Telling new stories for ancient heritage

Choosing to attend a presentation on Southern communal houses and pagodas as a birthday gift for herself in April 2023, Dinh Thi Bang Chau did not expect that decision to ignite in her a strong passion for heritage and urge her to form a project called "Soul of communal houses in the city".

Two years later, that idea took shape, becoming the final project of the group of students in the ABG Young Leaders in Education program, cohort 05 (ABG Leadership Institute, headquartered in Hanoi), with the desire to develop an experiential education model linked to local cultural heritage.

Notably, Master Phan Nguyen Kien Nam (Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), who led the presentation years ago, is now a co-speaker with the group throughout the project.

Furthermore, the program also received dedicated guidance from Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Hoang Anh, Head of ABG Education and former lecturer at the Foreign Trade University ( Hanoi ). The " Spirit of the Village Temple in the City" project began with articles and images shared about village temples in Ho Chi Minh City via the fanpage. This was followed by a practical program designed as a journey connecting knowledge and experience, which took place in early August.

Accordingly, in the morning, participants will learn fundamental knowledge about Sino-Vietnamese script and the Sino-Vietnamese heritage system at the temple. In the afternoon, they will visit and learn firsthand at Chi Hoa Temple, a national historical and cultural relic over 300 years old, which was once where Vo Truong Toan taught during the period 1785-1792. Young people will learn about the history of the temple, learn how to read and understand the couplet diagrams, and listen to ancient stories still imprinted on every brick and tile.

“I was once a young person who found temples and pagodas to be something unfamiliar. But thanks to some research, I realized that young people's interest in heritage is an undercurrent, never lost but just waiting for the right moment to burst forth. The project aims to contribute to creating a learning space and connecting generations, between traditional values ​​and new approaches,” Bang Chau shared.

In the context of folk cultural forms gradually fading in modern urban life, initiatives like " The Soul of the Village Temple in the City" open up new avenues to bring village temple culture closer to the community – especially young people. With the support of technology and an open mind, today's young generation can absolutely become new storytellers of ancient values, preserving heritage in a way that is both creative and imbued with the Vietnamese spirit.

LIBRA

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/ke-chuyen-moi-cho-di-san-xua-post807779.html