My Tho was founded in the 1680s by Chinese refugees fleeing Taiwan
when the general of the Qing Dynasty Shi Lang defeated the remnants of
Southern Ming Dynasty in 1683. The area, at the time, was once part of
the Khmer kingdom and it was annexed to Vietnam in the 18th century. The
city is named after the River My Tho, which means Beautiful (My) Reed
(Tho) .
Due to its proximity to Saigon, My Tho was the traditional gateway to
the Mekong Delta. In the 17th century, the city had become one of the
biggest commercial hubs in today's Southern Vietnam.
In 1860s, My Tho, along with Saigon, was a major strategic city during
the French colonial campaign towards Vietnam. In 1862, French's capture
of My Tho is regarded as a conclusion to the establishment of the French
colony of Cochinchina, a development that inaugurated nearly a century
of French colonial dominance in Vietnam.
During the colonization period, the economy continued to prosper,
attracting more immigrants, mainly from Teochew and Minnan. In 1876, My
Tho Province was established as one of 6 provinces in the Southeast
Vietnam.
Culture
M? Tho is famous for its noodle soup Hu Tieu My Tho, (more common in
South Vietnam is Hu Tieu Nam Vang - literally Hu Tieu Phnom Penh Style).
Hu Tieu My Tho is typically a clear pork broth with rice vermicelli and
wheat flour noodles (mi) combined. Sliced pork, meaty pork bones, offal
such as intestines, liver, and heart and fresh shrimp, and possibly
deep fried wonton. The soup is then garnished by the diner to the
individual taste with salad leaves, garlic chives, beans sprouts, lime,
fresh chili, soy sauce, and vinegar. The noodles can be served dry with
the soup on the side, or as a noodle soup.
Also famous in My Tho is Bo Vien or beef balls. There are very busy
stalls near the My Tho market that serve only Bo Vien in beef broth or
with Hu Tieu noodle. It is eaten with very hot chili sauce (tuong ot).
As the regional capital My Tho is the main market dealing in all the
produce from the region as well as fish and seafood from My Tho's large
ocean-going fishing fleet. The very large and exuberant market is one of
South Vietnam's biggest sources for dried fish and other dried seafood
products such as Kho Muc (dried squid). At night the market is dedicated
to the dealing and sorting of Mekong River fish, particularly catfish
for Ho Chi Minh City's wholesale markets. Produce, especially fruit and
vegetables, is delivered by boat directly to the market. It is a popular
starting point for tourists to take a boat trip on the Mekong River.
My Tho is the subject of "The Lesson", a chapter in a memoir of the
Vietnam War by Tobias Woolf, In Pharoah's Army: Memories of the Lost
War, describing the events of the 1968 Tet Offensive there.
