The beginning of the article: The bazaar has long served as a center for commerce and social interaction, fostering a unique culture that may not exist in other commercial settings. One of the elements that has been part of the bazaar's culture since ancient times is the tradition and culture of "master-apprentice" system.In the past, it was common for teenage boys who finished their school year in the summer to be introduced to local merchants by their fathers. This introduction aimed to provide them with work experience and an opportunity to learn a trade.

Photo by: Mr. Hamid Reza Bazargani

Typically, these young individuals would visit familiar shopkeepers or relatives and engage in apprenticeships in various professions, such as tailoring, blacksmithing, and locksmithing. The apprentice's workday would begin early in the morning, prior to the master's arrival, and one of their duties, which could last for a year or more, was to sweep and clean the area in front of the shop, with the purpose of earning the master's trust in order to commence their training in that trade.

Photo by: Mr. Mojtaba Jafarloo

After this initial phase, the apprentice would become familiar with the tools, learn how to interact with customers, collect debts from other individuals and shopkeepers, and deliver the master's purchases to their home, all of which served to further gain the trust of the master's family, a trust that was considered one of the most significant tests and marked a new stage in the master-apprentice relationship, ultimately leading to the possibility of the apprentice marrying the master's daughter after several years.

Photo by: Mr. Mojtaba Jafarloo

It was customary for the master to have their meal in the shop, so apprentices would typically visit food vendors and eateries located in the market to purchase lunch. The owners of these establishments, while preparing dishes such as eggplant, Aash, and other traditional foods, would also offer a small portion as a gift to the apprentice, using the excuse of waiting for the master's meal to be ready.

Photo by: Mr. Mojtaba Jafarloo

This gesture allowed the apprentice to satisfy their hunger and ensured they were not distracted by the master's food. This noble tradition was consistently practiced in the market, reflecting the generosity and astute nature of the food vendors.

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This article was prepared at the suggestion of the Board of Directors of the Grand bazaar of Zanjan.

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This article was contributed by Mr. Akbar Karimi the international reporter for Arirang Culture Connect and the Founder and Managing Director of the Samte Ganjineye Ghoghnoos Cultural Artistic Institute in Iran. His leadership in preserving and promoting Iranian intangible cultural heritage along with his extensive experience in cultural artistic research and his active participation in international forums such as UNESCO and ICCN enriches his contributions to the global cultural dialogue.

Translated by: Miss. Fereshte Abdi