After serving in the military, Mr. Manh pursued a law degree. However, his passion for barbering drove him to dedicate the last 35 years to this profession. Throughout this time, he has served as an unofficial “ambassador” for Hanoi, introducing the city to foreign visitors who stop by his barbershop.

One regular customer is Mr. Denis, a Canadian businessman who has lived and worked in Vietnam for over ten years. Mr. Denis only gets his hair cut at Mr. Manh’s shop. Here, he enjoys traditional hairstyles while learning Vietnamese from Mr. Manh, who has deepened his understanding of Vietnamese customs and traditions, particularly the cultural nuances of the Old Quarter.

Mr. Manh shared many joyful and sorrowful stories of his long career. A memory that stands out involves a French film crew, who came to Vietnam to shoot “Dien Bien Phu” in 1990-1991. During their time filming in Vietnam, Mr. Manh was the barber for most of the crew. This film later received a César Award nomination for Best Music in 1993.

While cutting international clients’ hair, Mr. Manh has had the chance to share insights about Vietnam’s people and culture, particularly the essence of Hanoi’s Old Quarter. Foreign guests’ enthusiasm for stories about Hanoi and Vietnam has motivated Mr. Manh to keep working as a barber. Thanks to this vocation, he has been able to share Vietnam’s traditional cultural elements and heroic history with an international audience.