From earning a living as a boat rower on the Hoai River, Mrs. Bui Thi Xong rose to international media attention through the photograph “The Hidden Smile,” spreading the image of Hoi An and its people to the world.
Mrs. Bui Thi Xong (also known in some places as Bui Thi Song) lives in Hoi An Ward, Da Nang City. Before becoming widely known, her life was closely tied to a small wooden boat on the Hoai River — a livelihood that has long been a familiar part of daily life for the people of the ancient town.
Mrs. Xong came to the boat-rowing profession quite late in life, when she was already over 60 years old. In the early 2000s, as tourism in Hoi An began to grow rapidly, many visitors wanted to experience sitting on a small boat to admire the ancient town from the Hoai River. At first, she sat on the boat selling small items to tourists, and later she also took on the job of rowing the boat to carry visitors sightseeing.
A fleeting everyday moment that changed a life
In 2014, during a visit to Hoi An, French photographer Rehahn stepped onto the small boat rowed by Mrs. Xong. When he raised his camera, she instinctively lifted her hand to cover her smile. It was a very natural gesture of an elderly woman—partly from shyness, partly to hide teeth that had been lost over the years.
That brief moment was captured and became a special photograph titled “Hidden Smile.” The image shows bright eyes, weathered hands, and the modest smile of an ordinary working woman. The photograph quickly spread across international media, won numerous awards, and was exhibited in many countries around the world.
Some American newspapers referred to Mrs. Xong as “the world’s most beautiful grandmother.” This title did not come from physical beauty, but from the simplicity and sincerity reflected in the photograph. Mrs. Xong said she was deeply surprised at the time to see her image shared so widely and had never imagined that her humble working life would attract such global attention.
Now in her eighties, Mrs. Xong has laid down her oars. The small boat that accompanied her throughout her working life — a gift from photographer Réhahn — was pulled ashore at her request and placed quietly by the Hoai River, beneath the familiar rows of water coconut palms along the edge of the ancient town. Whenever she misses the work, she goes behind her house, picks up the oars, and gently cleans the boat, a simple way of preserving memories and expressing gratitude for the livelihood that sustained her for so many years.
Each day, she wakes up at around 5 a.m. and walks to a physical therapy center to use vibration and walking machines to ease joint and bone pain. She then returns home for a simple breakfast and rests. She lives alone for convenience, while her children and grandchildren live nearby. She still keeps the habit of chewing betel and hopes to maintain good health so she can continue taking part in photo sessions, especially for Tet-themed projects.
Mrs. Xong has gradually become a sought-after subject for many photographers. She participates in photo shoots set in the familiar daily scenes of the ancient town, such as brewing tea in a traditional house, carrying flower baskets through the streets, or sitting by the porch overlooking the Hoai River. The payment is not fixed and depends on mutual agreement and goodwill, but for her, the most important things are the joy and the respect shown by others.
