Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The archaeological site of the Vanh village stone
shelter in Yen Phu commune, Lac Son district, designated as a special national
relic, is an epitome of the Hoa Binh Civilisation and an invaluable tourism
resource.
Home to nearly 900,000 people, Hoa Binh is
predominantly populated by ethnic minorities, who make up 74.31% of residents,
mostly Muong, Thai, Tay, Dao, and Mong. The Muong, long-time inhabitants, have
crafted a rich legacy of tangible and intangible heritage, enriching Vietnam’s
diverse cultural landscape.
A 2021 provincial inventory catalogued 786
intangible cultural heritage elements across seven categories: language,
script, folk literature, folk performing arts, social customs, traditional
crafts, and folk knowledge. Hoa Binh claims five nationally recognised cultural
heritage elements. Among its 115 State-recognised relic sites, the Trai hamlet
cave and the Vanh village stone shelter – archaeological gems in Lac Son
district, are special national relics, alongside 39 national and 75 provincial
relics. Hundreds of other sites await classification.
Distinctive cultural assets such as traditional
festivals, folk performances, beliefs, and social customs imbued with ethnic
minorities' cultural identities form a crucial resource for developing Hoa
Binh’s cultural industries and local cultural landscape. Local authorities and
communities have ramped up preservation efforts, yielding notable progress.
Director of the Department of Culture, Sports
and Tourism Quach Thi Kieu highlighted the province’s success in safeguarding
its diverse tangible and intangible cultural heritage. These efforts have helped
deepen cultural values and power socio-economic growth.
She noted that cultural heritage has become a
catalyst for progress, contributing to Vietnam’s goal of building an advanced
and national identity-rich culture vital to national development and defence.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
Authorities in Luong Son district have officially recognised Sau communal house in Thanh Cao commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural relic site.
Hoa Binh province, renowned as the cradle of the Muong ethnic group and the celebrated Hoa Binh Civilisation, boasts rich and distinctive cultural heritage. Numerous local traditions and cultural assets have been recognised as part of the national tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
With flexibilities in preserving heritage in recent years, the Museum of Hoa Binh province has contributed to preserving and promoting the diverse historical and cultural values of the ethnic minority groups in the province.
In recent years, Hoa Binh has prioritised cultural diplomacy as a tool to promote the local image and cultural identity nationally and internationally. Cultural heritage preservation efforts and cultural exchanges have so far played a key role in driving sustainable tourism growth.
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