For Bac Ninh , that spirit was soon deeply ingrained in the awareness and actions of the Party Committee, the government and all classes of people. Bac Ninh always identifies heritage as an invaluable asset, the foundation for sustainable development. With thousands of years of history, this land preserves the richest heritage treasure in the country, from tangible heritage to intangible heritage, from architectural, archaeological and religious relics to folk songs and traditional crafts imbued with national identity.
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Generations practice preserving the heritage of Dong Ho folk painting craft. Photo: Thuan Thao. |
Currently, Bac Ninh has nearly 4,000 inventoried historical and cultural relics, 1,415 ranked relics, the land of 1,383 traditional festivals held annually; 7 cultural heritages listed and recognized by UNESCO. Bac Ninh is one of 3 localities with relics belonging to the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiep Bac complex, a world heritage recognized by UNESCO; 24 artifacts, groups of artifacts recognized as national treasures; 33 intangible cultural heritages included in the List of National Cultural Heritage; 246 artisans in the field of intangible cultural heritage and nearly 200 traditional craft villages... With a rich heritage system, Bac Ninh is considered a "living museum" of Vietnamese culture, a place to preserve the core values that make up the Vietnamese national identity.
In the 20-year journey of honoring Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day, Bac Ninh has made strong strides in heritage conservation and promotion. The province always adheres to the viewpoint that conservation must go hand in hand with development, preserving but not freezing, promoting but not distorting heritage. Many relics have been restored and embellished according to scientific processes, ensuring the principle of preserving the original elements to the maximum. Traditional festivals have been restored with proper rituals, creating space for the community to participate, enjoy and pass on cultural values. At the same time, Bac Ninh focuses on inventorying tangible and intangible cultural heritage, building databases and promoting digitalization for long-term preservation and facilitating research and promotion.
Regarding Bac Ninh Quan Ho folk songs, the province has built a policy mechanism to support the original Quan Ho villages, practicing Quan Ho villages, artisans and the Quan Ho movement in the community. Many forms of Quan Ho teaching have been widely deployed, from clubs to schools; many professional art programs have been staged; many Quan Ho living spaces have been preserved or restored. Thanks to that, Quan Ho is not only sustainably protected but also becomes a cultural and tourism symbol of the province.
Bac Ninh is also a typical locality in preserving and promoting traditional crafts, not only economic products but also cultural crystallizations of Kinh Bac people over many generations. The province has implemented many solutions for sustainable development of traditional crafts such as building OCOP products, supporting design innovation, promoting brands, and linking craft village products with experiential tourism. In particular, with Dong Ho paintings - a unique heritage that Vietnam is building a dossier to nominate UNESCO for recognition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Protection, with a meeting scheduled to be held in December 2025 in New Delhi, India - Bac Ninh is making efforts to create a favorable environment for the painting profession to continue to be passed on and developed in contemporary life.
Cultural tourism has also become the main direction of Bac Ninh in recent years. Tours and routes such as "Journey to the land of Quan Ho", "Return to the land of Luy Lau - the ancient capital of Buddhism", "Experience Kinh Bac craft villages" or "Explore the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem complex" have increasingly attracted a large number of tourists. Tourism infrastructure has been invested synchronously; cultural institutions - museums have been upgraded; many creative spaces have been formed. Bac Ninh is building the image of a friendly destination, imbued with traditional values but constantly innovating.
Another highlight of Bac Ninh is the work of honoring the artisans - those who play an important role in preserving and transmitting the heritage. Many Quan Ho artisans, folk artisans, and artisans of craft villages have been awarded honorary titles by the State; supported in creating and teaching; and cared for in their material and spiritual lives. It is this concern that has motivated the artisans to continue to contribute, so that the heritage continues to "live" in the community.
Thanks to tireless efforts, Bac Ninh today shines as one of the typical localities in cultural heritage work. Each restored relic, each Quan Ho folk song or other traditional folk songs sung, each revived craft contributes to enriching Vietnamese identity, creating endogenous strength for development. Bac Ninh has proven that heritage conservation is not only a responsibility to the past, but also a smart choice for the future - the foundation of cultural economy, cultural tourism and creative industries.
Entering a new development phase, when Bac Ninh is aiming to become a centrally-run city, the work of preserving cultural heritage is of even greater strategic significance. The province continues to promote the role of the community in heritage conservation; accelerate digital transformation, form a creative ecosystem based on traditional culture; perfect the system of cultural institutions; raise people's awareness and spiritual life. These orientations are consistent with the world's development trends and meet the requirements of the 2024 Law on Cultural Heritage - a law expected to open up a new breakthrough in the management and promotion of heritage values.
Looking back on the 80-year journey of implementing President Ho Chi Minh's testament on preserving ancient relics and 20 years of honoring Vietnam's cultural heritage, it can be affirmed that Bac Ninh has been writing a beautiful story about the love of tradition and cultural mettle of Kinh Bac people. It is a story of perseverance, creativity and solidarity; pride in the values left by our ancestors; determination to let those values continue to illuminate the future. Bac Ninh today is both modern and dynamic, ancient and profound; integrated and preserving its identity - a testament to the truth: Culture is the soul of the nation.
Heritage does not only belong to the past. Heritage lives in every breath of life today and continues to accompany future generations. On the journey of preserving and promoting that heritage, Bac Ninh is making an important contribution so that the “Vietnamese soul” always shines, is durable, humane and full of pride.
Dr. Nguyen Van Dap, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Source: https://baobacninhtv.vn/toa-sang-tinh-hoa-di-san-van-hoa-bac-ninh-postid431543.bbg
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