While Bao Vinh was once a bustling international trading port, embodying an ancient city with a liberal "village within a city" structure, witnessing the spectacular intermingling and transformation between local culture and that of Chinese, Japanese, and Western merchants, The Lai Thuong, on the other hand, retains the tranquil atmosphere of an inland region "based on agriculture," with the Than Nong Temple - Mother of Rice, a sacred water source near the royal palace. This ancient village not only bears the indelible mark of politics through its golden pages of history, the fascinating "beauty trap" during the time of Lord Nguyen Hoang, and the ceding of land for the construction of the capital during the reign of Gia Long, but also preserves the spiritual institutions and strict village regulations of a typical village in the capital region.

Blending the dynamic, seaside Bao Vinh with the solemn, affectionate The Lai Thuong, these two ancient villages serve as a mirror reflecting the multifaceted face of the ancient capital's culture, where a glorious past is nurtured, passed down, and silently flows through contemporary life.

1. Bao Vinh: An ancient port city, a "village within the city," once glorious.

Bao Vinh was established at the beginning of the 21st century (during the Nguyên Hòa era - under King Lê Trang Tông), commemorating the pioneering efforts of the founding ancestors, both from the Phạm family in Nam Định. Bao Vinh possesses unique characteristics.

First, there is the continuation of the historical role of Thanh Ha port as a transit station for the capital city, which began in the late 18th century. Due to natural changes that caused the appearance of "Con But" (Minh Huong sandbank), which silted up the river, large ships could not dock at Thanh Ha, and Bao Vinh was transferred. From then on, thanks to its ideal location "close to the market, close to the river, close to the road, close to the capital," especially the deep section of the Perfume River, Bao Vinh quickly inherited and attracted entrepreneurs to become the most bustling trading port, warehouse for maritime goods, and transit center of the capital city during the Nguyen dynasty throughout the 19th century.

Here, it's worth noting the unique "Dual Market" trading model and the Perfume River Floating Market. Bao Vinh formed a unique structure with a land-based market – a transit and storage area – and a true floating market on the Perfume River serving import and export. This became a bustling multinational trading hub, welcoming giant sailing ships from Shanghai, Hainan (China), Japan, Europe, Java, and other countries, carrying silk, porcelain, and traditional Chinese medicine, while also collecting famous local products such as dried betel nuts, raw silk, cinnamon, and agarwood for export. The scene of numerous sailing ships and the clamor of diverse dialects created a vibrant floating market during the day, and a lively, enchanting atmosphere late into the night.

Historical records clearly show a significant milestone at the end of 1672, when Lord Nguyen officially established regulations for waterway and land transport stations to perfect the communication and transportation system throughout the country. In that strategic plan, Bao Vinh was chosen as the starting point – the first station from Bao Vinh to Van Quat – for the entire vital waterway route heading north, with the 16th station at Ho Xa before transitioning to land transport, with each waterway station being allocated 4 boats and 6 oarsmen. Bao Vinh's position as the "First Station" in this waterway station system demonstrates its particularly important role as a transportation hub, serving as the pioneering gateway connecting the capital with the outside world.

The inherent cultural strength and the "Vietnamization" of Chinese merchants became a distinctive feature of the "village within the city," enabling Bao Vinh's development to be shaped by both a diverse group of urban merchants and a traditional agricultural village community. Later, Vietnamese merchants gradually gained dominance because, unlike in other places where the departure of Chinese merchants led to the decline of the port city, in Bao Vinh, as Chinese merchants gradually moved to the Dong Ba - Gia Hoi market area, Vietnamese merchants rose to dominate and maintain a strong domestic trade vitality. Notably, in religious life, unlike typical merchant quarters, the Chinese merchants in Bao Vinh did not establish separate temples dedicated to Quan Thanh (Ông Temple) or Thien Hau (Bà Temple) on-site. They relied on the existing spiritual architecture in Thanh Ha and simultaneously interacted with the local cultural space, from village temples in the north to communal houses in the south.

Thanks to this, Bao Vinh bears the mark of diverse architecture with ancient wooden houses and French-style kiosks. Through many historical upheavals, especially after the fall of the capital in 1885, the architectural appearance that remains in Bao Vinh today is still very unique, with 14 diverse and exquisite ancient wooden houses; 7 French-style quadrilateral houses with quadrilateral gables located close to the riverbank, highlighting the very characteristic river-facing market street planning in Hue .

2. The Lai Thuong Village: The village of the former founding minister and a historical landmark of the capital city.

Located adjacent to the former royal palace area, the ancient village of Thế Lại Thượng possesses distinctive features deeply rooted in the political history and spiritual culture associated with the ups and downs of the dynasties of Đàng Trong. This auspicious land was chosen as the residence of Prince Nguyễn Phúc Diễn, the Crown Prince, Commander of Phước Mỹ Marquis - Phước Quận Công (1684), and the third prince Nguyễn Phúc Trăn, Commander of Cương Quận Công (1685).

The village of Thế Lại Thượng is famous for the legend of Mrs. Ngô Thị Ngọc Lâm. During the Ái Tử battle of 1572, receiving a premonition from the river god, Lord Nguyễn Hoàng followed the plan of the beautiful woman. She voluntarily brought gifts, feigning peace, to lure General Mạc Lập Bạo into an ambush, thus achieving a crucial victory that helped stabilize the military situation in the early stages of territorial expansion. Later, she manifested as a divine being, was granted a royal decree by the Nguyễn dynasty, and is respectfully worshipped at the village temple.

In particular, this place has a unique ancient temple with a dual function: "Founding God - Village Guardian God" (on Bach Dang Street), simultaneously worshipping the local Village Guardian God and the Founding God Vu Due Ho Dai Tuong Quan (possibly Ho Long in O Chau Can Luc - 1553). All of this is housed within a traditional wooden house with lime mortar, along with a system of horizontal plaques and couplets of unique value, reflecting the strict hierarchy and village rules through the regulations that clearly define the order and humane way of life of the inhabitants of this renowned village. In addition, in Dong Trai, the village has the Than Nong Shrine - the central figure of agricultural rituals, associated with the Mother of Rice and the aspiration for peace, favorable weather, and a bountiful harvest.

Notably, this area was a key location for the construction of the Hue Imperial City, and later a Center for Disease Control and Welfare was established here (1814). In 1803, when King Gia Long surveyed the site for the construction of the Hue Imperial City, The Lai was one of eight villages directly affected. The villagers agreed to cede their land and ancestral tombs for the sake of the imperial court's affairs. In return, the villagers received monetary compensation and lifelong exemption from military service. By 1805, The Lai village was officially listed by the imperial court as directly subordinate to the Hue Imperial City under the command of the Imperial City Supervisor. In 1823, the Minh Mang dynasty designated it as one of the eight villages responsible for protecting and repairing the Imperial City, and eligible men were not allowed to serve in government offices. From 1814, when an epidemic broke out, King Gia Long established the first Center for Disease Control and Welfare in The Lai village. This can be considered the first model of a public health hospital combined with social welfare, where patients were provided with money, rice, and medicine by the state; the deceased were given money for burial cloth, affirming the special social welfare role of the Nguyen dynasty here.

In the study of village regulations, the The Lai Thuong Regulations (1929) contain many distinctive contents, reflecting the strict yet humane village governance thinking of the ancient village of Hue. A remarkable progressive aspect is the spirit of "clearing out the troublesome, choosing simplicity" when advocating for the reduction of cumbersome and wasteful rituals, such as the practice of burning "thousands of bundles of paper, tens of thousands of incense burners," and simplifying many ceremonies and rituals, stating, "If the State can reduce the cumbersome, how much more so our village?"

The village established a very progressive relief fund by allocating public land for rent or cultivation to generate capital, using the profits to subsidize the poor, the needy, and those affected by crop failures. In particular, the regulations clearly demonstrated strict rule of law, combating privilege and corruption, resolutely eradicating corruption and embezzlement of public funds, including excessive eating and drinking, greedy consumption of offerings, and drunken violence. Furthermore, to preserve its roots, the village strictly prohibited the unauthorized renting or leasing of religious artifacts and the sale of public land. All of this aimed to preserve the proud character of a cultured village, "continuing the lineage of the capital, with generations of distinguished individuals, residing in a place of culture, and having their names inscribed in the annals of scholarship." The meticulous arrangement of seating positions in the communal hall was a tool for maintaining hierarchical order, ensuring that "those above set the example for those below, respecting the elders and honoring the superiors"—a model village serving as a buffer zone for the capital.

3. A conclusion to open up a journey of discovery and experience.

The two ancient villages of Bao Vinh and The Lai Thuong are perfect pieces of heritage, reflecting the rich and multifaceted cultural and historical landscape of the former capital of Phu Xuan - Hue. The coexistence of these two ancient villages demonstrates the strong adaptability of the people of Thuan Hoa to the changes of the times and also represents two complementary lines of thought in the cultural flow of the ancient capital: open, maritime-oriented for trade, yet still solemn and inward-looking to preserve its roots.

If Bao Vinh symbolized a vibrant "village within a city" river port city, a pioneer in international trade and the exchange of multinational cultures, then The Lai Thuong embodied a sustainable agricultural village rooted in "agriculture as its foundation," imbued with the depth of its glorious history of territorial expansion, ceding land for the construction of the capital city and serving the imperial court. More importantly, both preserved a powerful inherent cultural strength: a Bao Vinh that "Vietnamese-ized" Chinese commerce through indigenous spiritual institutions, and a The Lai Thuong that maintained discipline and order through its rich legal code, imbued with both legal principles and profound humanistic values.

In the contemporary context, as Hue strives towards becoming a global heritage city, preserving and promoting the values ​​of Bao Vinh and The Lai Thuong villages is no longer a matter for individual villages, but has become a strategic task to safeguard the soul of the land. It is the key to connecting a glorious past with a sustainable future, where unique historical values ​​are not frozen but continue to flow silently as a cultural source, nurturing and enriching the identity of the ancient capital today.

Throughout history, this place is not merely two ancient landmarks, but the most compelling evidence of the convergence and flourishing nature of a "blessed land" in Thuan Hoa - Phu Xuan - Hue. As a natural law of heaven and earth and human nature, a blessed land is where auspicious land and water converge, requiring a policy of tolerance for heroes and a place for trade to flourish. The profound inner strength and affectionate spirit of the sustainable agricultural land of The Lai Thuong, combined with the open-minded, sea-oriented thinking, and the willingness to embrace and "Vietnamize" other cultural influences of the Bao Vinh trading port, created a powerful attraction for this area surrounding the imperial capital. Bao Vinh - The Lai Thuong is truly a place of profound peace, possessing many unique and captivating cultural values ​​and dynamics that deserve to be contemplated, explored, and experienced.

Dr. Tran Dinh Hang
Director of the Central Vietnam Branch of the Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/dat-lanh-bao-vinh-the-lai-thuong-166776.html