Vinh Phuc: Outstanding achievements at the Unesco Cultural Heritage Festival

Vinh Phuc is the locality that was awarded a certificate of merit by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism for its outstanding achievements at the Festival of Performing and Displaying Intangible Cultural Heritage Spaces honored by UNESCO, held in Phu Tho province.

Performance of the practice of the Mother Goddess Worship of Vinh Phuc province at the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Festival.

“Living museum” preserves the cultural and historical identity of the Vietnamese people. On the morning of April 25, talking to reporters of the Economic and Urban Newspaper, Mr. Mai Van Trung, Director of Vinh Phuc Museum, said: The performances representing Vinh Phuc province participating in the Festival of performing and displaying the space of intangible cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO (held in Phu Tho province) were highly appreciated by the Organizing Committee and the People. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the People's Committee of Phu Tho province awarded certificates of merit to this locality for its outstanding achievements at the festival.

Specifically, within the framework of the Hung Temple Festival and the 2023 Culture - Tourism Week of the Ancestral Land, on the evenings of April 22 - 24, 2023, at Hung Vuong Square, Viet Tri City. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the People's Committee of Phu Tho province will organize a festival to perform and display the space of intangible cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO.

“The festival has the participation of the following provinces and cities: Yen Bai, Tuyen Quang, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Ha Tinh, Thua Thien - Hue, Quang Nam, Ninh Thuan, Dak Lak, Ba Ria - Vung Tau. These are localities with intangible cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO.” – Mr. Mai Van Trung said.

The leader of Vinh Phuc Museum added that participating in the Festival of performance and display of intangible cultural heritages recognized by UNESCO in Phu Tho in 2023, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vinh Phuc province directed units to bring to the festival the practices of the Mother Goddess Worship and the Song Huong Canh Tug Game in Vinh Phuc province.

Besides, there is an exhibition space introducing the process of formation, development, protection and promotion of the value of two intangible cultural heritages: Practice of worshipping the Mother Goddess of the Three Palaces and Tug of War rituals and games in Vinh Phuc province.

“The practices of the Mother Goddess Worship were recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2016. This intangible cultural heritage is considered a “living museum” preserving the cultural and historical identity of the Vietnamese people, distributed and spread in many localities across the country such as Nam Dinh, Thai Binh, Ha Nam, Hung Yen, Hanoi, Vinh Phuc…”, Mr. Mai Van Trung shared.

In Vinh Phuc, the practices of worshiping the Mother Goddesses of the Three Palaces have been formed for a long time, and are distributed in almost all districts and cities in the province. The combination and interweaving of the Mother Goddesses of the Three Palaces with the Mother Goddesses of the Three Palaces worship beliefs in Vinh Phuc creates convergence and spread, and at the same time has influences on the cultural and spiritual life of the people.

Traces of glorious feats in unique folk games

For the Tug of War ritual and game, which was jointly developed by 4 countries, including Vietnam, Korea, Cambodia, and the Philippines, and submitted to UNESCO for recognition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2015. In Vietnam, the tug of war ritual and game are mostly concentrated in the midlands, the Red River Delta, and the North Central region, which is considered the land of long-standing settlement of the Vietnamese people, the cradle of the wet rice civilization.

The Tug Song Game ritual of Huong Canh from Vinh Phuc was highly appreciated by the Organizing Committee and people at the Festival.

In Vinh Phuc, tug of war rituals and games are organized in many forms throughout the province. But the typical and characteristic ones are Huong Canh Tug of War (Binh Xuyen) and Hoa Loan Tug of War (Vinh Tuong).

The Huong Canh rope pulling game is organized to demonstrate the martial spirit of the people of the river region. The game originated from the naval strategy and training tactics of the generals during the period of fighting against the Southern Han army. This tactic uses rope pulling to adjust the speed of the warship to match the ebb and flow of the tide on the Canh River. This adjustment skill is considered the tactic that helped Ngo Quyen's army win the naval battle against the Southern Han army on the Bach Dang River in 938.

The practical performances were highly appreciated by the Organizing Committee and the people. At the end of the Festival, Vinh Phuc delegation was awarded a Certificate of Merit by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the People's Committee of Phu Tho province for its outstanding achievements.

Kinhtedothi.vn