Unleashing soft power

As a province with a large ethnic minority population, Tuyen Quang is proud to possess a rich cultural heritage spanning its geographical space and historical flow. In the context of globalization, identifying, preserving, and promoting this heritage is not only about safeguarding identity but also about building "soft power."

Lo Lo Chai village in Lung Cu commune, with its many unique cultural features that attract tourists, has been honored as the best tourist village in the world in 2025.

A land where heritage converges.

Tuyen Quang is like an "open museum" with hundreds of unique cultural heritage sites. The province has 719 historical and cultural relics and scenic spots, and nearly 400 intangible cultural heritage items. Of these, 213 relics are classified at the national level; and 40 intangible cultural heritage items have been recognized at the national level.
Heritage in Tuyen Quang is present in daily life, in every folk song, from Quan Lang, Sinh Ca, and Soong Co. From the sound of the Mong flute calling out to friends to the Tinh lute, these are the very soul of the ethnic group. This soul is clearly expressed through nearly 100 traditional festivals. From the Long Tong Festival of the Tay people, the mysterious Fire Dance Festival of the Pa Then and Dao people, to the Gau Tao Festival of the Mong people… Each festival has its own unique identity.

Mr. Phu Van Thanh, from Thuong Minh village, Minh Quang commune, affirmed: "The Fire Dance Festival is not just for show, but a sacred ritual to thank heaven and earth, and to pray for the health of the villagers and a bountiful harvest. Preserving this festival is also preserving the roots of our nation, so that our descendants, no matter where they go, will not forget their origins."

Management, preservation, and promotion of historical and traditional cultural values ​​have been strengthened. During the 2020-2025 period, the province completed the project on preserving, restoring, and promoting the value of the Tan Trao National Special Historical Site in conjunction with tourism development by 2025; implemented steps to preserve and restore the National Assembly Standing Committee historical site; the Provincial Museum; the Bac Me Prison revolutionary historical site; and carried out the project on preserving and promoting the fine traditional cultural values ​​of ethnic minorities in conjunction with tourism development.

The UNESCO Global Geopark Dong Van Karst Plateau continues to maintain its membership in the Global Geoparks Network. Nine sites have been classified as National Monuments, 23 sites as provincial monuments, and 20 intangible cultural heritage items have been included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

Tuyen Quang is a land that not only possesses a treasure trove of heritage, but also holds a valuable resource for development stemming from its own cultural identity.

The shaman performs the ritual of requesting permission to erect the ceremonial pole during the Gầu Tào Festival. Photo: Cảnh Trực.

Transform heritage into assets.

Regarding the local potential, Mr. Nguyen Trung Ngoc, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated that besides its scenic advantages, it is the vast cultural heritage of its ethnic groups that truly sets Tuyen Quang apart. Therefore, in recent years, the locality has made efforts to "awaken" its heritage to become an attractive tourism resource, positioning the local brand in the eyes of international friends: Developing tourism to preserve culture and using culture as an economic driving force.

In reality, Tuyen Quang's distinctive tourism products are increasingly expanding and improving, making a strong impression on visitors. Among these, community-based tourism and experiential tourism, closely linked to the preservation of traditional cultural values ​​and creating sustainable livelihoods for local people, are receiving significant attention and promotion from many localities.

Upon arriving at the Nặm Đăm Community Tourism Village in Quản Bạ commune, the first impression is the peaceful rural landscape nestled amidst the mountains and forests, with rustic, simple earthen houses hidden under the trees. In the village, local people maintain the tradition of wearing Dao ethnic clothing in their daily lives. Mr. Lý Đài Thông, a folk artist, shared: “Visitors come to Nặm Đăm because of the friendliness and enthusiasm of the villagers, and also because of the traditional culture of the Dao people. Over time, I, along with the community, have participated in restoring many traditional rituals and festivals of the Dao ethnic group in the village; including the Coming-of-Age ceremony, the Dao script, folk songs, and the traditional way of sewing clothing...”

According to Mr. Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, tourism, when viewed in depth, creates unprecedented opportunities for cultural preservation. Many of the most impressively successful tours in Tuyen Quang have succeeded in transforming local culture into unique tourism products. Names like Khau Vai Love Market, Lo Lo Chai fairytale village, and the Vuong family mansion have now become strong brands, where tourists not only come to admire but also to experience the authentic cultural atmosphere.

Traditional culture is integrating into contemporary life, creating livelihoods and pride for the people. According to a report by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in the first 10 months of 2025, the province welcomed over 3 million visitors, with total tourist spending estimated at over 8 trillion VND. Beyond just the numbers, it's noteworthy that Tuyen Quang has been striving to develop tourism through community-based cultural products in villages, creating new and attractive experiences for tourists. This contributes to preserving the local cultural identity.

The decorative art on the traditional costumes of the Red Dao ethnic group in Tuyen Quang has been recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Awakening the heritage

However, alongside the initial achievements, the journey of transforming "heritage" into "assets" also presents numerous challenges. The biggest challenge is the dilemma between preservation and development. When tourism is developed on a massive scale, it's easy to fall into the trap of "theatricalizing" heritage.

Mr. Nguyen Viet Thanh, former Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the province, pointed out a fundamental solution: Preservation must go hand in hand with promoting the value of heritage. The supreme principle is to maintain the original, core values ​​when restoring festivals and to respect the local community as the living environment of the heritage. We should avoid theatricalizing and professionalizing folk art; we should not encourage the mentality of wanting every event to be grand, spectacular, or record-breaking, which diminishes the original meaning of the festival. Traditionally, Long Tong is a village festival, held on different days, with people from one village attending from another. Some localities organize it in the district stadium, using sand to plow the fields... which diminishes the original meaning of the festival. Regarding this, President Ho Chi Minh once advised, "Don't sow sesame and turn it into corn." This means not altering one thing into another, and especially not diminishing or losing the inherent value of the heritage. Therefore, promoting heritage values ​​must aim to satisfy the people's need for authentic and proper cultural enjoyment, while simultaneously creating tourism products and promoting sustainable economic development.

Furthermore, heritage cannot be sustainably preserved solely through appeals or mere pride. Heritage preservation requires genuine policy support. Artisan Phan Chan Quay from Bac Quang commune, who has dedicated his life to the traditional Dao paper-making craft, shared a poignant reality: "Nowadays, few young people are interested in the ancestral craft because of low income and hard work. We want to preserve the craft, but we also need to be able to make a living from it. If we only make it for display, the heritage will fade away."

Mr. Quay's heartfelt words highlight the crucial issue that needs resolving. Associate Professor Dr. Tran Huu Son, former Vice President of the Vietnam Folk Arts Association, stated: "Tuyen Quang needs a specific policy mechanism to provide worthy support for artisans – living human treasures. Without practical support policies, the secrets of papermaking, the Pao Dung melodies, and many other rituals face the risk of generational loss."

Simultaneously, the resource problem requires a solution through social mobilization. Inviting businesses to invest in heritage sites linked to tourism is an inevitable trend. However, architect Hoang Trung Hai, Director of Truc Lam Co., Ltd., a landscape planning expert, warns that social mobilization does not mean loosening management. Local authorities must resolutely say no to the "concretization" mindset that distorts the landscape at historical sites. The original character must be preserved, because that is the soul of the heritage. Losing the original character means losing everything.

But perhaps the most sustainable key to protecting heritage lies within the community itself. No one protects the forests better than the mountain people, and no one protects the culture better than its owners. Tuyen Quang is undergoing a strong transformation, turning its people from the position of "employees" into "subjects" who directly benefit. At Lo Lo Chai Cultural Tourism Village, Mr. Sinh Di Gai, the village head, enthusiastically recounted: "Before, I thought this earthen-walled house was old and dilapidated, and I wanted to tear it down and build a brick house to make it more luxurious. But when we started tourism, Western tourists said they came because of the earthen walls and the embroidered clothes our villagers made. So the whole village encouraged each other to preserve them. Now, the earthen houses and embroidered clothes help our people earn money to send their children to school. Preserving our culture is like preserving our livelihood."

Cultural heritage is a sacred flame passed down through generations, and it needs to be cherished and preserved, promoted. The journey for Tuyen Quang's heritage to "live" and shape the future requires the joint efforts of businesses, the decisive actions of the government, and the love of every citizen. When culture permeates the economy, and the economy in turn nourishes culture, that is the shortest and most sustainable path for Tuyen Quang to develop based on its own unique identity.

Giang Lam

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa/tin-tuc/202511/khoi-nguon-suc-manh-mem-f38051b/