Folk knowledge about Ngoc Linh ginseng is a national intangible cultural heritage.

VHO - On May 14, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam province announced that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has decided to include the folk knowledge about Ngoc Linh ginseng in Nam Tra My district, Quang Nam province in the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

According to the decision, the Chairman of the People's Committee at all levels where the heritage is located will be responsible for organizing the implementation of state management of the recognized heritage.

At the same time, the Chief of the Ministry's Office, Director of the Department of Cultural Heritage, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam province, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam province, heads of agencies, units and individuals related to intangible cultural heritages included in the list are responsible for implementing this decision.

The folk knowledge of Ngoc Linh ginseng cultivation is included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage, which will create a basis for preserving, honoring and promoting the value of intangible cultural heritage of the locality and the nation.

Nam Tra My District, Quang Nam Province is known as the capital of Ngoc Linh ginseng, a particularly rare and valuable medicinal herb, with unique characteristics that other ginseng species in the world do not have. It is a national product, the "green gold" of the country.

Folk knowledge about recognizing, exploiting and using Ngoc Linh ginseng of the community in Nam Tra My district has a long-standing historical value, contributing to demonstrating the approach, attachment, closeness to the forest, and harmony with the natural environment of the community here for generations.

The approach, propagation and cultivation of Ngoc Linh ginseng by ethnic minorities in Nam Tra My district in recent times have achieved many results, demonstrating the change and development of production practices from exploitation and gathering to concentrated production and effective intensive investment.

Ngoc Linh ginseng was discovered by ethnic minorities in Quang Nam, especially the Xo Dang people in Nam Tra My district, a long time ago, associated with their forest-going habits.

In addition to the conditions of climate, soil, altitude, through the process of practice, attachment to the profession, traditional customs and rituals, along with experience and folk knowledge in exploiting, preparing seeds, planting techniques, caring for and processing Ngoc Linh ginseng have been accumulated by the local community over time and have been preserved, passed down, and developed, contributing to the preservation of precious genetic resources and the replication and development of Ngoc Linh ginseng.

Along with that are the material and spiritual products created in the process of practicing intangible cultural heritage and related cultural spaces.

Than Sam Temple in Kon Pin village was built in 2020 in Tra Linh commune according to the wishes of Ngoc Linh ginseng growers in Nam Tra My district.

Currently, with the true values ​​brought by Ngoc Linh ginseng, the economic value of Ngoc Linh ginseng products has increased greatly, becoming a key commodity to contribute to poverty reduction, stabilizing the lives of ethnic minorities in ginseng growing areas.

In addition, with the great potential for future development from Ngoc Linh ginseng, it has attracted many domestic businesses to invest in renting forests to grow Ngoc Linh ginseng, building factories to process products from Ngoc Linh ginseng, contributing to the development of the pharmaceutical industry and the socio-economy of Nam Tra My district, Quang Nam province in particular and the whole country in general.

The Ngoc Linh ginseng and medicinal herbs market organized monthly by Nam Tra My district has become a typical tourism product of the Tra My highlands.

Folk knowledge about exploiting, planting and processing Ngoc Linh ginseng is closely linked to the social customs of the local people. Therefore, the development of cultural tourism, including activities of exploring the mountainous areas and experiencing ginseng gardens, brings benefits to the locality, contributing to preserving the cultural beauty of ethnic minorities in Nam Tra My district.

In recent times, along with the propaganda to encourage people to expand the area of ​​Ngoc Linh ginseng cultivation, Nam Tra My district has also focused on trading goods and expanding the market for Ngoc Linh ginseng consumption. There are many products made from Ngoc Linh ginseng that have achieved 3-star and 4-star OCOP products at the provincial level.  

According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Nam, folk knowledge in exploiting, planting and processing Ngoc Linh ginseng in Nam Tra My district plays a very important role in the lives of ethnic minorities in the locality in particular, for Quang Nam province and the country in general.

At the same time, this is a heritage associated with the mountain residents, connecting residents between regions, thereby demonstrating the spirit of national solidarity.  

Besides ginseng cultivation, the treasure of folk knowledge of ethnic minorities living at the foot of Ngoc Linh mountain needs to be further supplemented and cultivated in the future, becoming a valuable asset for people to build a rich and beautiful life.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/tri-thuc-dan-gian-ve-sam-ngoc-linh-la-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-quoc-gia-134652.html