Jars
20 -Hang Cot Bamboo Latices
21 -Hang Da Leather
22 -Hang Dao (Silk) Dyer
23 -Hang Dau Beans
24 -Hang Dau Oils
25 -Hang Dieu Pipes
26 -Hang Dong Copper
27 -Hang Duong Sugar
28 -Hang Ga Chicken
29 -Hang Gai Hemp
30 -Hang Giay Paper
31 -Hang Giay Shoes
32 -Hang Hanh Onions
33 -Hang Hom Cases
34 -Hang Huong Incense
35 -Hang Khay Trays
36 -Hang Khoai Sweet Potatoe
37 -Hang Luoc Comb
38 -Hang Ma Votive papers
39 -Hang Mam Pickled Fish
40 -Hang Manh Bamboo-screens
41 -Hang Muoi Salt
42 -Hang Ngang Transversal Street
43 -Hang Non Hats
44 -Hang Phen Alum
45 -Hang Quat Fans
46 -Hang Ruoi Clam Worms
47 -Hang Than Charcoal
48 -Hang Thiec Tin
49 -Hang Thung Barrel
50 -Hang Tre Bamboo
51 -Hang Trong Drum
52 -Hang Vai Cloth
53 -Lo Ren Blacksmiths
54 -Lo Su Coffins
55 -Ma May Rattan
56 -Ngo Gach Bricks
57 -Thuoc Bac Herbal Medicine

Organized by

The Hanoi Ancient Quarter Management Board
The University of Tokyo
Chiba University
Showa University
Hanoi University of Civil Engineering

Introduction

The Ancient Quarter is one of the oldest districts in Hanoi. It was designated as National Historical Heritage in 2004. As Hanoi is becoming 1000 years old city in 2010 with the Vision as “The City of Culture – Water Surface – Greenery”, the successful preservation of historical district like the AQ would be very significant for achieving Hanoi’s vision and sustainable state of development.

Besides the role as a historical district, the AQ is also the most thriving commercial and business district of the city where various types of commodities and services, both whole sale and retail, can be found. It is also a well-known tourism district. On the other hand, the AQ is now facing critical problem: that is the degradation of all of its values. All phenomena of values fading have been originated from contemporary contradictions: poor physical environment vs. vital social environment, poor infrastructure versus thriving economic activities, poor living environment vs. wealthy material conditions of local residents, over-crowded population vs. limited spaces, and tourism development vs. preservation of the district.

The AQ is also an endless theme for many researches and studies. During the last 15 years, there have been a lot of studies and researches, by both oversea and domestic scholars and experts about the AQ. However, there is still much to do in action and implementation in order to protect the Ancient Quarter from negative consequences. The purpose of this seminar is to create a forum for all interested people and organizations, including scholars, experts, governmental representatives, policy makers, residents, private sectors… who are interested in the Ancient Quarter and sharing the same objective of preserving it, to share information, findings, opinions on the AQ and the work out the most effective solutions for it.

This is the first seminar among 3 continuous annual seminars in 2007, 2008, 2009. We hope that this seminar will provide a great opportunity for students, researchers and professors to share the recent progress of research and the prospect for preservation and sustainable development of the Ancient Quarter.

Traditional and Modern Aspects in Town Houses of Hanoi 36 Streets

According to legend, the King began rebuilding the former Chinese palace, but the walls tumbled down. While he prayed to the local earth god, a white horse emerged from the temple and galloped West. The King decided to build his citadel walls along the traces of its hoof prints and declared the white horse the city’s guardian. The White Horse (Bach Ma) Pagoda on Hang Buom Street still pays homage to that guardian.

In early the thirteenth century guilds evolved from the collection of tiny workshop villages which clustered around the walled palace to satisfy the court’s demand for the highest quality products. Artisan guilds worked and lived together developing systems for the transport merchandise from the village of manufacture to the designated streets in the business quarter which sells it. The Commercial city was ideally located between the Palace and the transportation capabilities of the river. A market was at the onetime confluence of the To Lich and Red Rivers (the ancient market Dong Xuan, still stands and remains an active market today.) Skilled crafts people migrated there to fill that need.

A majority of the street names here start with Hang, which means merchandise or shop. The guild streets were named for their product or location. For example, skilled silversmiths from Hai Hung province now occupy Hang Bac Street one of the most ancient streets in all Vietnam.

Each guild had its own patron saint to which many local temples are dedicated. Hang Bong Street has five such temples.

Because inhabitants of each street came from the same village and performed the same craft, streets developed a homogeneous look. Commoners’ homes, evolved out of market stalls before streets ever came into existence. Because shops were taxed by the width of frontage on the market, storage and living space moved to the rear. They developed into the long and narrow houses, called tube houses.

Although the area is often called the 36 old streets, there may have actually been more. Some believe that the number 36 came from the Fifteenth century when there might have been 36 guilds. Others attribute the name “36″ to a more abstract concept. The number 9 in Asia represents “plenty.” Nine times 4 (the four directions) would make 36 which means simply: many.

By the seventeenth century the city was protected by 16 gates which were locked at night by heavy wooden doors. The Quan Chuong gate built in 1744 still stands at the end of Hang Chieu street. At the end of the eighteenth century, the Nguyen Dynasty set up its capital in Hue. Thang Long, renamed Hanoi, lost its political power but retained its economic vitality. The citadel of Hanoi was reconstructed and remains the western boundary of the Old Quarter.

By the late nineteenth century, Hanoi once again became a political center, now of the French Indochinese Union. South of the Lake, native buildings were razed to make way for the cream-colored colonial offices and villas whose shutters and doors were invariably green, Rivers and ponds were filled as health measures against mosquitoes and to increase available land. North of the lake the maze of narrow alleys continued to grow haphazardly. After the French withdrawal in 1954, Hanoi became the capital of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and socialist austerity prevailed. During the American War resources were devoted to fighting and the Old Quarter hardly changed. In 1972 when the city was bombed, buildings were destroyed in the Kim Lien district but the commercial quarter remained intact.

The Old Quarter is precious legacy of Hanoi’s ancient past, but the area is challenged by rapid changes. Today handicraft production is being increasingly replaced by restaurants, repair shops, and tailors. Craft workers constitute only 9% of the population. Traders make up 40%. As the population increases, historically important buildings have become living spaces, schools or shops.

At the same time, since the policy of economic openness policy of 1987 a dramatic building boom has begun, threatening the charm of the district. Multi-story buildings are going up which use out-of-place finishing techniques and designs. Local, national, and international agencies are formulating plans to preserve the historic ambiance of the Old Quarter.