Hospitality is a beautiful cultural trait of the people of Thai Nguyen . |
From the end of June to the beginning of July, the entire Viet Bac region experienced incessant rain. Each downpour connected the sky and the earth. The rain seemed to wash away the sorrows of Mother Nature and the hearts of the people. The Cau River's mouth was stained red with the color of the hilly terrain, surging and rising, its waters clinging to the banks as if in a fit of resentment.
Some local names have become mere memories, replaced by new names more suited to the digital age. In this context, people's hearts are also unsettled. Tears have been shed in everyday life, but not in vain; they nourish the seeds of the future, allowing them to grow strong from their roots.
That root lies in the unique cultural similarities that have been passed down, preserved, and promoted among the ethnic groups of the Viet Bac region for millennia, including the ethnic groups in the ninety-two communes and wards of Thai Nguyen province today. At this time, the people of Thai Nguyen realize that this "return" carries significant meaning. Coming together as "one family" makes them stronger, giving them the strength to move forward together, contributing to the nation's successful integration into the world .
Tracing the Green Flow of History: From thousands of years ago, the "mountainous land" of Thai Nguyen, from the lands bordering the provinces of Cao Bang, Tuyen Quang, Lang Son, Bac Ninh, Hanoi , and Phu Tho, to the lands on both sides of the Cau River, from Cho Don commune to Trung Thanh ward, became the settlement of various ethnic communities: Kinh, Tay, Nung, San Diu, Mong, Dao, San Chay, Hoa, and many other ethnic groups, united in building their villages. In the flow of history, it is these traditional cultural values that have connected generations, fostered patriotism, and shaped the character and resilience of the people of this "land of steel and tea."
The ethnic groups in the region live in harmony because they share a common language. However, each ethnic group is always conscious of preserving its distinct cultural identity through its language, customs, and religious rituals such as: the worship of forest gods, stream gods, rice gods, the Mother Goddess, and the Three Realms belief. Although there are differences between the ethnic groups, living in the same space has gradually created a common cultural space characteristic of the ethnic groups in Thai Nguyen province. Despite many social upheavals, the people in mountainous communes such as Cao Minh, Ba Be, Bang Van, or the communes of Van Phu, Quan Chu, Dan Tien, etc., each ethnic group has a strong connection through cultural traditions passed down and deeply ingrained in their blood.
The cultural beauty of the ethnic minorities is preserved and passed down through their traditional clothing. On market day, the whole area is ablaze with color. Girls are dressed in vibrant dresses and skirts, and they recognize each other by the unique patterns embroidered on their clothes. Even with the digital market, buying and selling can be done online, but the people still bring to the market products from the mountains and forests such as bamboo shoots, wild vegetables, mugwort cakes, five-colored sticky rice, bamboo-cooked rice, smoked meat, herbal wine, and traditional ethnic costumes.
Market mechanisms have reached every corner of life. Yet many families still preserve the traditional crafts of weaving and basketry. This is how the people maintain the beauty of their ethnic group's traditional culture. The busyness in each family also allows people to be close, chat, and share, and at the same time, it is a way for ethnic groups to pass on to the younger generation the pure cultural beauty that has been carefully nurtured and refined over many generations.
Beside the bamboo grove of the village (photo taken at Thai Hai Stilt House Ecotourism Village Conservation Area, Tan Cuong commune). |
Living together in the same community, yet without borrowing or mixing influences between different ethnic groups. When venturing out into the community, there is harmony and unity. Returning to the family home, however, is a private world. It's not about isolation, but about always opening its doors to embrace external advancements and civilizations to further develop a civilized and modern way of life.
These similarities are the result of hundreds of years of cohabitation, interbreeding, and living together under a unified culture. Many people in Thai Nguyen are proud: Nearly 50 ethnic groups living in the province's ninety-two communes and wards share a common cultural beauty: "Cau River Civilization." There, indigenous religious beliefs, lifestyles, and daily work and production have shaped a shared cultural "root."
Many civilizations around the world are closely associated with a particular river. Even in Vietnam, the rice-farming civilization is linked to rivers. Therefore, it's only natural that Thai Nguyen province calls it the "Cau River Civilization." Remarkably, from Phuong Vien in Cho Don commune, the Cau River flows through the land of Thai Nguyen province to Phu Loi and Trung Thanh ward, sharing the same folk songs like Then, Luon Nang Oi, and Khuc Sli… But when the Cau River flows into Bac Ninh province, these songs linger, giving way to the lingering Quan Ho folk song, "Don't Leave, Stay Here."
Culture is the soul of a nation, a guiding light that illuminates the path for each nation's growth. Just as Bac Ninh has Quan Ho folk songs and Hung Yen has Cheo opera, Then singing and the Tinh lute are the heartbeat that resonates with the shared voice of the Cau River region. The Tay and Nung ethnic groups in Thai Nguyen consider Then a crucial ritual in their spiritual lives, viewing the lyrics of Then and the sound of the Tinh lute as an invisible thread connecting people to deities, ancestors, and heaven and earth.
Ethnic groups such as the Kinh, Mong, Dao, San Diu, San Chay, and Hoa all share a commonality in their cultural life: a wealth of folk songs and spiritual rituals. Shamans are considered messengers connecting the earthly realm with the heavenly realm, and the dead with the living. These rituals, aimed at praying for peace and well-being for everyone, are preserved, passed down, and continuously promoted by these ethnic groups.
Sharing many similarities in cultural identity among the ethnic groups, the different regions of the province are also bound together by historical traditions. During the resistance against the French, many locations were chosen by the Politburo and the Central Committee of the Party as resistance capitals, sheltering President Ho Chi Minh, the Central Committee of the Party, and the Party's leading organs.
A rural landscape in the mountainous commune of Chợ Đồn. |
Places in communes such as Dinh Hoa, Cho Don, and Cho Moi... are witnesses to a time of war and conflict. The people here endured hardships, carrying rice, hiding documents, and sheltering cadres. No one calculated personal gain; the people of Thai Nguyen province wholeheartedly followed the Party. Today, these areas have become historical revolutionary sites, "red addresses" for educating about patriotic traditions. The province currently has nearly 1,200 historical and cultural relics that have been inventoried; and nearly 600 national intangible cultural heritage sites.
Another striking similarity in the lives of the ethnic groups in Thai Nguyen province is their culinary culture. Most ethnic groups make five-colored sticky rice and roasted pork; various cakes and many other dishes share similar preparation methods. Then there's the folk saying, "When guests come to visit, offer them tea or wine." This folk saying reflects the hospitality of the people. The wine, brewed with leaf yeast and distilled in a wooden still, is smooth to the palate and encourages friendly conversation. And tea, a familiar and elegant beverage, is especially noteworthy in Thai Nguyen, a land known for producing top-quality tea. From the traditional tea-growing region of Tan Cuong commune to the ancient Shan Tuyet tea-growing region of Tan Ky commune, the people in both areas share similar tea-making methods and tea-drinking rituals.
In social life, the people of the ninety-two wards and communes of Thai Nguyen province have a tradition of consensus and solidarity, creating a comprehensive and all-encompassing strength, also because these ethnic groups share many similar cultural characteristics. This similarity in lifestyle, customs, language, and beliefs creates easy understanding and empathy between the communities.
In the era of integration and digital transformation, Thai Nguyen province has identified culture as its foundation and community-based tourism as its spearhead for development. This is demonstrated by the harmonious combination of areas from rural to urban.
For example, in the development of community-based tourism, destinations such as Khau Dang (Bang Thanh commune), Mu La (Cao Minh commune), and Phieng Phang (Thuong Minh commune) offer visitors not only stunning natural landscapes but also the opportunity to immerse themselves in a world of indigo hues in the mountainous countryside, participate in weaving brocade fabrics with the local people, brewing traditional rice wine, and making traditional cakes. Destinations like the Tan Cuong Tea Culture Space (Tan Cuong commune), the Hoang Nong tea growing area (La Bang commune), and the Khe Coc tea growing area (Vo Tranh commune) allow visitors to admire vast tea plantations with fresh scenery, experience harvesting and processing tea with farmers, enjoy tea with peanut candy, and sample dishes made with tea and tea ingredients. Through tourism, the cultural beauty of the ethnic groups in Thai Nguyen is promoted and introduced to domestic and international friends.
Because they all share the same headwaters of the Cau River, from the highland and mountainous communes to the midland communes of Thai Nguyen province, the destinations in the countryside all share a common highlight reflecting the unique culture of the ethnic groups in the Viet Bac region. For example, the Sli songs of the Nung people; the Then songs of the Tay people; the lullabies of the Mong people; the Pa Dung songs of the Dao people; the Soong Co songs of the San Diu people… are sung along the Cau River, eventually settling on both banks as waiting places. Sometimes, these songs are carried by the wind, spreading throughout the region and settling in people's hearts like a sapling reaching for the rising sun thanks to its strong roots deeply embedded in the soil.
The ethnic groups of Thai Nguyen province tell stories about their lives, migrations, and the changing times through songs and narratives. The realms of heaven, earth, and people are recreated by artisans through songs and dances of the mountains and forests. Thai Nguyen, a vast region with ninety-two communes and wards, stretches across the heart of Vietnam. Being both the core of Viet Bac and a gateway to Hanoi, Thai Nguyen has many opportunities to exchange and share the unique cultural beauty of its ethnic groups with people from the lowlands. Because of this, the ethnic groups of Thai Nguyen have the chance to access the finest aspects of human culture, which they then incorporate into their spiritual lives.
A view of Phan Dinh Phung ward, the administrative center of Thai Nguyen province. |
Returning to the spirit of early July: Like other localities nationwide, Thai Nguyen province is enthusiastically embracing a historic renewal. This is the merger of the two regions of Thai Nguyen and Bac Kan into the new Thai Nguyen province. It's a joyous occasion; from now on, they are "one family," the invisible barrier of administrative boundaries is removed, a rebirth of community spirit, a convergence of cultures, and development based on sustainable identity.
The unique cultural identities of each ethnic group are not obscured, replaced, or diluted because, deep within their hearts, people always know how to preserve and promote these values. Furthermore, the beautiful cultural aspects that are the original characteristics of each ethnic community are preserved and passed down through families and clans.
No matter the circumstances, especially in the digital age, the sweet lullaby of a mother singing to her child in the cradle still resonates; the daily admonitions of parents, the call-and-response songs of youth, the whispered prayers of artists seeking favorable weather and blessings for the divine still fill the hearts of people every spring.
The rain has stopped, and the sun shines brightly on the villages and towns. A new day has begun, filled with hope. A new journey for Thai Nguyen province, "smooth sailing," is underway, confidently joining the rest of the country in venturing out into the wider world. It is a journey of development built on a solid cultural tradition, a journey of integration without losing its roots, a journey of opening up the future with the very values of its strong cultural traditions rooted in its heritage.
Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-nghe-thai-nguyen/202507/vung-vang-tu-coi-re-7f208d8/
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