The Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son and Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex has officially become a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO, contributing unique and sustainable values to the cultural heritage of humanity.
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| The relics in the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son and Kiep Bac Complex are all ranked as National Monuments, Special National Monuments and are protected at the highest level. |
The journey towards the World Heritage title of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex is a long journey, demonstrating Vietnam's efforts over many years. So on the new journey with its new status, how should the Heritage Complex be preserved and promoted?
Every year, every autumn, tens of thousands of people come to Con Son, Kiep Bac (now Chi Linh ward, Hai Phong city), immerse themselves in the festival atmosphere, participate in the procession, the heroic military festival on Luc Dau Giang river - recalling the glorious feats of the Tran Dynasty's army and people in the past. Mr. Le Quang Vinh, a tourist from Hanoi shared: "I came here to commemorate Saint Tran Tran Quoc Tuan, to show gratitude to our ancestors for building the country".
Spring has come, countless visitors have stepped towards the sacred peak of Yen Tu, 1068m high (Yen Tu ward, Quang Ninh province), to attend the spring festival, "finding oneself" through the spirit of "living in the world and enjoying the Dharma" of the Truc Lam Zen sect, which was painstakingly built by King - Buddha Emperor Tran Nhan Tong. Ms. Pham Mai Huong, a visitor to the Yen Tu Spring Festival, excitedly expressed: "In the spring, we went to the bustling, joyful atmosphere, and felt very moved and proud. We learned a lot about the Buddha Emperor's virtues of compassion, joy, and equanimity."
The Spring and Autumn Festivals of Con Son, Kiep Bac, Yen Tu Spring Festival, Ngoa Van Spring Festival, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda Festival, Thanh Mai Pagoda Festival, Bo Da Pagoda Festival... are regularly held every year, demonstrating the lasting vitality of the outstanding intangible values in the 12 component relics of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Monuments and Landscape Complex. Over the centuries, the rituals and performing arts originating from the Tran Dynasty have been passed down and preserved in the minds of the local community, and then restored and promoted, becoming National Intangible Cultural Heritages, continuing to be preserved in the present day. Since the early 1960s, many relics and relic sites have been ranked as National Monuments, then upgraded to Special National Monuments with the highest level of protection.
In recent years, the provinces of Quang Ninh, Hai Duong (now Hai Phong City), Bac Giang (now Bac Ninh Province) have devoted much effort and enthusiasm to preserving not only intangible values, but also natural landscapes, from mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, caves, stone roofs... In the midst of that natural space, the architectural works of temples, pagodas, mausoleums... have been restored and still nestled under the pine canopy, covered by clouds, gradually being conveniently connected thanks to the roads and infrastructure that are being upgraded day by day.
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| Intangible heritage is festivals that have been preserved in communities for centuries, many of which have been restored in recent years. |
A Heritage Management Plan has been developed by relevant sectors and localities with specific built heritage and highly appreciated by Unesco, mobilizing the main participation of local authorities - directly the Management Board of relics and scenic spots; religious dignitaries; businesses and local people. It includes many activities to preserve and manage heritage, protect and improve the landscape as well as minimize risks and negative impacts of development, environmental pollution, natural disasters, etc.
Most Venerable Thich Dao Hien, Deputy Head and Chief Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Quang Ninh province, said that in order to further spread the value of the Heritage, it is necessary to increase understanding of the Heritage through continuing comprehensive research activities.
Sharing the same view, Venerable Thich Thanh Vinh, Deputy Abbot of Vinh Nghiem Pagoda, said that we should expand propaganda and education activities, bring Truc Lam Buddhist ideology and ethics into life, contribute to creating a healthy social environment, and serve the development of the nation and people with the worldly spirit of Truc Lam Buddhism.
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| The spirit of tolerance and creativity of Truc Lam Buddhism not only has fundamental ideological value for the Vietnamese people but has also inspired and brought humanistic values to the international community. |
“Connect with some Buddhist educational centers, schools specializing in culture, tourism, and architecture to learn about preservation methods, and add to the structures that have been weathered over time, helping future generations to know about them. In addition, there will be more accommodations for those who come to study,” Venerable Thich Thanh Vinh emphasized.
Vietnam's commitment is to strengthen the detailed conservation and management plan based on UNESCO's recommendations regarding visitor management, heritage capacity assessment and emergency measures to enhance safety and security, to be completed by 2025. The heritage is recognized in the context of the post-merger of provinces and the implementation of the 2-level local government model, which also requires the rapid completion of the management apparatus, from the relic management agency to the coordination and coordination mechanisms from the central level and between localities.
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| Localities with heritage have developed management plans, from completing master plans for the entire Heritage complex to ideas for digital spaces that link the entire complex. |
Mr. Le Tien Dung, Head of the Quang Ninh Monuments and Landscapes Management Board, said that the unit has developed a conservation action plan, in which restoration activities must strictly comply with legal regulations and the opinions of experts. Along with that is support for protecting the ecosystem and landscape associated with preserving and promoting the value of the Heritage in a worthy manner. "We also apply digital technology in management and service activities for tourists, hoping that when coming to the relic sites, visitors will not only see temples, pagodas, shrines, and towers, but also feel the spirit of the Truc Lam Zen sect, see the vibrant cultural breath in every step," Mr. Dung shared.
Methodical management plans are being implemented, from completing the master plan for the entire Heritage Complex to ideas for digital spaces connecting the entire Complex, "breathing life" into Truc Lam into new cultural products with the participation of local people.
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| The Vietnamese delegation at the 47th session of UNESCO made commitments to preserve, protect and promote the value of the Heritage in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Cultural Heritage and the 1972 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. |
The story of the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac Heritage about "the combination of Truc Lam Zen sect with the nation's patriotic tradition, becoming the ideological and cultural foundation for Dai Viet society in the 14th century and mobilizing the strength of the entire army and people to protect independence, sovereignty, develop the country, and contribute to the common peace" still retains its value after 7 centuries.
The story of the World Heritage today will continue to be written, as Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang, a resident of Yen Tu ward, Quang Ninh province, who is also a tour guide, introduces to visitors from all over the world when visiting Hue Quang Tower Garden, the central relic of Yen Tu: "Standing here, we understand more about the life and career of Buddha King Tran Nhan Tong, so that our descendants can cultivate and enlighten themselves, further spreading the worldly spirit of Truc Lam Zen, towards continuing to build the country and the nation".
According to Truong Giang/VOV-Northeast
Source: https://baovinhlong.com.vn/van-hoa-giai-tri/202507/hanh-trinh-yen-tu-vinh-nghiem-con-son-kiep-bac-viet-tiep-cau-chuyen-di-san-7c32433/
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