As soon as the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (now the Socialist Republic of Vietnam) was founded, to protect and consolidate the revolution’s achievements, under the Party’s leadership, the provisional Government led by President Ho Chi Minh issued a series of decrees to manage and construct the country. 

To President Ho Chi Minh, preserving the national cultural identities is a crucial task but the more important is to apply and develop those identities to life, which is the best way to maintain the national culture. Following the late leader’s thought, Meritorious Artisan Ly Van Henh in Sung hamlet of Cao Son commune (Da Bac district) has spent his entire life researching, preserving, and passing down the culture of the Dao ethnic group to other people. With the desire to maintain the minority’s quintessence, the 75-year-old is still travelling far and wide to teach the script, language, and culture of Dao people.

He said the Dao ethnic group boasts a rich culture, from their language, script, costumes to customs and worship rituals. It is fact that like other ethnic minorities, the culture of Dao people is facing risk of gradual disintegration. He thought that one of the best way to uphold the group's cultural identity is to teach the language and script to Dao children and adults. A survey once showed that less than one-third of Dao residents in Da Bac district were fluent in their ethnic group's language, which motivated him to surmount all difficulties and his old age to continue his path to preserve and promote the minority's cultural values.

Spending over 50 years studying the Dao culture, Henh not only has in-depth understanding of the group's language, script, and culture but has also collected a large number of old books about their folk knowledge, rituals, and customs. He began teaching the Nom Dao script to his descendants in 1997. After that, more and more residents in his neighbourhood and nearby areas came to learn. In 2008, he sought the local administration's permission to teach the script on a larger scale in Da Bac district. Free classes have been opened in such communes as Toan Son, Tan Pheo, Doan Ket, and Vay Nua in Da Bac district, and Kim Thuong of Tan Son district (Phu Tho province), attracting thousands of learners.

 

In addition, Henh has also played an active role in activities of the Centre for the Sustainable Development of Mountainous Areas, helping preserve and popularise the cultural identity of Dao people to people nationwide as well as foreigners.

Thanks to his relentless efforts in cultural preservation and promotion, he was granted the "Meritorious Artisan" title in the field of intangible cultural heritage in 2019. In November 2024, he received a certificate of merit from the Prime Minister for his outstanding achievements in studying and following President Ho Chi Minh's ideology, moral example, and style.