A vendor selling folk paintings and pre-printed parallel sentences. Most of the photos were taken in the early 1950s by foreign photographers from the Institute.

Two scholars, also fortune tellers and scribes, consult on matters related to spirits and humans. According to the book, they played an indispensable role in ceremonies at temples and shrines. Photo taken in Hanoi in 3/1953.

A calligrapher writes parallel sentences in January 1955.

People gather to request calligraphy from a calligrapher. At the beginning of the year, people often request calligraphy to hang at home for good luck and prosperity.

People gather for pre-Tet shopping in early 1955. According to the book, the photo exudes the rustic charm of street vendors.

The authors also present archival photos from the northern countryside in the early 20th century, such as people draining rice paddies to catch crabs and fish for food in 1926.

Water buffalo immersed in a pond, next to rice paddies, is a typical image of agricultural production at that time.

A woman participates in the production of do paper. The bark is stripped into pieces, soaked, washed, steamed, washed again, and then pounded to make pulp for paper. According to the authors, this was once the main activity of Yen Thai village, Buoi village, and the surrounding areas of Hanoi.

A worker washing paper.

The Hanoi Opera House in the early 20th century. The building was constructed by French architects starting in 1901, modeled after the famous Opera Garnier in Paris. According to records, 300 workers toiled daily for ten years until its inauguration in 1911. The building is associated with many historical events during the August Revolution and the early years of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

The cover of the book "Indochina Memories." The book is compiled by Eric Bourdonneau, Philippe Lefailler, and Michel Lorillard, translated by Nguyen Thi Hiep, and printed in English, Vietnamese, and French.