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Hang Ma street: a glittering space of buoyant businesses
Thanh Dat 11:07, 2020/12/23
Hang MaStreet full of vibrant colorall year round is a distinct space amidHanoi’s Old Quarter and an attractive tourist destinationof Hanoi capital.
Hang Ma Street originally belonged to Vinh Thai village (its eastern part) and An Phu village (its western part), HauTuc circumscriptionand then its administration was changed to Dong Xuan circumscription of ThoXuong district.
In the French colonial time, the street was called Hang Dong(Rue du Cuivre) but the people still distinguishedbetween two streets: Hang Ma street originating from Hang Duong street and ending atthe present Hang Dong street and the old Hang Dong streetoriginating atthe current oneand ending in Phung Hung street because there are also some shops selling bronze items.
 
Hang Ma streetlooks splendidly colorful
Hang Ma street always looks splendidly colorful
In 1945, both streetsmerged into Hang Ma street, to avoid confusion with the current Hang Dong street located in the north of Bat Su street. There’re some families who were from Tan Khai village (Hang Sat and Cong Duc streets), settled and opened joss paper and paper ornament shops in this street.They sold paper ornaments and small joss paper which is sheets of paper burned in traditional ancestor worship ceremoniesand  during special holidays.Vinh Thai communal house later changed its name to VinhHanh is located at No. 19 Hang Duong Street. AnPhu communal house is located at No. 56 Hang Ma street (the communal house is connected to No. 17 Hang Ruoi street). 
Hang Ma Street dwellers formerly specialized in making joss paper such aspaper flower with stem, shoes, clothes, hat, housefor burning as offerings in ancestor worship ceremonies, from which  the street name derived. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, there are also paper toys for children, for instance,revolving lantern, paper lantern, dragon-carp lantern, lion head, paper elephant, paper effigies of horse or doctor.
Hang Ma Street houses also feature the typical architectural style of Hanoi’s Old Quarter including tubular house and house with dual-pitched roof. Although the tubular houseis narrow, the people have skillfully divided places forliving, ancestor worship, manufacturing and trading. The house with dual-pitched roof is a two-storey house with a fake door or small window opening to the street, the tile roof sloping to the street as well as the large span sheltering the storefront from rain and sunshine.
Today, Hang Ma street is still the busy as in the old time, especially during one month before the full moon day of the 7th lunar month, the Mid-Autumn Festival and from the 24th day (after “Tet Ong Cong – Ong Tao” or Kitchen God Day) to the noon of the 30th day of the 12th lunar month. The people go shopping for all kinds of joss paper for offerings to their ancestors   as well as toys and other best items on occasion of the Mid-Autumn Festival and Christmas.
Not only during the holidays orLunar New Yeardoes Hang Ma Streetbecome specialbut during normal day it is also very splendid with ornaments full of sparkling colors hung along the street. This is the ideal shooting area for many young photographersand tourists when travelling Hanoi.
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