Bến Thành Market - a realm of memories preserved through the years

Every city, whether large or small, has its own unique history of formation and development, often embodied in one or more clusters of monuments that are closely tied to the city through their age and characteristics.

Urban areas develop around these clusters of monuments, considering them the heart, soul, and tangible connection between contemporary people and their ancestors. Bến Thành Market is one such monument.
 

Bến Thành Market is closely linked to the city's development process.

The history of Bến Thành Market is connected with the vicissitudes of the urban areas of Saigon and Chợ Lớn. The market began construction in 1912 and has undergone multiple renovations and relocations to attain its current appearance and status.

Initially, the market was located on the banks of the Bến Nghé River, where there was a river wharf for soldiers and civilians to enter Gia Định Citadel (Quy Citadel, Bát Quái Citadel). Hence, it was called Bến Thành Market.

After the Lê Văn Khôi uprising (1833-1835), Gia Định Citadel was destroyed, and Bến Thành Market became deserted. After the French attacked Saigon (February 1859), the market was completely burned down.

In 1860, the French rebuilt Bến Thành Market at its original location. After multiple renovations, the market gradually became more spacious with a system of brick columns, iron frames, tile roofs, etc.
 

By the early 20th century, the French rebuilt the new Bến Thành Market at its current location during the period from 1912 to 1914, with a symbolic clock attached to the southern gate. In front of the main gate (southern gate) is the Bến Thành Market Roundabout, also known as Diên Hồng Square, Quách Thị Trang Square, and more.

In 1952, during the market's renovation, twelve reliefs from the Biên Hòa art workshop were installed at the four market gates. Since then, the image of Bến Thành Market has become familiar and intimate, becoming a cultural urban memory of the city.

Bến Thành Market, a realm of collective memory

Just as people cannot live without memories, neither can a city!

Historical and cultural memory is a system of images and symbolic meanings about a series of experiences or behaviors that occurred in the past, condensed and recreated in the conceptual world of people. Memory is easily accessed by people in the form of physical artifacts closely tied to human life and continually recalled through physical interaction or through festive and visiting activities. Researcher Maurice Halbwachs (1983) once suggested that historical and cultural memory is collective, even if it may be created by one or a group of individuals. Once historical and cultural experiences are widely accepted and retained in the collective subconscious, these artifacts or cultural creations become memories, that is, they are collectively owned.

Bến Thành Market, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Building, Bến Nhà Rồng, or a folk festival at temples, pagodas, shrines, and communal houses, and classic literary works such as 'The Tale of Kiều,' 'Lục Vân Tiên - Kiều Nguyệt Nga,' or 'Southern Land and Forests' have all become part of the memory.
 

When it comes to historical and cultural memory, symbolic images that serve as repositories should be preserved in their original form, avoiding changes or impacts that alter their structure, content, and symbolic imagery. In the case of Bến Thành Market, this includes the overall market structure, its original shape, architectural and artistic details, the main gate (South Gate) with its clock, and the characteristic colors of the market's exterior. Any changes to these elements will undoubtedly affect the public; therefore, restoration and renovation efforts must be undertaken with great care, and it is essential to consult experts and the public.

Additionally, the community preserves memories through a system of tangible artifacts that serve as repositories, but the way they recount historical and cultural stories and the system of meanings and values is based on the 'present' perspective, which is the 'contemporary' aspect of memory. Contemporary people decide how they view memories based on their current life perceptions.
 

For example, when the Ho Chi Minh City Post Office was first built, it was covered with a vibrant dark yellow paint, but over time the color faded, and what remains in the community's memory is the image of the post office with its characteristic light yellow color.

When renovating the post office, we are forced to choose between the two paint colors (the original vibrant dark yellow or the familiar light yellow). Generally, the community tends to choose the latter, as it is the color that has entered their memory and the one they will use to assess the new paint.

Therefore, for heritage sites/architectural monuments that play a significant role in preserving the city's historical and cultural memory, such as Bến Thành Market, any changes in shape, color, and symbolic structure must be consulted with experts and the community.

Ultimately, and most importantly, the community's opinion is paramount, as they live and interact with their heritage every day and every hour, and they have the responsibility to preserve these memories for future generations.