Memories of Hoan Kiem Lake

By Peng Shituan



Memories of Hoan Kiem Lake

By Peng Shituan

I studied Vietnamese in college， and later worked in Hanoi for 10 years， growing to deeply love the city. Until now， I still ofen recall it， in particular the emerald Hoan Kiem Lake （meaning Lake of the Returned Sword）and the rich and varied scenes around it. It is a paradise for recreation by the people in Hanoi.

Te lake is named afer a legend that Le Thai To of Vietnam was given a precious sword， with which he won every battle and eventually became king. Ten years later， while riding in a boat on the lake， a huge turtle emerged from the water and requested him to return the sword.

I made my first visit to the lake in autumn 1992. In the sunshine， the lake glistened， with white clouds refected in its rippling waters. Te bright red Huc Bridge leads to the Ngoc Son Temple on an island，which seems a little mysterious amid the dense shade of water banyans. Te Tortoise Tower in the center of the lake is quite old now. The lakeside was teeming with people. Many children climbed onto the trees extending into the lake. I really worried whether they would fall into the lake.

The lake is surrounded by many buildings witnessing the history of the country. The State Guesthouse was Bac Ky， the Governor's Mansion built during the French occupation. Next to it is Hanoi Main Post Office built with Chinese aid. For several decades， its big clock has tolledout the passage of time and can be heard up to fve km away.

A bird's eye view of Hoan Kiem Lake，Hanoi， Vietnam.

The department store nearby was also built during the French occupation. In the late 1990s， it was transformed into a modern shopping mall. Other famous buildings include the Hanoi Commercial Bank， the Vietnam Democratic Hotel， the Hanoi Opera House and the Vietnam History Museum. Built from 1901 to 1911， the Hanoi Opera House is a Palais Garnier in Hanoi.

The old quarter of Hanoi， located on the northern bank of the lake， is composed of 36 famous old streets. They have been regarded as the special cultural heritage of Hanoi and are under State protection. Tey form the most bustling commercial area in Hanoi. Tere are lots of famous businesses dealing in barbecue， gold and silverware and garments and so on， art galleries and a well-known wholesale market called Dong Xuan Market.

A college teacher taught us a Hanoi slang - “Dong Xuan Women”， meaning that the women traders there were very capable. Te Dong Xuan Market served as a commodity distributing center in northern Vietnam， and the operators there were mainly women （inevitable when so many menfolk were away at war）. Unfortunately，the market burned down in the mid-1990s，but its replacement continues to display all the old bustle.

Te Hoan Kiem Lake is not a political center of Hanoi but a recreational place for Hanoi people. It was the busiest place in Hanoi during the Spring Festival. Various games and performances were given on makeshift stages on the street around the lake， such as acrobatics， traditional operas，singing and dancing. Lots of people sat by the street or stood on their motorcycles to watch the performances.

The celebration climax was at the night of the last day of the year. Before 1994， many local people gathered there to watch the performances and set of a lot of freworks. But then， Vietnam banned frecrackers in general， and the only freworks were those officially set off by the lake. Vietnamese leaders go to the lake to celebrate the New Year with the masses on that night.

The largest bookstore in Hanoi， a famous cinema and the Vietnam Fine Arts Association's exhibition center are located on Trang Tien Street at the southeast corner of the lake. Te Opera House's performance is also highly recommended， and its building is also worthy of appreciation.

In the waterside pavilions at the northwest corner of the lake， delicacies， tea and excellent Vietnamese coffee are available. The beautiful scenery and fine tea combined make one intoxicated. I prefer to the ice cream there. Te most distinctive snack there is “sinh to” （meaning vitamin）， which in fact is fresh fruit jam， such as avocado and many other kinds， very delicious. Te earliest bar street in Hanoi is at the southeast corner of the lake. After listening to songs， watching dances and drinking some wine， one can go to the riverside to enjoy the cool wind. It is really pleasant.

In Hanoi， I ofen walked through these streets to see various delightful scenes at any corner. Although it's many years since I was there， I still miss this bustling yet beautiful place and the gorgeous Hoan Kiem Lake.

Hoan Kiem Lake，the most popular scenery spot for Hanoi residents.（Photo by Peng Shituan）