“Living in Kieu space”: When heritage becomes a cultural tourism product of Ha Tinh

“Anchoring” the Tale of Kieu in today’s life – when people transform themselves to preserve heritage

Sitting in a small house filled with the scent of old wood, folk artist Le Hong Bien - who has been active in the Kieu Xuan Lien Tro Club (now in Co Dam commune) for more than 20 years - tells his life story as if it were the village's story.

He once transformed into Vuong Ong, a skillful drummer in many Kieu performances, and today, in the simple appearance of a "civilian deputy", he spoke passionately about his love for Kieu and his responsibility to his father's cultural heritage.

Tien Dien village, hometown of great poet Nguyen Du. Photo: Nguyen Thanh Hai

“People in my hometown grew up with Kieu. Every time we practice or perform, everyone feels moved, as if they have met the soul of their hometown in each verse and melody. In the past, we sang out of passion, now we sing out of responsibility to preserve and promote the heritage in the journey of cultural tourism of our homeland,” said Mr. Bien.

Besides Mr. Bien, Mr. Mai Tung - Vice Chairman of the Kieu Tro Club is also a "living treasure". Mr. Tung said that singing Kieu tro requires the artist to be knowledgeable in many ancient melodies such as Vi Giam, Ca Tru, Xam, Cheo, Cai Luong... His family has 5 generations of Kieu tro singers, his father is the famous artist Mai Ngan. "Each role is a valuable experience, helping me to understand more deeply the humanistic value of Truyen Kieu, and at the same time, to be more aware of the responsibility of a child of a land rich in cultural traditions in preserving and extending that heritage" , he confided.

Special National Monument Great Poet Nguyen Du Memorial Site. Photo: Dau Ha

Not only the “traditional artisans”, but also in many villages in the old Nghi Xuan region, from teachers, workers to farmers, everyone can “transform” into Kim Trong, Thuy Kieu, Ma Giam Sinh or Hoan Thu. Although not yet truly professional, but with their love for heritage, they have together preserved and “anchored” The Tale of Kieu in today’s life.

Teacher Phan Thi Thuy Diem, Thanh My Secondary School, shared: “I came to the role of Kieu because of that influence. Being able to transform into plays about Kieu, I feel like I am bathing in the cultural spring of my homeland. Every time I perform for tourists or at an event about Nguyen Du, I always feel a special pride.”

In the homeland of the great poet Nguyen Du, it seems that every citizen considers preserving the Tale of Kieu a natural duty, a way to show gratitude to their ancestors.

Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Vo Trong Hai attended the opening ceremony and visited the exhibition, introducing the topic "Great poet Nguyen Du through Nguyen Dynasty woodblock documents".

Ms. Tran Thi Vinh - Deputy Head of the Management Board of Nguyen Du Relic Site - said: " Activities such as Kieu plays, lullabies, and reciting Kieu... not only aim to preserve folk cultural values but also open up a direction for sustainable tourism development. Tourists coming to Tien Dien not only visit the relics, but also 'live in the Kieu space', listen to people tell Kieu, sing Kieu, and feel Kieu".

Since then, the heritage has not only been a souvenir of the past but has become a unique tourism product, connecting culture and community livelihoods. It is the people who “anchor” Kieu with their songs and cultural beliefs that have contributed to keeping the Tale of Kieu alive in contemporary life.

From preservation to dissemination – when Nguyen Du's heritage becomes a cultural tourism product

Besides the space for folk performances, Nguyen Du Relic Site (Tien Dien Commune, Ha Tinh ) has in recent years increasingly become a "living museum" of heritage.

Calligraphy contest in the hometown of the great poet Nguyen Du

Currently, this place is displaying more than 2,000 valuable artifacts and documents about the life and career of the great poet Nguyen Du, the Nguyen Tien Dien family and the Tale of Kieu. This is the result of more than two decades of careful collection, preservation and research.

Ms. Tran Thi Vinh said that the collection process was not easy: “Collectors consider artifacts as treasures, while the Management Board's budget is very limited. But with perseverance and persuasion, we have received many donated artifacts from all over. Recently, thanks to the connection of Mr. Nguyen Duc Vuong (Nghe An ), an old man in Hung Yen donated an ancient zither with a painting of the Tale of Kieu - an asset he has kept for decades.”

Not only stopping at collecting, the Management Board also published more than 11 valuable research and translation books, including Kim Van Kieu Tan Tap (1906), Bilingual Vietnamese-Chinese Research and Translation of Truyen Kieu, Bac Hanh Tap Luc, Hoa Trinh Thi Tap... contributing to "enriching" Nguyen Du's legacy.

Towards the 260th anniversary of the birth and 205th anniversary of the death of the Great Poet (1765–2025), the Management Board is completing a special publication “Nguyen Du Memorial Site – Special National Monument”, fully introducing the life, career and cultural values of the Nguyen Tien Dien family.

According to the plan of the Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee of Ha Tinh province, the ceremony to celebrate the 260th anniversary of the birth and 205th anniversary of the death of the great poet Nguyen Du is expected to take place in the last week of November 2025 in Thanh Sen ward and Tien Dien commune.

The Kieu Club performs folk art associated with Nguyen Du and the Tale of Kieu

The event aims to honor the life, career and human values of Nguyen Du – a world cultural celebrity recognized by UNESCO. At the same time, it is an opportunity to promote the image of Ha Tinh, arouse cultural pride and develop local tourism.

Many special activities will take place: thematic exhibition "Great poet Nguyen Du - Forever remembered", contests of reciting Kieu, reading Kieu, writing calligraphy, performing Kieu plays, folk games in Tien Dien and Thanh Sen wards; along with documentaries and special reports.

Schools in the area are also organizing extracurricular activities and thematic activities on "Nguyen Du - the great poet of the Vietnamese soul", helping the young generation better understand the value of heritage.

Mr. Tran Xuan Luong - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ha Tinh emphasized: "This is an important cultural event of the province. Along with careful preparation for the main ceremony, we are promoting communication, spreading the value of Truyen Kieu and Nguyen Du's heritage on all platforms, so that every citizen can be proud and contribute their voice of gratitude."

The people of Co Dam, Tien Dien today, through their songs, their voices, their collecting hands and their gratitude, have been and are making Nguyen Du’s heritage more vibrant. The Tale of Kieu is not only an immortal piece of literature, but has become a cultural source flowing in community life, the “glue” connecting the past and the present, tradition and modernity.

When every citizen "anchors" The Tale of Kieu in their soul, when the 260th anniversary of the Great Poet's birth becomes a cultural festival for all Ha Tinh people, that is also the time when Nguyen Du's value shines in the era of integration, affirming the identity and cultural stature of Ha Tinh on the map of Vietnam's heritage.

Source: https://congluan.vn/song-trong-khong-gian-kieu-khi-di-san-tro-thanh-san-pham-du-lich-van-hoa-ha-tinh-10316377.html