Preserving and promoting sustainable heritage values

Enrolled in the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son, Kiep Bac relic complex is facing a great opportunity to spread the spirit of national culture, promote regional connectivity and sustainable development associated with conservation. In particular, Hai Phong, with the highlight of Con Son – Kiep Bac relic, Thanh Mai pagoda, Kinh Chu cave, Nham Duong pagoda is gradually realizing the heritage values ​​in the contemporary era.

 

The Con Son - Kiet Bac historical site complex is ready to welcome the autumn festival. Photo: DO HIEN

Sacred value

The recognition of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiet Bac complex of historical sites and scenic spots as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO not only affirms the value of the complex and the humanistic ideas of Truc Lam Buddhism but also contributes to enhancing the nation's standing, promoting regional linkages, and showcasing the image of Vietnam internationally.

The inscription is the result of more than a decade of research efforts, dossier completion, and close coordination between various levels, sectors, and localities, and especially the addition of relics within Hai Phong's territory to ensure the integrity of the heritage. On the newly recognized heritage map, Hai Phong has extremely important historical sites: Con Son – Kiet Bac, Thanh Mai Pagoda, Kinh Chu Cave, and Nham Duong Pagoda. These are locations associated with patriotism, folk beliefs, and Truc Lam Buddhism, creating a distinctive cultural identity of the Northeast region. Among them, Con Son – Kiet Bac, located in Tran Hung Dao ward (Hai Phong city), is associated with the names of Tran Hung Dao – Saint Tran, Nguyen Trai – a world cultural figure, and the Third Patriarch of Truc Lam, Huyen Quang. For a long time, it has been considered the "ancestral place" of the Truc Lam Zen sect, a center of patriotic thought, morality, and national culture. Besides containing sacred values, this place also preserves many rare and precious artifacts and relics intact.

Emphasizing the special role of the Con Son - Kiet Bac historical site complex in the nation's historical process, Chairman of the Hai Phong Historical Science Association Pham Xuan Thanh said: "This is not only a sacred space of Truc Lam Buddhism, but also a place where the essence of Vietnamese culture is crystallized, from the spirit of harmony and tolerance to patriotism, military wisdom, and the ideology of civil rights. For Hai Phong, the Con Son - Kiet Bac complex is a symbol of the heroic spirit of the Dong A era, preserved through many centuries. Promoting the value of this heritage should not only focus on physical restoration but also on reviving that spirit in today's generations through historical education, scientific research, and community cultural activities."

Strengthening linkages and promoting the value of heritage.

The pride in being a World Cultural Heritage site also places high demands on the city in the long-term management and protection of the outstanding universal value of the heritage... From the moment of its inscription, the responsibility of preserving and promoting the precious values ​​of this World Cultural Heritage site is not only the task of any single department or local government, but becomes the mission of every citizen in the heritage area.

With a focus on promoting heritage in conjunction with sustainable development, Hai Phong is implementing numerous activities to integrate heritage values ​​into community cultural life. The Con Son – Kiet Bac Spring Festival, the Tran Hung Dao Commemoration Festival, meditation experiences at Thanh Mai Pagoda, and research on inscriptions at Kinh Chu Cave are becoming unique cultural and tourism products. According to Vu Truong Son, Head of the Cultural Heritage Management Department (Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism): Thanh Mai Pagoda, Kinh Chu Cave, and Nham Duong Pagoda are all destinations rich in historical and archaeological value. In particular, Kinh Chu Cave currently preserves 47 rock inscriptions, considered a museum of Vietnamese inscriptions. Heritage in Hai Phong is not only for worship but also a valuable source of information for research, teaching, and the creation of contemporary culture.

Historian Pham Xuan Thanh also suggested strengthening collaborative programs between localities within the heritage area to create a comprehensive and in-depth conservation and development network: “Heritage knows no administrative boundaries. It is time for provinces and cities to work together to establish an effective coordination mechanism – in planning, communication, and tourism product development – ​​so that heritage truly lives, spreads, and nurtures the region's internal development…”

“The Con Son – Kiet Bac heritage site is the pride of the people of Hai Phong. We aim to link conservation with the development of spiritual and ecological tourism, build suitable cultural products, integrate the heritage into educational programs, and organize festivals in a systematic way, in order to widely spread the spirit of Truc Lam into contemporary life…”, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Thi Hoang Mai shared the orientation for promoting heritage in connection with today's life.

Source: https://thanhphohaiphong.gov.vn/gin-giu-phat-huy-gia-tri-di-san-ben-vung.html