Ecological zone at the foot of Yen Tu

The scenery and cultural features of Thuong Yen Cong are considered to have potential for the city to aim at building and developing this area into an ecotourism region at the foot of Yen Tu mountain.

A Dao ethnic minority house in Thuong Yen Cong is decorated to welcome tourists. Photo by Truong Huong, People's Committee of Thuong Yen Cong Commune, Uong Bi City.

Ms. Bui Thi Kim Thuy, Secretary of the Party Committee of Thuong Yen Cong commune, said: "We still preserve the villages and hamlets of the Dao ethnic minority, the ancient Dao script and language, traditional embroidery and tailoring, old call-and-response songs and love songs; weddings and village festivals still feature traditional feasts, traditional games like throwing the ball and stick pushing… Of course, some things have faded away. However, as long as the cultural foundation is preserved, we still have the opportunity to restore and develop it, determined to realize the orientation of becoming a tourism buffer zone for the Yen Tu tourism center that the city has set out."

According to the tourism development plan of Thuong Yen Cong commune, the area will have the Khe Song - Thac Bac natural landscape ecotourism area, a Dao ethnic cultural center in some villages with a large Dao ethnic minority population, a Dao ethnic cultural and artistic troupe, a model of a restaurant offering traditional Dao cuisine and health care, a local market or traditional market, native apricot forests, a model of traditional apricot wine processing, etc. To promote this direction, in recent years, the city has provided funding for Thuong Yen Cong commune to collect and preserve tangible and intangible cultural heritage, build the Khe Su II village cultural center, and create conditions for the development of community tourism models in the area.

Tourists visit the Thanh Y Dao ethnic group's cultural space exhibition house in Khe Su II village. Photo provided by Truong Huong, People's Committee of Thuong Yen Cong commune, Uong Bi city.

Typically, the city inaugurated the Dao Thanh Y Ethnic Cultural Space Exhibition House in Khe Su II village in August 2024, featuring five cultural spaces: a space showcasing the traditional clothing of Dao Thanh Y men and women; a space introducing the Dao Thanh Y ethnic coming-of-age ceremony; a model of a traditional Dao Thanh Y house; a space displaying a Dao Thanh Y kitchen corner; and a space displaying images and artifacts related to the life, activities, and culture of the Dao Thanh Y people. The Dao Thanh Y Ethnic Community Cooperative, invested in by Ms. Truong Thi Thanh Huong, is a community tourism model attracting visitors with its culinary services, foot baths, herbal baths, and performances of traditional Dao Thanh Y culture and sports , tailored to the needs of tourists.

Thuong Yen Cong commune is inviting investors to develop several model orchards and fruit forests to create scenic landscapes, focusing on apricot forests and citrus fruits; to establish a Dao ethnic group's performing arts troupe; and to continue investing in and improving the landscape of the Thanh Y Dao ethnic group's cultural space exhibition house in Khe Su II village with gravel walls, stone gates, and traditional houses. Monthly cultural and culinary exchange activities will be held at the Thanh Y Dao ethnic group's cultural space exhibition house, primarily to serve the needs of the local people, and later to create cultural products to attract tourists. Ms. Bui Thi Kim Thuy, Secretary of the Commune Party Committee, affirmed: In March 2025, the commune will organize the Dao ethnic group's cultural festival, which will include cultural, sports, and culinary exchange activities taking place at night, creating a tourism product for the commune.

Young Dao women in Thuong Yen Cong commune are guided in wearing traditional clothing. Photo provided by Truong Huong, People's Committee of Thuong Yen Cong commune, Uong Bi city.

Based on its unique advantages of relatively rich indigenous cultural capital, coupled with its advantageous geographical location at the foot of Yen Tu mountain, and the fact that the cluster of national historical sites and scenic spots is on track to become a world heritage site, Thuong Yen Cong has the opportunity to develop tourism and become an indispensable destination for tourists visiting Uong Bi in general, and the Buddhist land of Yen Tu in particular.

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/20/172100/vung-sinh-thai-duoi-chan-yen-tu