(HBO) – Khenh Communal House in Van Son commune of Hoa Binh province’s Lac Son district has been named a provincial historical – cultural relic site. The certificate presentation ceremony was held by the district People’s Committee on July 9 with the participation of officials from the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Lac Son district.
An official of the Hoa Binh Department of Culture, Sports and
Tourism presents the certificate recognising Khenh Communal House as a
provincial historical – cultural relic site.
The long-standing Khenh Communal House, located
in Rang Thien hamlet of Van Son commune, is dedicated to the persons who
contributed to the fights against invaders and the reclamation of this land and
were honoured as tutelary gods by local residents.
In the past, a festival was held at the communal
house in the first lunar month every three years. This was an important and
large cultural and religious event featuring many unique rituals and folk
games. Apart from the main festival in the first lunar month, this communal
house was also the venue for several other traditional festivals in a year.
As time went by and under the nature’s impact,
the original communal house no longer existed. Between 2017 and 2019, thanks to
funding from the communal budget and local donors, it was restored, covering
about 75 square metres.
Khenh Communal House has since become a venue
for cultural and religious activities of the local populace. Not only people in
Lac Son district or Hoa Binh province but those from far and wide have also
come here to pray for wealth, bumper crops and successes.
Given the communal house’s historical, cultural
and scientific values, the Hoa Binh provincial People’s Committee issued
Decision No. 13/QD-UBND on January 6 to include the site in the list of
provincial historical and cultural relics. This is a legal basis for the
management, conservation and promotion of the site’s values, thereby attracting
more visitors and contributing to local cultural conservation and
socio-economic development./.
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
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 People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
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.