Preserving and promoting cultural heritage in Phu Tho in the new period

Phu Tho after the merger has opened up a large and rich cultural space. This is an important turning point, posing new requirements in preserving and promoting heritage values, while also bringing many opportunities for the province to affirm its position as a cultural and festival center of the midland and mountainous region of the North.

Expanded cultural space with many unique values

The merger has created a multi-layered heritage picture, combining the sacred space of the Ancestral Land, Muong culture of Hoa Binh and the cultural nuances of the midland region of Vinh Phuc.

The Song Tug Festival in Binh Nguyen commune was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage and UNESCO listed it as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity.

The province currently possesses a rich heritage system, including values ​​that have been honored by UNESCO such as the Hung King Worship and Xoan Singing; many traditional festivals held annually; along with hundreds of historical relics, scenic spots, craft villages and folk art forms that are still preserved quite intact.

After the merger, the cultural sector has completed the review and inventory of the entire heritage system in the new province; built a synchronous database; and connected information to serve management, conservation and tourism development.

Major festivals such as Hung Kings' Commemoration Day - Hung Temple Festival, Tay Thien Festival, Muong festivals in Hoa Binh or traditional festivals in Vinh Phuc are organized methodically, solemnly, and in accordance with regulations, attracting a large number of people and tourists.

In many localities, Xoan singing clubs, Muong gong clubs, Van singing clubs, Soong co singing clubs... continue to maintain regular activities. Elderly artists are supported in terms of policies and are given opportunities to teach in the community and schools. Propaganda and education on preserving cultural identity are enhanced, especially for young people.

Initial results show that the work of preserving and promoting cultural heritage in Phu Tho is on the right track, contributing to creating an important foundation for building identity and developing sustainable tourism in the coming period.

Barriers from difficulties

However, heritage conservation in the new context also poses many challenges. First is the difference in physical conditions between regions, leading to a lack of uniformity in heritage preservation infrastructure. Many exhibition houses and artifact preservation sites are degraded; funding for relic restoration is limited; some tangible heritages show signs of being affected by weather and natural disasters but have not been promptly remedied.

Phu Da stone temple, Vinh Phu commune is more than 300 years old.

In the field of intangible heritage, the biggest difficulty is the lack of successors. Many artisans are old and weak, while the younger generation is not interested in traditional forms of living. The dominance of modern forms of entertainment puts some art forms at risk of disappearing if there is no suitable method of teaching.

Another challenge comes from balancing heritage conservation and exploitation for tourism. Some festivals show signs of commercialization; the environment at some relic sites is under great pressure during peak season; service activities around relic sites are not unified, reducing the sacredness and inherent cultural beauty.

Meanwhile, digital transformation in the cultural sector, although implemented, is not really uniform. Some localities are still confused in applying technology to digitize documents, create digital maps of heritage or connect data to serve smart tourism.

Great opportunities from unified cultural space

Despite many difficulties, Phu Tho is facing unprecedented advantages. The unified cultural space helps the province possess an extremely diverse heritage ecosystem, with sufficient conditions to form inter-regional cultural tourism routes, develop the night-time economy, and promote cultural industries such as performance, design, handicrafts, folk art or creative products.

Building Phu Tho into a cultural and festival center of the region is completely feasible when the heritage system is rich, the level of fame is high, especially the values ​​associated with the Hung King era. This is an important soft resource to attract investment, develop tourism and spread local identity.

In addition, people's demand for cultural enjoyment is increasing; the State's attention to the field of heritage conservation is increasingly strong; the legal system is continuously improved; cooperation programs with experts, universities, and research institutes open up many opportunities for Phu Tho to improve its capacity to manage, preserve, and restore heritage.

The straw buffalo and cow festival (Vinh Hung commune) bears the mark of the wet rice civilization of the residents of the Red River Delta.

To maximize the value of heritage in the new period, the province is focusing on building a comprehensive conservation strategy in an inter-regional direction, in sync with the 2-level local government model. The focus is on promoting the digitalization of the entire heritage system, creating an open data warehouse to serve research, promotion and development of smart tourism products.

Along with that, we will continue to renovate and embellish important relics; perfect the system of cultural institutions; and create spaces for experiencing and practicing heritage. Honoring artisans and expanding teaching classes in communities and schools will be implemented more strongly to build a sustainable next generation.

In tourism development, the province aims for a sustainable exploitation model, prioritizing conservation. Cultural tourism routes associated with Xoan and Mo Muong singing, traditional festivals, craft villages or famous landmarks of Vinh Phuc and old Hoa Binh will be coherently connected, creating unique highlights. At the same time, the local community will participate more deeply in heritage conservation and exploitation activities; each commune aims to build a unique heritage product, associated with OCOP, creating long-term livelihoods.

At the same time, the province continues to strengthen propaganda and education in schools and on digital platforms, helping the young generation understand, be proud of and proactively preserve the cultural identity of their homeland. This is a decisive factor for heritage to not only be preserved but also become a source of inspiration for new creations.

Preserving and promoting cultural heritage in Phu Tho in the new context is a strategic task, both urgent and of long-term value. With great potential, the drastic participation of all levels and sectors and the support of the community, Phu Tho can completely become a unique cultural and festival center of the region, where eternal values ​​continue to shine, contributing to creating a driving force for sustainable development in the new period.

Quang Nam

Source: https://baophutho.vn/bao-ton-va-phat-huy-di-san-van-hoa-tai-phu-tho-trong-giai-doan-moi-243187.htm