Bui Van Cuong, a local from Bo town of Hoa Binh’s Kim Boi district, has made his first visit to Chai village, Vong La commune of Hanoi’s outskirt Dong Anh district where late Party General Secretary Truong Chinh drafted the "Outline of Vietnamese Culture”, the first platform on culture 81 years ago. For Vietnamese culture lovers like Cuong, the historical relic site is a must-visit place.
Cuong held that the platform helped unlock the sources of national culture in
the context of accelerating anti-imperialist and anti-feudalist movements
towards the August Revolution in 1945.
It showed the strategic vision and mindset of the Party on the significant role
of culture in the country’s revolution, contributing to shaping and promoting
the Vietnamese culture in the Ho Chi Minh era, affirming that the Party’s
leadership over culture is a political necessity and an objective need, said Cuong.
Introduced in 1943, the "Outline of Vietnamese Culture” defined three movement
principles in culture: nationalisation, popularisation, and scientification.
These are still seen as fundamental principles guiding the development of the
Vietnamese culture.
The spirit of the document was associated to the Resolution of the fifth
plenary session of the 8th Party Central Committee and the Resolution of the
ninth session of the 11th Party Central Committee, which are important
documents released by the Party on the development of the Vietnamese culture in
the new period.
Particularly, after the 13th National Party Central Committee and the national
conference on culture in 2021, Party Committees and administrations at all
levels have determined to implement tasks in cultural development.
Hoa Binh, a Muong region with rich cultural values, has made efforts with high
political determination to implement the "Outline of Vietnamese Culture”,
focusing on strengthening communications and popularisation of Party and
State’s policies and laws regarding cultural heritage. The province has
encouraged people from ethnic minority groups in the locality in general and
the Muong community in particular to maintain their good cultural traditions
and eliminate outdated customs and superstitions. It has educated the local
communities on legal regulations on cultural heritage, festivals, beliefs, and
religions, thus enhancing public awareness of protecting and promoting cultural
heritage and cultural values of the nation and their ethnic groups.
According to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the
locality’s outstanding activities in maintaining the national cultural identity
included the implementation of projects to collect, research, and translate Mo
Muong verses, and the listing of local cultural heritages such as Gong and Khai
ha festivals.
Particularly, Hoa Binh has completed the building of the Muong language script,
which was approved by the provincial People’s Committee, serving the teaching
of the language in the province in the 2018-2025 period.
Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.
Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.
The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.
The Muong group is one of the largest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, primarily found in Hoa Binh province. The Muong people in Hoa Binh boast a rich and diverse cultural treasure that reflects the unique identity of this ethnic group. Accounting for over 63% of the province's population, they have created and preserved numerous distinctive cultural values, contributing to their unique identity. Their cultural heritage is an invaluable asset, at the heart of their national identity, and represents a vibrant spiritual life that must be preserved and promoted in today’s modern world.
For generations, the ethnic communities of Hoa Binh province, particularly the Muong people, have preserved vibrant festivals deeply intertwined with the region’s geography, nature, and social traditions. These celebrations enrich Hoa Binh’s spiritual life and cultural identity, reflecting both folk beliefs and the intermingling of ethnic customs. Many of these festivals have endured the test of time, passed down through generations and continuing to thrive today. Among them, the Khai Ha (Going Down to the Field) festival stands out as one of the most significant events of the Muong ethnic group.
Muong calendar, known as sach doi, is an ancient folk knowledge system developed through observations of the movement of the pleiades star. This unique calendar consists of 12 bamboo sticks, each representing a lunar month. Specific days within each month are marked with distinct symbols, guiding locals in determining auspicious and inauspicious days for important activities.
.jpg)
