The Thanh Luong Cattle Market might appear to be a standard trading place. Of course, it can’t be! This special market is not simply a place where you can find oxen and buffaloes but is also a unique cultural aspect of the Thanh Chuong District in Nghe An Province. 

Opening on the 2nd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 16th, 19th, 26th, and 29th days of the month, this is a venue that you should not miss.

In terms of scope, Thanh Luong Cattle Market is the largest one of its kind in Nghe An. For every trading day, about 350 buffaloes and oxen are traded. However, what will strike you the most is how people manage to carry out such a large number of transactions in this special setting: a flat and empty ground surrounded by fences.

Unlike the farmers in other communes, Thanh Luong people do not raise oxen but rather buy and breed them until they are qualified to put on sale. This fact, however, does not deter the people there to sell the oxen and earn around VND5 million ($250)per month. Sometimes when luck visits their door, these people can even earn up to VND10 million ($500) per month.

The big scope of the market allows it to reach out to venders and sellers from districts other than Thanh Luong. Sometimes, there are even people from Ha Tinh Province visiting the Cattle Market. 

No matter where they come from, these people stick to a golden principle: bargaining all the time! 

The buyers usually select cattle by many other criteria: strong legs, round claws, big horns, slick body, and white teeth. Interestingly, even if you give them money, people would never buy any buffalo or ox which has a white tail because they believe that the cattle will bring bad luck, including death, to their family!

Taking cattle to the market

VNN/Nghe An Newspaper/Vntourism