Explore the hundreds of years old ancient village in the "cloud valley" of Bac Son

(To Quoc) - In Quynh Son commune (Bac Son district, Lang Son province ), out of approximately 1,800 inhabitants, 99% are Tay people. Notably, more than 400 households (accounting for 90% of the entire commune) still live in traditional stilt houses.

By: Nam Nguyen | October 26, 2024

(To Quoc) - In Quynh Son commune (Bac Son district, Lang Son province), out of approximately 1,800 inhabitants, 99% are Tay people. Notably, more than 400 households (accounting for 90% of the entire commune) still live in traditional stilt houses.

Quynh Son commune (Bac Son district, Lang Son province) has six villages with approximately 1,800 inhabitants, of which 99% are Tay people.

Notably, more than 400 households (accounting for 90% of the entire commune) still live in traditional stilt houses.

Quynh Son Community Tourism Village is located in Bac Son district, about 80 km from the center of Lang Son city. Over 400 stilt houses are nestled in the Bac Son valley. The residents here are mainly Tay ethnic people, and up to 90% bear the surname Duong.

The stilt houses here follow the traditional five-bay architecture, mainly made of ironwood and old-growth wood. To obtain enough of these materials, the locals have to painstakingly venture deep into the forests and high mountains to find good, old-growth wood to ensure durability and sturdiness.

The roofs are covered with yin-yang tiles, the average height is about 6-7 meters, and the interiors are spacious and airy.

Mr. Duong Cong Chich's family is one of the first five households to switch to homestay tourism to welcome guests. "Most of the houses in the village are roofed with yin-yang tiles, and the walls are made of wood or bamboo," Mr. Chich introduced the stilt houses.

According to him, yin-yang tiles, also known as trough tiles, are a traditional roofing material for stilt houses of the Tay people. The tiles are characterized by being cool in summer and warm in the cold winter, and are produced right in the commune.

Previously, people slept on the second floor, while the ground floor was often used for keeping cattle, storing farming tools, and storing rice. Since developing community tourism, the lower floor is usually partitioned into bedrooms or renovated to accommodate tourists. The central room (pictured) is used for ancestor worship, the two outer rooms are used by the family to receive guests, and the two side wings are used as bedrooms.

"With the goal of building and developing tourism into a key economic sector, using cultural heritage as the foundation and driving force for development, Bac Son district has organized the restoration, performance, teaching, creation, and dissemination of traditional culture in communities, families, and schools. It has also enhanced some typical festivals that can be held annually, such as: the Na Nhem Festival in Tran Yen commune, the Quynh Son Festival in Bac Quynh commune, the Long Tong Festival in Ban Cam village, Van Thuy commune, the Nghe Yen Lang Festival in Bac Son town; and the Golden Harvest Festival. At the same time, it has improved the quality of activities of traditional village art troupes and folk art clubs at the commune level to best serve tourism," said a representative from the Bac Son District Department of Culture and Information.

Tourists participate in the Bac Son Golden Season Ultra Trail race 2024 - an activity within the "Bac Son Golden Season" Festival 2024.

Tourists can participate in paragliding experiences to admire the golden valley of Bac Son.

Tourists experience paragliding to admire the panoramic view of the golden rice fields of Bac Son district at the "Bac Son Golden Harvest" Festival in 2024.

In particular, tourists will have the opportunity to admire the panoramic view of the Bac Son Golden Valley from above when participating in the "Conquering Na Lay Peak" activity, which offers a breathtaking view of the entire Bac Son Valley (Bac Son Valley is one of the 10 most beautiful karst valleys in the world).

Quynh Son village is surrounded by rice fields along the Thuong River. In autumn, the river water turns green, winding like a silk ribbon across the golden ripening rice paddies.

Tourists can explore the Thuong River by boat.

Visiting Bac Son district in autumn, tourists have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the rice harvest festival with the Tay and Dao ethnic groups. The competition involves three teams, each with four members from the communes of Bac Quynh, Hung Vu, and Long Dong.

Tourists and locals participate in and experience harvesting rice using rudimentary tools in the rice fields of Bac Quynh commune.

Source: https://toquoc.vn/kham-pha-ngoi-lang-co-hang-tram-nam-tai-thung-lung-may-bac-son-20241025151503406.htm