Traditional national values are gradually being re-evaluated as a vibrant spiritual resource, contributing to a sustainable foundation for the country's development. From education , art, and media to community activities, more and more innovative models and approaches are emerging that help national values become more accessible and adaptable to contemporary life.
When tradition is "touched" by emotion.
The workshop "New Year's Eve Offering Tray - A Beautiful Cultural Tradition of the Vietnamese People," organized amidst the bustling atmosphere of the days leading up to Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) and led by journalist Vinh Quyen, attracted the attention of a large number of participants both online and in person. In a warm and cozy setting, members reminisced about the sacred atmosphere of the first day of the new year, connected to their youthful memories. For many years, journalist Vinh Quyen has persistently created spaces that reflect the national identity through workshops that recreate and spread the essence of national traditions, especially cuisine . The workshops recreating the New Year's Eve offering tray, Tet offering tray, and trays from the three regions of Vietnam, as well as sharing recipes for Vietnamese dishes, have all received widespread acclaim.
What's remarkable about journalist Vinh Quyen's approach is her choice to focus on everyday things. She doesn't aim to "teach" cooking or recreate rituals in a formulaic way, but rather tells the story behind each dish – a story about the flavors of her hometown, family memories, and a way of life passed down from generation to generation. It is from these seemingly simple details that traditional values are awakened in contemporary life, becoming a natural bond between generations. Many workshop participants shared that after each session, they carried with them not only knowledge but also a beautiful memory, a lingering emotion, and a desire to preserve and spread these positive values in their daily lives.
Explaining her motivation for pursuing these elaborate and heartfelt activities, journalist Vinh Quyen said that what she most desires is to create spaces where traditional values no longer remain confined to books or museums, but return to everyday life – in family meals, in the way things are arranged, in stories told slowly together. She believes that modern society lacks stories told with emotion. When emotions are evoked, appreciation will naturally develop.
Amid concerns about the simplification of traditional values, even the promotion of a "Westernized" lifestyle, journalist Vinh Quyen's approach offers a different perspective. The issue isn't about choosing "tradition" or "modernity," but about the attitude towards acceptance. Only when these values are placed within real life, voluntarily chosen and embraced by people, can they endure, rather than being preserved in an imposed or superficial way.
Sowing seeds through education and community
While journalist Vinh Quyen's activities aim to awaken traditional memories within the adult community, the efforts of education expert Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh focus on nurturing these values from a young age, considering this a crucial foundation for shaping the spiritual character of the younger generation. Through the "Reading with Children" Club and various other educational spaces, she persistently brings national heritage closer to children through creative, lively, and experiential methods.
Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh stated that organizing experiential activities aims at two parallel goals. Firstly, it encourages young people to learn about, recognize, and be proud of the beauty of the Vietnamese spirit, thereby building a solid "spiritual foundation" for self-confidence and resilience in life. Secondly, through traditional values, children can acquire knowledge and skills naturally, without coercion. Traditional folk songs like Xam, Quan Ho, and Cheo plays help children connect with heritage while nurturing emotions, shaping character, and establishing social norms.
From the perspective of someone involved in compiling textbooks on experiential learning, Dr. Nguyen Thuy Anh emphasized the role of schools in integrating traditional art forms into education. Bringing artists to schools, organizing flag-raising ceremonies featuring traditional Vietnamese folk music genres like Xam, Cheo, Tuong, and Quan Ho, or field trips to Quan Ho villages, communal houses, and traditional theaters have shown clear effectiveness. According to her, with the right methods and a genuine love for the nation's core values, fostering appreciation and respect in students is entirely possible.
When traditional values are integrated into education through vivid experiences, heritage is no longer a foreign concept but becomes a natural part of school and community life, contributing to the integration of holistic education with character education, building Vietnamese people who are harmoniously developed intellectually, morally, and culturally.
The creative legacy of the younger generation.
In recent times, many projects and communities initiated and implemented by young people have created a strong wave of spreading traditional values in society. One example is the Dai Viet Co Phong group, established in 2014, which has now become a large connecting space, bringing together hundreds of thousands of young people passionate about researching and sharing knowledge about Vietnamese history, customs, and rituals. From clothing and ceremonies to religious practices, members not only exchange knowledge but also organize many activities to reconstruct, perform, and create digital content, contributing to bringing ancient values back to contemporary life in a modern language.
Similarly, the "Ethnic Colors" project, initiated by Ms. Nguyen Thi Huu, has chosen a creative approach by incorporating folk paintings and traditional color palettes into applied products such as decorative lamps, books, ceramic vases, and handbags. Through researching, restoring, and introducing traditional colors in clothing, art, and daily life, the project contributes to helping the public, especially young people, to more deeply recognize the subtle beauty of national heritage.
The increasing number of creative groups and projects reflects a positive shift in social awareness. Traditional values are no longer seen as "outdated" or opposed to modernity, but rather as a source of inspiration for creativity, affirming individual and community identity in the context of globalization. This is also a vivid manifestation of the continuous transmission process, where each generation both receives and enriches the invaluable values left by their ancestors.
Folklorist Nguyen Hung Vy observes that, in the process of innovation and development, traditional values not only do not fade but also have the conditions to be restored and spread more strongly. However, preservation cannot be separated from understanding and promoting. According to him, each generation needs to be aware that today is the tradition of tomorrow. Transmission should not only stop at preserving existing values, but also involve creating new values for the future based on identity. When the values of truth, goodness, and beauty are nurtured in daily life, this spiritual flow will continue to endure, supporting society and contributing to defining Vietnamese identity in the process of integration.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/giu-gin-net-dep-van-hoa-truyen-thong-post943769.html
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