Towards a legacy of the “future”

VHO - A cultural researcher in Ho Chi Minh City called us and said that he had read a very good opinion from a researcher in Central Vietnam, according to which it is not only necessary to preserve the cultural heritage of the past, but also to prepare for the heritage of the "future".

From this perspective, looking at the amendments to the Law on Cultural Heritage recently passed by the National Assembly , one realizes a new way of framing the concept of "heritage" for all of us. Traditionally, the word "heritage" conventionally defines what existed in the past, exists in the present, and needs to be preserved for the future.

These are the results, the products crystallized from human labor and intellect, having gone through certain ups and downs with history, perhaps steeped in blood, bones, and tears, perhaps buried in the dust of time, but when unearthed and discovered, they bring new thinking and understanding about what humanity has experienced.

We cherish the past, "nailing" the enduring cultural values ​​of what remains. What can be updated and further developed in life, we organize preservation; what is outdated and no longer relevant, we put into museums. Regardless of the form, the "seal" of the past remains key to understanding heritage. However, life is moving forward. Therefore, each person today needs to reconsider what legacy our achievements, efforts, and methods will leave for future generations. This is necessary and serious preparation to prevent our heritage from becoming "outdated." What we are doing and preparing to do is the legacy of the future; why can't we solemnly acknowledge our responsibility there? How can we ensure that our descendants can look back on today's history with pride and reverence? That is the most correct way to build our future heritage.

The recently passed amended Law on Cultural Heritage is partly shaping these responsible perspectives and understandings. The rights and obligations we should bear, clearly understood in the face of today's reality, and in our dealings with what our ancestors left behind—in order to create a strong nation and a resilient people—need to be firmly established in everyone's thinking. This ensures that responsibility for heritage is not merely the words of others, nor is it just a slogan or aphorism.

The new provisions in the amended Law on Cultural Heritage are all linked to the trends that humanity is building and choosing. These reflect the quality of our behavior in dealing with treasures and artifacts, the crystallization of communication conventions and language passed down from our ancestors. Then, in turn, we must consider how to supplement and enrich these values, enhancing them with new and improved elements. For example, with the treasure trove of folk literature, proverbs, folk songs, and six-eight syllable poems passed down from our ancestors, how are we studying and absorbing them, explaining them to younger generations, and ensuring they appreciate and remember them? Finally, we must consider what we, with sufficient wisdom and confidence, can add to this treasure trove – this is the heritage of the future.

People often quote the saying, "If you shoot at the past with a pistol, the future will answer with a cannon." That's true, but it's too stressful. The future needs to look at us more positively. We need the future to acknowledge our good efforts, not to judge us. "If you plant a tree today, your descendants will have a forest," the researcher said, and he likes this way of thinking because it creates a legacy for the future.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/huong-den-di-san-tuong-lai-113370.html