History of Cho Lon Downtown

Before 1698, in De Ngan (later called Cho Lon) there was a Chinese village of Minh Huong (because they did not submit to the Qing Dynasty, they left China to settle in Dang Trong). However, that land became crowded since the Chinese on Pho Island (present-day Bien Hoa) fled here after their residence was ravaged by the Tay Son Dynasty in 1776.

The Chinese then established a market (or developed an already-existing market) to exchange goods in response to demand. Saigon market, or the region around the Cho Lon Post Office now, is bigger than the Tan Kieng market for Vietnamese people, and as a result it is known as Cho Lon. Later, the name of the market was also applied to the property it stood on. In the words of scholar Vuong Hong Sen, "Cho Lon as we still call it today, for overseas Chinese it is Teacher Ngon (De Ngan) or Xay Cung (Tay Cong: Saigon); and old French books written as Cholon or Cholen, Choleun, etc.)

The Chinese (Chinese overseas/ Huaqiao), whose history of migration to Vietnam stretches back to the fall of the Ming Dynasty in 1644, are linked to Cho Lon's emergence. As a result of ongoing political unrest in China, there are now five distinct ethnic groups of Chinese living in Vietnam: Cantonese and Hakka people from Guangdong province; Chaozhou people from eastern Guangdong province; Hokkien people from Fujian; and Hainan people from the southernmost island.

Cho Lon initially appeared in 1779, during the Tay Son revolt, a significant peasant insurrection against the Nguyen dynasty that ruled South Vietnam at the time. Chinese citizens who backed the Nguyen Dynasty were compelled to flee Bien Hoa and the other towns out of fear of retaliation. They made their home in Cholon (literally, "big market"), which was still a city unto itself and a significant commercial hub until Saigon, which was quickly urbanizing, took over in 1932.

Cho Lon was well-known during the Vietnam War as a black market where American soldiers could buy and sell supplies for the US Army. It was also bombed in the early days of Tet Mau Than 1968. Thankfully, the majority of the well-known temples and traditional Chinese buildings still stand. Following the Sino-Vietnamese war, the Chinese left in the late 1970s, which sparked an anti-Chinese backlash. Despite its turbulent past, Cholon's businesses and traditions have endured, and the area is still prospering today.

The religious, architectural, and cultural values of Cho Lon from hundreds of years ago are still present today. This location seems to have a significant slowdown in the destructive power of time. Along with the typical architecture, the Hoa Kieu Street tiled roofs' subtle classic beauty comes from the dust of time that has a slight gray-brown tint to it. Many still tell us to "go to Cho Lon" whenever we invite one another to the Chinese neighborhood. However, it's not necessary to go to the market; instead, you could simply stroll through Chau Van Liem, Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Trai, or Hong Bang.

Visit famous places in Cholon Downtown

Visit the sacred ancient temple space

Miếu Thiên Hậu (Hội quán Tuệ Thành) and Chùa Quan Âm (Hội quán Ôn Lăng) are dedicated to the venerated Chinese sea goddess Thien Hau Thanh Mau. Both locations consistently draw a sizable crowd of locals and tourists who come to worship and burn incense.

Thien Hau Temple (710 Nguyen Trai, District  5) was built by the Cantonese Chinese community, originally from Tue Thanh district (China) in Cholon in 1760. The temple's roof is embellished with ceramic patterns and figures. In the Mau Than year (1908), two kilns, Buu Nguyen and Dong Hoa, produced porcelain. When compared to other temples in the city, the collection of urns inside the temple is still the largest. In particular, a ceremony is held on December 28 to ask Thien Hau Holy Mother to bless her with peace, and on March 23 of each year (according to the lunar calendar), there are numerous sacred worshiping events and festivals.

Originally located in Quanzhou and Zhangzhou (China), the Quan Am Pagoda (05 Lao Tu, District 5) was constructed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in the Fujian Chinese architectural style. The temple has a curving roofline and curved blades with ceramic representations of historic structures and palaces.

Old famous restaurants in Cho Lon

If you visit Cho Lon, you will experience a long-standing culinary tradition that dates back hundreds of years, but the flavor of Chinese food still seems to retain its original flavor.

Chinese eateries are still operating today in District 5, particularly close to Binh Tay market, drawing many tourists who want to savor Chinese cuisine in the heart of Saigon. Restaurants have bilingual signs, and proprietors can phone relatives in Chinese and react to clients in Vietnamese. Visitors will also see the typical image of a Chinese restaurant owner here: a man with a big belly, a happy expression, and a towel draped over his shoulders.

The food in Cho Lon is full of Chinese style and 10 dishes you cannot miss when you come here, you can see such as: Dimsum, pha lau, sui cao, ca phe vot, chao Tieu, hu tiu, sweet soup,...

Recommend delicious local restaurants

Ha Ky at 138 Chau Van Liem, at the intersection of Chau Van Liem with Hong Bang. With a history of nearly 30 years, Ha Ky tea from a small burden with only six types of sweet soup, has now become a large-scale shop with about 37 different types of sweet soup. 

If you want to enjoy chicken rice, you can go to Van Ky, Ha Ky, Phung Nguyen or Kim Tan restaurants in the neighborhood selling chicken and roasted duck on Ta Uyen Street, District 11. Chinese tradition dictates that boiling chicken is dipped in soy sauce and served with sliced chile and minced ginger sauce. Sesame oil and chicken broth are combined to boil the rice. In addition, the proprietor frequently places a plate of pickles that is quite appetizing next to the dish of chicken rice.

Cade sticky rice on Tran Phu Street

This small shop selling sticky rice is open continuously from 8am to 2pm, ideal for sleeping night owls. The Chinese restaurant in District 5 is famous for sweet sticky rice, fragrant coconut water and sticky sticky rice. Sticky rice is wrapped in a layer of cade, made from eggs, flour and coconut milk. The cade sections are considered to be fragrant, with the fleshy taste of chicken eggs without being overpowered by vanilla. A delicious flavor that is neither too sweet nor too overpowering. (Address: 451 Tran Phu, Ward 04, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City)

Bubble crab soup on Luong Nhu Hoc Street

This District 5 Chinese eatery serves Chinese cuisine and is known for its curbside soup business. Possibly because the broth at this District 5 Chinese restaurant is so good. On the other hand, this restaurant is one of the few that offers coatings with both fish and crab bubbles. The spicy, smokey bubble crab soup was served. Crabs, bubbles, maize, herbs, quail eggs, and other items are included in the bowl. The thick and delectable soup keeps getting better as you eat, and the chewy bubbles and sweet, scented crabs further add to your fascination. These bowls each cost around 40,000. The topping is pretty ample, so even though the price is a little steep, it is still worth a try. (Address: 239 Luong Nhu Hoc, District 5, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam. Opening time: 11:00 - 20:00)