On February 15th (Lunar January 6th), Phu Lai commune, Yen Thuy district held the opening ceremony of the festival of Xam Xuan communal house during the Dragon Spring in 2024.
The palanquin procession at
the festival of Xam communal house in Phu Lai commune, Yen Thuy district.
Xam Communal House was
recognized as a provincial historical relic in 2003. The communal house was
built in the 5th year of Thieu Tri (1845), worshiping the Tutelary God as a
human god, the local people's customary name is Bui Van Khu (i.e. Do Khu). with
his wife, the Princess Thien Tinh. Currently, Xam communal house still preserves
11 ordained identities.
Xam communal house festival
takes place for 3 days, from February 15th – 18th (i.e.
Lunar January 6th – 8th). The festival consists of 2
parts: the ceremony part and the festival part. The ceremony includes the rice
contest procession, the palanquin procession and the opening of the festival;
The festival part includes the cultural and arts activities, and sports
competitions.
In 2013, Xam communal house
was built, renovated, embellished, and restored with a total cost of 11 billion
VND. The communal house is not only a place to worship the Tutelary God, the
village deity, but it is also a center of cultural activities associated with a
community of the residents characterized by Vietnamese wet rice civilization.
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.
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