Cholon, Ho Chi Minh City
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Cholon (Vietnamese: quoc ngu Chợ Lớn) pronunciation is the name of the Chinese district of Ho Chi Minh City (the former Saigon), the largest such Chinatown district in Vietnam. It lies on the West bank of the Saigon River, having Binh Tay Market as its central market (most locals refer to this market as Chợ Bình Tây or Chợ Lớn Mới). Cholon spans across, and consists of, Districts 5 & 6 of Ho Chi Minh City.
The Vietnamese name Cholon literally means "big" (lớn) "market" (chợ). The Chinese name (and original name) of Cholon is 堤岸 (pronounced Tai-Ngon in Cantonese and Dī 'àn in Mandarin), which means "embankment" (French: quais). The Vietnamese reading of the Chinese name is Đê Ngạn, but this is rarely used. Vietnamese speakers almost only use the name Chợ Lớn, while Chinese speakers (both inside Vietnam and in China) almost only use the name 堤岸.
In 1778, the Hoa (Chinese minority of Vietnam) living in Bien Hoa had to take refuge in what is now Cholon because they were retaliated against by the Tay Son forces for their support of the Nguyen lords. In 1782, they were again massacred by the Tay Son and had to rebuild. They built high embankments against the flows of the river, and called their new settlement "Tai-Ngon" in Cantonese, which means "embankment".
Today, Cholon especially attracts many Mainland Chinese and Taiwanese tourists.
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