National culture: A sacred thing that cannot be distorted! - Part 2: Without culture - There is no nation

- In the turbulent flow of history, few nations in the world can proudly affirm the strong survival of their identity like Vietnam. Over a thousand years of Chinese domination, through many fierce wars of national defense, our nation still stands firm, preserving and promoting core cultural values. This is not only a historical miracle, but also a living proof of the truth: without culture, there is no nation.

Lesson 1: Those who plot to steal the soul of the nation

Patriotism is the source of cultural strength.

Culture, for a nation, is not just customs, traditions, festivals or material heritage. It is the source of spiritual nourishment, the invisible thread connecting millions of people across space and time, creating a unique and unmistakable identity. Culture is the lifeblood, the solid foundation that helps us overcome all harsh challenges.

For the Vietnamese, patriotism is the source of cultural vitality. Patriotism is not an abstract concept, but it is expressed through heroic historical stories, through folk songs and proverbs imbued with love for the country. Since the founding of the nation, patriotism has been nurtured and passed down from generation to generation, becoming the guiding principle for all actions.

Under the yoke of Northern domination, the enemy's plot to assimilate culture has never succeeded. It was patriotism that urged our ancestors to steadfastly preserve their language, writing, customs and beliefs. Lullabies, fairy tales and traditional festivals have become a strong "shield" to protect the national soul from cultural invasion.

Many traditional festivals of Tuyen Quang province have been restored, including the Long Tong festival.

In the Proclamation of Victory over the Wu by Nguyen Trai, it was affirmed: “Like our Dai Viet country from the past/Has long been known as a cultured country/The mountains, rivers, and borders have been divided/Northern and Southern customs are also different/From Trieu, Dinh, Ly, Tran dynasties, many generations have built the foundation of independence/With Han, Tang, Tong, Nguyen dynasties, each side has claimed to be emperor of a region/Although the strength and weakness of each period are different/But every generation has its heroes” . Nguyen Trai showed the important role of culture in the survival of each nation. In any era, the national cultural identity is still a unique feature that cannot be mixed with another nation.

Before the army, Emperor Quang Trung - Nguyen Hue solemnly swore: "Fight until their hair grows long/Fight until their teeth turn black/Fight until they never turn back/Fight until they never return with their armor/Fight until history knows that the Southern nation has a hero!". The above proclamation expressed the determination to fight the enemy to protect the country's borders, expressing the ardent patriotism of the nation.

Later, through wars against colonialism and imperialism, to unify the country and regain independence and freedom for the nation, thanks to patriotism, our army and people overcame countless difficulties and shortages to defeat the enemy, making brilliant achievements in history.

Solidarity is the extraordinary power of culture

Besides patriotism, solidarity is another precious tradition, strongly promoted in Vietnamese culture. History has proven that whenever facing danger, the spirit of "sharing the same fate" and "sharing the same fate" rises strongly, turning into an unparalleled strength. From uprisings against foreign invaders to national construction, the consensus and joint efforts of the entire nation have always been the key factor leading to victory. In the resistance wars against colonialism and imperialism, our people have united. During the Covid-19 pandemic and even when overcoming the consequences of Typhoon Yagi , it has been proven that solidarity is the unparalleled strength of all Vietnamese people through the ages.

In Vietnam, the typical village culture, with its profound community values, has created a solid foundation for solidarity. During the war, the love between the army and the people, the love between the rear and the wholehearted support for the front line, has become a beautiful symbol of national solidarity. It is in the midst of the fire of war that the culture of patriotism and solidarity is further tempered, becoming more steadfast and stronger than ever. Uncle Ho once affirmed, "Solidarity is our invincible strength" or "Solidarity, great solidarity, great success".

The Tay ethnic identity of Tuyen Quang is spread to serve the development of community tourism .

Through the ups and downs of history, Vietnamese culture has been constantly cultivated and developed, but still maintains its core values. It is not only the legacy of the past, but also the vitality of the present and the future. It is culture that has helped us shape a Vietnamese people with noble qualities: resilient, indomitable, benevolent, loyal, diligent and creative.

Nowadays, in the context of globalization, preserving and promoting national cultural identity is becoming more urgent. If we lose our culture, it means we lose ourselves, our roots and our own identity. Because a nation without culture is like a tree without roots. Preserving and promoting national culture is the most practical way for each Vietnamese person to express their patriotism and responsibility towards their ancestors and future generations.

Practice of building and developing culture under the leadership of the Party

In 1943, in the Outline of Vietnamese Culture, our Party identified culture as one of three fronts: economy, politics, and culture. The affirmation that "Culture must light the way for the nation" has become a guideline for all cultural activities, aiming for a national, scientific, and popular culture. The 5th Central Conference of the 8th tenure issued Resolution No. 03-NQ/TW, dated July 16, 1998, on "Building and developing an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity" has been proven to be completely correct in practice and has brought about great achievements.

On June 9, 2014, the 11th Party Central Committee issued Resolution No. 33-NQ/TW on building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development, aiming for Truth - Goodness - Beauty, imbued with national spirit, humanity, democracy and science... The Resolution determined that culture is placed on par with economics, politics and society.

Tuyen Quang always focuses on promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups.

The State's attention and investment in cultural development, preservation and promotion of tangible and intangible cultural heritage is evidence to refute the distorted argument that "Our State does not value culture". As of 2025, Vietnam has 32 cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO, including 8 world cultural and natural heritages, 15 intangible cultural heritages and 9 world documentary heritages. In addition, there are more than 40,000 historical, cultural and scenic relics that have been inventoried, including 123 special national relics, 3,602 national relics and more than 10,000 provincial and municipal relics. In addition, Vietnam has 194 museums, of which 128 are public museums and 66 are non-public museums, preserving more than 3 million artifacts.

Tuyen Quang province alone has preserved and restored 660 historical, cultural and scenic relics, including 271 provincial relics, 182 national relics, 3 special national relics, and 1 national treasure in the area. Up to now, the whole province has 54 festivals, including 48 traditional festivals and 6 cultural festivals. Currently, there are 18 national intangible cultural heritages preserved and promoted in the area.

The strong development of the fields of culture, arts, journalism, publishing, and information and communication is a testament to the dynamism, creativity, and vitality of Vietnamese culture. This shows that Vietnamese culture is not weakening but has the ability to adapt and develop in the context of globalization.

Our Party's policy on cultural development has affirmed that the focus in cultural development is investing in human development, and cultural and human development are closely linked to ensuring social progress.

Culture is an indispensable pillar for the country's sustainable development. Recognizing and promoting the role of culture in the era of development will help Vietnam to mobilize endogenous and exogenous resources, building a prosperous, happy country with an advanced culture, imbued with national identity.

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa-dan-toc-dieu-thieng-lieng-khong-cho-phep-xuyen-tac-bai-2-khong-co-van-hoa-khong-con-dan-toc-212876.html