By Yang Di (Shanghai Daily)
Updated: 2007-03-30 10:38

After flowing through several Southeast Asian countries, Vietnam is where the Mekong River empties into the South China Sea. From its source at China's Tibet-Qinghai Plateau, it drifts through five other countries, all the while absorbing the different cultures.

By accepting the new flows Vietnam still preserves its historical traditions. It is a country where the East blends with the West, the past with the present; not a single culture is lost throughout the passage of the years.

In Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown, there is a marketplace called ChoLon where traditional handicrafts and knick-knacks reflecting the influences of the different cultures can be found.

In Shanghai, there is also a Cholon tucked away in a nook in Taikang Road's art oasis.

After opening the Southeast Asian home accessory store Hari Rabu two years ago, Japan native Tatsuhiko Takayama decided it was time to bring the feeling of a Vietnamese marketplace to the city.

To realize this, Vietnam Zakka ChoLon recently opened to provide a Vietnamese experience on a more personal level.

"The true flavor of ethnic Vietnam has been captured at Vietnam Zakka ChoLon," Takayama said. "Our mission is to provide customers with Vietnamese lifestyle items matching their daily lives."

"Vietnam has got its very own distinct and unique range of traditional handicrafts and goods to buy. In short, the country is a shopper's paradise."

The colorful 110-square-meter boutique features knick-knacks and home ware from Vietnam that is packed into every nook and cranny of the building. Visitors will quickly experience a place full of warmly colored ornamental ceramics, delicate traditional handicrafts, lacquer tableware and famous Vietnamese coffee beans and filters.

Cholon
Address: Room 108, Bldg 3, 210 Taikanglu
Tel: 021-54651764