Hai Lang strives to preserve cultural heritage

As a land rich in historical traditions with a diverse and abundant heritage of both tangible and intangible culture, Hai Lang District has effectively implemented comprehensive and consistent measures to manage, preserve, and promote cultural values in daily life.

Hai Lang District is home to 81 historical and cultural sites, including 58 historical relics, three archaeological sites, 19 architectural heritage sites, and one scenic landscape. Among them, there is one special national relic, two national relics, and 78 provincial-level relics.

In recent years, local authorities have prioritized investment in the restoration and upgrading of tangible cultural heritage while also focusing on promoting its value. Additionally, efforts have been made to identify and preserve significant intangible cultural heritage, ensuring these traditions continue to reflect the district’s rich history and cultural identity.

Nguyen Huu Trung, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Hai Lang District, stated that the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage, particularly intangible heritage, have been a key focus of the district’s efforts.

From 2023 to 2024, five relics were restored to prevent deterioration. Authorities also collaborated with relevant agencies to develop scientific and legal documentation for 18 relics and worked on delineating protection zones and preparing files for the remaining sites within the district. Additionally, ten historical, cultural, and scenic sites have been digitized with QR code installations, allowing residents and visitors to access information about these landmarks conveniently.

For intangible cultural heritage, such as festivals, traditional crafts, folk performances, and ancient village structures, local authorities have directed specialized agencies to develop management and preservation plans. These efforts aim to ensure the continuity of these traditions at the grassroots level.

To enhance the transmission of traditional performing arts, the district has conducted training sessions for cultural officers and community leaders, focusing on skills in performing and promoting Bai Choi singing and Ho Gia Gao folk songs. Clubs have been established to further these efforts, with performances introduced in schools to familiarize younger generations with these cultural traditions.

Traditional craft villages in Hai Lang have also received attention for preservation and development, featuring well-known products such as conical hats, embroidery, net weaving, and fine woodcraft. These efforts have contributed to the conservation and revitalization of cultural heritage, ensuring its place in contemporary society.

Visiting Cau Nhi Communal House in Hai Phong Commune offers a glimpse into the unique architectural heritage of a site recognized as a National Relic since 2001. This complex includes the Cau Nhi Communal House and Quan Kho Pagoda, historically linked to the renowned figure Bui Duc Tai.

In Hoi Ky Village, Hai Chanh Commune, many ancient houses with centuries-old architecture are still preserved. Photo: L.T

Bui Van Linh, head of Cau Ha Village in Hai Phong Commune, noted that the original Cau Nhi Communal House was once a grand and famous structure in the region. However, its current form is primarily the result of a restoration carried out in 1955. In 1991, additional renovations included the reconstruction of the front entrance gate and a decorative screen wall.

Each year, the site hosts various traditional ceremonies, including the Ancestral Worship Ceremony of 12 family lineages, the Bui Tranh Founder’s Memorial, a ceremony at the Van Thanh Temple, and memorial services for four lost family lineages: Truong, Phan, Dang, and De. Festivals held during Lunar New Year and other occasions feature boat races, village fairs, swings, and chess competitions, preserving the communal spirit of the local people.

To further enhance and preserve the site’s cultural value, local authorities have allocated 2.1 billion VND (approximately 88,000 USD) for restoration and upgrades. The goal is to develop Cau Nhi Communal House into a historical landmark that serves as an educational and cultural destination for future generations.

Nestled along the picturesque O Lau River, the ancient village of Hoi Ky in Hai Chanh Commune retains its historical charm, with well-preserved traditional houses that showcase intricate wooden carvings and artistic details dating back hundreds of years.

Duong Van Manh, the owner of Tich Khanh Duong, a historic house in Hoi Ky, shared that the village was established more than 500 years ago. It remains one of the few settlements in Quang Tri Province that has preserved its original architectural landscape and cultural heritage. Some of the village’s wooden houses, nearly 200 years old, stand as remarkable examples of traditional Vietnamese architecture.

However, with rapid urbanization and changing village structures, the preservation of these ancient houses faces significant challenges. The risk of deterioration is unavoidable, and local families and authorities are actively seeking ways to protect these historical treasures.

Nguyen Huu Trung emphasized that preserving and promoting tangible and intangible cultural heritage is a vast and long-term endeavor. However, limited local resources have made conservation efforts increasingly difficult.

To address these challenges, local authorities are calling for stronger support from state agencies and heritage management organizations. They seek specialized policies and funding to enhance the restoration, conservation, and sustainable promotion of cultural heritage sites.

By integrating heritage conservation with economic and social development, Hai Lang aims to safeguard its historical identity while fostering community growth.

Quang Tri province holds a wealth of tangible and intangible cultural values, along with an extensive system of revolutionary war historical sites. These heritage assets exist at various levels and embody significant historical and cultural values. If properly preserved and effectively promoted, they can bring immense benefits to the province’s socio-economic development. Currently, Quang Tri has 500 officially recognized historical and cultural sites, including four special national relics, 20 national relics, and 476 provincial-level relics. These sites encompass various categories, such as historical-cultural, archaeological, architectural-artistic, and scenic sites. These invaluable assets play a crucial role in the province’s socio-economic development, particularly in tourism and the education of patriotic and revolutionary traditions.

In addition, Quang Tri is home to diverse and unique tourism resources. Beyond historical and revolutionary tourism, the province offers cultural-spiritual tourism, marine and island tourism, ecological and scenic tourism, and cross-border trade and business tourism. Among these, battlefield tours and visits to the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) have been the most popular. In recent years, new tourism products have emerged, including eco-tourism and community-based tourism in western districts such as Huong Hoa, adding a fresh dimension to Quang Tri’s tourism landscape. Notably, the province has focused on branding its tourism with the theme “Memories of War - Aspirations for Peace,” while also connecting with major tourism routes such as the “Central Heritage Road” and the "Legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail."

Several key tourist sites have been established, including Cua Viet, Cua Tung, Con Co, Khe Sanh, Lao Bao, Hien Luong-Ben Hai Riverbanks, Vinh Moc Tunnels, Quang Tri Citadel, and La Vang Church. To enhance tourist appeal, new tourism products have been developed, such as evening ceremonies and guided tours at Quang Tri Citadel, a festival street in Quang Tri town, a lantern festival on the Thach Han River, and eco-tourism destinations like Klu (Dakrong) and Tram Tra Loc (Hai Lang). These sites have become major attractions for visitors. The island tourism route to Con Co has also been launched, opening new opportunities for the development of marine and island tourism. The province is currently working on nighttime historical tours to sites such as Hien Luong-Ben Hai Riverbanks and Quang Tri Citadel.

Quang Tri has also placed strong emphasis on the preservation, restoration, and promotion of both tangible and intangible cultural values. Traditional festivals unique to the province continue to be renewed and improved in both content and quality. The province operates one state-run museum, which serves as a central hub for scientific, historical, and cultural information. Additionally, four exhibition houses have been established at major historical sites, including Quang Tri Citadel, Hien Luong-Ben Hai Riverbanks, Ta Con Airfield, and Vinh Moc Tunnels, displaying images, documents, and artifacts related to these sites. On Con Co Island, a traditional exhibition room showcases war history, natural resources, and the island’s tourism potential.

Efforts have also been made to preserve and promote the cultural values of ethnic minorities. These initiatives include renovating, upgrading, and restoring dozens of traditional stilt houses, as well as investing in the conservation of the ancient village of Kalu in Dakrong district. The province has also focused on preserving intangible cultural heritage, such as traditional festivals (including the new rice celebration and village deity worship), folk performances (folk songs, dances, and music), and organizing training classes on Van Kieu and Pa Ko ethnic folk singing. Community-based tourism models linked to traditional craft villages in Huong Hoa and Dakrong districts have shown initial success, generating economic benefits, creating jobs, increasing incomes, and preserving the cultural identity of ethnic minorities. These initiatives have also improved the cultural and spiritual life of local people, with numerous cultural facilities being developed and expanded across the province.

Le Truong - Ngoc Mai