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Carp lanterns are a beloved traditional toy. The image of the carp appears in the legend of the fish leaping over the Dragon Gate, symbolizing perseverance and effort to achieve success. |
As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, photos capturing the festive atmosphere by Leon Busy (1874-1951) are being shared across social media. The photos, taken in 1915 on Hang Gai Street, Hanoi, are currently held by the Albert Kahn Museum, France.
In the image, the photographer captures carp and star lanterns, familiar toys for children.
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A shop displays colorful masks and lanterns. |
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In the book "Old Hanoi Streets," cultural scholar Hoang Dao Thuy writes: "From the 1st of August, the whole street is bustling. All mothers and children in Hanoi come to Hang Gai Street. All the shops on the street have been transformed into stores selling Mid-Autumn toys made of paper. Paper elephants, paper horses, rabbit lanterns, toad lanterns, fish transforming into dragons, lion heads, revolving lanterns…". |
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Mid-autumn toys are handmade, with various designs from traditional to modern. |
The mid-autumn atmosphere on Hang Gai street over a century ago. The work was exhibited at the Hanoi, Colors 1914-1917 photo exhibition in late 2013.
According to the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association, the Mid-Autumn Festival traditionally begins in Hanoi's old quarter, a bustling center of commerce. Hang Gai street, in particular, sold various toys, most commonly lanterns shaped like animals.
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A mid-autumn toy shop in 1915, through the lens of French photographer Leon Busy.
In 1909, Albert Kahn (1860-1940), a French banker and philanthropist, wanted to create "Archives of the Planet," a collection of photographic documentation of 50 countries using the most advanced color photography techniques of the time. To carry out the project, he hired a series of photographers to travel to different countries, including Leon Busy to Vietnam.
During his time in Vietnam, Busy also took many photos of Hanoi's landscapes and women in northern Vietnam. In 4/2023, his works were featured at an event titled "Hanoi - The Beginnings of a Western-style City in Southeast Asia."
Phuong Linh
Photo: Albert Kahn Museum
