Weak evidence
Ms. H.'s outing at the 2025 Pho Festival at Thang Long Imperial Citadel suddenly lost its charm. Passing by the Nam Dinh pho stall, she saw the slogan "the cradle of pho." Although Co's pho was flavorful and sold well at this year's Pho Festival, it didn't mean Nam Dinh was the cradle of pho. "I don't understand why Nam Dinh, or Van Cu village (where the Co family is known for their expertise in pho), is considered the cradle of pho," she wondered.
A bowl of pho offered to the guardian deity of Van Cu village.
PHOTO: TRINH NGUYEN
Ms. H.'s question is not without merit. To date, there is no historical evidence to prove that Van Cu village, or Nam Dinh in general, is the birthplace of pho. In Pierre Gourou's book, "The Peasants of the Tonkin Delta" (published in the 1930s), the villages specializing in selling pho mentioned are Di Trach village in Ha Dong, Hanoi , and Giao Cu village in Nam Truc, Nam Dinh. The author does not mention Van Cu village.
Researcher Trinh Quang Dung, author of the book "One Hundred Years of Vietnamese Pho ," stated that according to his research, in the early 20th century, "pho vendors carrying their wares" from Nam Dinh province traveled to Hanoi to sell their pho. Around the same time, there was also another type of pho originating from Di Trach, Ha Dong province (now Hanoi).
Despite the lack of definitive proof that it is the "cradle of pho," the aforementioned slogan has been used repeatedly in pho promotional events in various locations. In 2024, Van Cu village in Nam Dinh used it. Even on the Pho Festival 2025 fan page, there are other images bearing this slogan. One of them shows an event honoring pho at the Van Cu village cultural center. Another image shows Dong Son Secondary School holding a competition to "learn about the traditional Van Cu pho craft - the cradle of pho"…
The national dossier on the intangible cultural heritage of Nam Dinh Pho acknowledges that the pho-making profession provides income and improves the livelihoods of the people, especially those in Giao Cu, Van Cu, and Tay Lac villages of Nam Truc district, Nam Dinh province. The dossier also notes that from the first mobile pho vendors, many generations of villagers have opened their own shops… They have also taken the traditional Pho Co and traditional Pho Nam Dinh brands to open shops in Nam Dinh city and spread throughout major cities and provinces nationwide, as well as abroad, to establish their businesses. However, this dossier makes no assertion that Nam Dinh or Van Cu is the "cradle of the pho profession".
"The cradle of pho" - a controversial slogan introduced at the Pho Festival 2025.
PHOTO: HP
A document reiterates the slogan "the cradle of pho making".
PHOTO: TAKEN FROM THE PAGE "LAND AND PEOPLE OF NAM DINH"
Contrary to the spirit of the 2003 UNESCO Convention.
The slogan "the cradle of pho" in activities originating from Nam Dinh has also caused confusion in the community regarding Hanoi pho. So, did Nam Dinh pho "give birth" to Hanoi pho? Meanwhile, this is not mentioned at all in the intangible cultural heritage dossiers for Hanoi pho and Nam Dinh pho. While the Nam Dinh pho dossier dedicates a large portion to the local pho-making craft, the Hanoi pho dossier contains more content about pho culture and how to enjoy pho in Hanoi. There is no "competition for supremacy" between these two dossiers.
I recall that in 2024, when asked for her opinion on the slogan "the cradle of pho," Dr. Le Thi Minh Ly, Vice President of the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Association, stated that it could mislead about the heritage and the communities preserving it. Dr. Ly also argued: "It can be said that Nam Dinh and Van Cu are home to long-standing and famous pho-making villages. This does not affect other communities that also practice pho. The 2003 Convention encourages cultural diversity and creativity, so perhaps comparisons or the use of words like 'unique' should be avoided in heritage documents."
Regarding the slogan "the cradle of pho," Associate Professor Dr. Le Thi Thu Hien, Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), stated that the 2003 UNESCO Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage outlines ethical principles for cultural heritage practices. "This requires ensuring respect for the communities involved and avoiding conflict or competition in these practices," Dr. Hien said.
Therefore, recognizing a region as a "cradle" greatly influences the heritage because intangible cultural heritage is not meant to create so-called competition or rivalry, but rather to work together to protect it. "Government agencies must support communities to respect this. We must also always be deeply aware of this to create conditions for organizations and individuals in society to understand and respect the community in accordance with the spirit of the Law on Cultural Heritage and the 2003 Convention," Associate Professor Dr. Hien emphasized.
According to Associate Professor Dr. Le Thi Thu Hien, when researching and preparing heritage dossiers for submission to UNESCO, an important task is to identify the communities responsible for the heritage, regardless of their geographical location. The initial dossier for Cheo (traditional Vietnamese opera) identified Cheo in the Red River Delta, but later changed the name because Cheo exists in many other areas as well… "We never say that the birthplace of Pho is Nam Dinh or Hanoi. That is the cultural value of the communities in different localities. The knowledge of Pho in Nam Dinh differs from that in Hanoi, and not every place is considered the birthplace," she said.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lai-tranh-luan-ve-cai-noi-cua-nghe-pho-185250423215904212.htm
Comment (0)