Ngoc Linh ginseng folk knowledge recognized as heritage

On the afternoon of May 14, Mr. Nguyen Thanh Hong, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam province, said that the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism has just signed a decision to include the folk knowledge of Ngoc Linh ginseng in Nam Tra My district (Quang Nam) in the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism assigns the Chairmen of People's Committees at all levels where intangible cultural heritages are included in the list, within the scope of their tasks and powers, to carry out state management in accordance with the provisions of law on cultural heritage.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Thanh Long (second from left) visits the Ngoc Linh ginseng display booth at a recent conference in Quang Nam.

PHOTO: MANH CUONG

According to the records, the heritage is located in Nam Tra My district. Ngoc Linh ginseng growing areas are in Tra Linh, Tra Nam, Tra Cang, Tra Tap, Tra Don, Tra Leng, Tra Don and Tra Vinh communes, with a large concentration in Tra Linh commune.

The cultural subjects are the residential communities of Tra Linh, Tra Cang, Tra Nam, Tra Don, Tra Tap, Tra Leng, Tra Don and Tra Mai communes in Nam Tra My district.

Previously, at the end of May 2024, the People's Committee of Quang Nam province sent a document to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism proposing to include in the list of national intangible cultural heritage "Folk knowledge of exploiting, growing and processing Ngoc Linh ginseng, Nam Tra My district, Quang Nam province".

According to the People's Committee of Quang Nam province, folk knowledge exploits, grows and processes Ngoc Linh ginseng, also known as the "hidden medicine" plant. For ethnic minorities, this is considered a panacea with very good healing and health-enhancing effects. Living on nature, ethnic minorities have long lived around the Ngoc Linh mountain range. Especially the Xo Dang ethnic group, they have long known about a precious medicinal plant growing in the primeval forests.

This is folk knowledge with unique historical and cultural values, closely associated with slash-and-burn agriculture and forest economy. This also demonstrates the closeness and harmony with the natural environment of the local community.

The access, propagation, planting and processing of Ngoc Linh ginseng brings very high economic value, showing the change and development of production practices from exploitation and gathering to concentrated production and intensive investment, thanks to which a part of the people of Nam Tra My district have escaped poverty sustainably.

Through the process of practicing heritage, the local community has gained many valuable experiences, forming a fairly complete system of folk knowledge about Ngoc Linh ginseng.

The folk knowledge of exploiting, growing and processing Ngoc Linh ginseng of ethnic minorities in Nam Tra My district can be considered a valuable treasure, both of cultural value and of great significance for socio-economic development.

Besides the potentials that ginseng brings, the preservation and promotion of traditional professional knowledge in exploiting, planting and processing Ngoc Linh ginseng also needs to be preserved and maintained.

Ngoc Linh ginseng grows on the top of Ngoc Linh mountain at an altitude of 1,500 m - 2,100 m above sea level.

PHOTO: MANH CUONG

In Quang Nam, Ngoc Linh ginseng grows naturally on Ngoc Linh mountain from an altitude of 1,500 m - 2,100 m above sea level, growing in clumps under the canopy of old forests along moist streams on humus-rich soil, distributed mainly in the villages of Tra Linh commune, Nam Tra My district.

With its high nutritional and medicinal values ​​that have been researched and published, Ngoc Linh ginseng is recognized by the Government as a national product.

Currently, Ngoc Linh ginseng is produced and processed into many different products to serve consumer needs, contributing to enriching local products.

Top 5 best ginseng in the world

Ngoc Linh ginseng is associated with the folk name of precious medicinal plant, hidden medicinal plant, with the scientific name Panax vietnamensis, is a plant species of the Araliaceae family, also known as Vietnamese ginseng, ginseng of the fifth zone (K5 ginseng), bamboo ginseng (bamboo-jointed ginseng, bamboo-cut ginseng).

Ngoc Linh ginseng is listed in the Red Book of Vietnam Plants, is one of the rare and expensive ginsengs and is in the top 5 best ginsengs in the world.

Ngoc Linh ginseng is also the 20th type of ginseng found in the world. Its diverse chemical compounds and practical effects on human health make Ngoc Linh ginseng currently sold on the market at increasingly higher prices, even many times higher than Korean ginseng.

Vietnam's Ngoc Linh ginseng has the highest saponin content (about 12-15%) and is the most compared to other species of the Panax genus.

In addition, Ngoc Linh ginseng also contains 14 fatty acids, 16 amino acids (including 8 irreplaceable amino acids) and 18 macro and micro elements...

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tri-thuc-dan-gian-sam-ngoc-linh-duoc-cong-nhan-la-di-san-18525051418060847.htm