Countryside soul from Phuc Sen stone fence

Stone fences that stand the test of time create a unique landscape.

For generations, the Nung An people in Phuc Sen have been attached to stones as an inseparable part of their lives. In this mountainous land, wherever they go, they encounter stones, whatever they do, they are attached to stones. Plowing the fields, they find stones, they pick them up and place them on the bank. Clearing the fields, they find stones, they carry them home. As the years go by, each small stone is gradually collected, stacked, forming a fence around the garden, blocking the wind, protecting the soil, blocking paths, and preventing erosion. Stone fences in Phuc Sen do not use cement or mortar, only skillful hands and a keen eye. People know how to choose which stone to put below as the foundation, which stone to put on top to balance, so that the wall can stand firmly through many rainy and sunny seasons. Each fence is like a rustic work of art, built with the labor and patience of the people of the mountainous region. Mrs. Nong Thi Phuong, an elder in the village, recalled: “In the past, every family built their own fence. Whoever had a lot of stones would help their neighbors. Making stone fences was both strong and prevented buffaloes and cows from destroying the fields. To their children and grandchildren, the fences remained the same.”

Along the small paths around the village, you can see undulating stone fences covered with green moss everywhere. Some sections of the fences curve along the slope, like a stream connecting one house to another. In some places, stone fences are used to surround graves, protect tree roots, make well banks or demarcate fields. Every time the sun sets, the last rays of the day shine down on the stone fences, creating a warm yellow strip. In the village's cemeteries, stones are also present in a solemn manner. Ancestral graves are surrounded by neatly arranged stone slabs, creating a feeling of durability and solidity.

Nowadays, modern life is gradually spreading to every small alley of Phuc Sen. Traditional stone fences are also gradually being replaced by brick walls and iron fences, which are convenient, quick and less labor-intensive. Many old fences are leaning and mossy, and no one repairs them anymore. However, many local people still persist in maintaining the old ways. Some households also know how to combine the preservation of this beauty with the development of community tourism , inviting visitors to experience stone stacking, listen to stories about stone worship, and walk among the mossy stone alleys.

In front of many houses, there is still a “Cự Thạch” – a stone carved in the shape of a guard dog, believed to ward off evil and bring peace. On the 1st and 15th of the lunar month, people make small offerings before the Cự Thạch as a way of expressing gratitude to the guardian spirit.

Van Tiep

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hon-que-tu-hang-rao-da-phuc-sen-post915723.html