Sacred value
The recognition of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son and Kiep Bac relic complex as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO not only affirms the value of the relic complex and the humanistic thoughts of Truc Lam Buddhism, but also contributes to enhancing the national position, promoting regional connectivity, and promoting the image of Vietnam in the international arena.
The inscription is the result of more than a decade of research efforts, completion of dossiers and close coordination between levels, sectors, localities and especially the addition of relics in Hai Phong to ensure the integrity of the heritage. On the newly honored heritage map, Hai Phong has extremely important relic sites: Con Son - Kiep Bac, Thanh Mai Pagoda, Kinh Chu Cave and Nham Duong Pagoda. These are addresses associated with patriotism, folk beliefs and Truc Lam Buddhism, creating a unique cultural identity of the Northeast region. In particular, Con Son - Kiep Bac, located in Tran Hung Dao ward ( Hai Phong city), is the place associated with the names of Tran Hung Dao - Duc Thanh Tran, Nguyen Trai - World Cultural Celebrity and the Third Patriarch of Truc Lam Huyen Quang. For a long time, this place has been considered the "ancestral place" of Truc Lam Zen, the center of convergence of patriotic ideology, ethics and national culture. Not only containing sacred values, this place also preserves intact many rare relics and antiques.
Emphasizing the special role of the Con Son - Kiep Bac relic cluster in the process of national history, 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 Vietnamese cultural qualities crystallize, from the spirit of peace and tolerance to patriotism, military intelligence, and civil rights ideology. For Hai Phong, the Con Son - Kiep Bac relic cluster is a symbol of the heroic spirit of Dong A that has been preserved for many centuries. Promoting the value of heritage does not stop at restoring objects but also needs to awaken that spirit in today's generations, through historical education, scientific research, and community cultural activities.
Strengthening connections, promoting heritage values
Pride in the World Cultural Heritage also sets high demands for the city in the management and long-term protection of the heritage's outstanding global value... From the milestone of recognition, the responsibility to preserve and promote the precious values of this world cultural heritage is not only the task of a particular department, branch, or local government, but becomes the mission of every resident of the heritage area.
With the orientation of promoting heritage associated with sustainable development, Hai Phong is implementing many activities to bring heritage values into the cultural life of the community. The Con Son - Kiep Bac Spring Festival, the Tran Hung Dao Memorial Festival, meditation experiences at Thanh Mai Pagoda or studying steles at Kinh Chu Cave are becoming unique cultural and tourism products. Head of the Department of Cultural Heritage Management (Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism) Vu Truong Son informed: Thanh Mai Pagoda, Kinh Chu Cave, Nham Duong Pagoda are all destinations rich in historical and archaeological values. In particular, Kinh Chu Cave currently preserves 47 ghost stele inscriptions, considered a museum of Vietnamese steles. Heritage in Hai Phong is not only for worship, but also a valuable repository of documents for research, teaching and creating contemporary culture.
Historian Pham Xuan Thanh also recommended strengthening linkage programs between localities in the heritage site to create a synchronous and in-depth conservation and development network: “Heritage has 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 can truly live, spread and nurture the internal strength of regional development…”.
“The Con Son – Kiep Bac heritage is the pride of Hai Phong people. We aim to combine conservation with the development of spiritual eco-tourism, build suitable cultural products, incorporate the heritage into educational programs and organize festivals in a systematic manner, 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 to promote the heritage associated with today's life.
Source: https://thanhphohaiphong.gov.vn/gin-giu-phat-huy-gia-tri-di-san-ben-vung.html
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