This is a solid basis for the development of Thua Thien Hue – a heritage ancient capital, on the road to becoming a city directly under the Central Government in the spirit of Resolution 54-NQ / TW of the Ministry Politic.
The People’s Committee of Thua Thien Hue province has just approved the project “Hue Culture – Hue People: Conservation and Development”. To preserve and promote the Hue cultural quintessence, the core of Hue people, it is important to arouse self-esteem, pride, understanding and confidence in core cultural and ethical values to be ready for innovation, dynamism and creativity, especially with the young generation.
Hue culture identification
In the nation’s history, Hue was known as a special phenomenon, from a southern border region to becoming a major town, then the regional capital, the capital of the whole country during the Nguyen Dynasty, followed by resplendent over many achievements of the country. All created their own unique “Hue value”. Hue is a heritage city that still preserves quite a lot of tangible, intangible and spiritual cultural values.
Hue Cultural Heritage is a place of intellectual convergence of the whole nation, culminating in five world heritages: Complex of Hue Monuments, Royal Court music (Nha Nhac), Woodblocks and Poetry on Hue Royal Architecture. Hue also contributes to two other world cultural heritages of the country, the Vietnamese worship of Mother Goddesses and Bai Choi art. In addition, there is also cultural and artistic heritage, cuisine, ao dai, Hue folk songs, Hue garden architecture, folk festivals, and school traditions.
The Hue people attach great importance to culture, etiquette, studiousness, and respect for teachers in each family; live tolerantly and in harmony; exemplary, gentle, and close to nature. These are the important foundations for the development of Thua Thien Hue today. All have created the core of Hue people, typical Hue culture, developed in harmony with nature.
Resolution 54 of the Politburo on the construction and development of Thua Thien Hue province emphasises: “Building and developing Thua Thien Hue into a city directly under the Central Government based on preserving and promoting the value of Hue’s ancient capital heritage and cultural identity, with cultural, heritage, ecological, landscape, and environment-friendly characteristics.
To successfully implement Resolution No. 54, recently, the project “Hue Culture – Hue People: Conservation and Development” approved by the Provincial People’s Committee, clearly stated the task: Focusing on researching the cultural values of Hue people in the past and present, conditions for forming Hue’s personality and style, impacts of natural and social conditions, advantages and disadvantages; Hue people in the period of opening up to international integration. Therefore, finding solutions to preserve and promote the value of Hue’s cultural identity in the current period as well as the next is an urgent requirement.
Hue traditional men’s and women’s ‘ao dai ngu than’ (traditional Vietnamese five-flap long robes) is interesting to many groups of young people who love ancient costumes.
Preserving Hue’s essence
Hue cultural researchers have concluded: Culture, morality, lifestyle and the personality of Hue people are “specialities” that make up the unique identity of the ancient capital. Hue’s slow pace of life helps people to meditate and contemplate, not in a hurry to follow the new, helping them keep the old beauty.
Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports of Thua Thien Hue province affirmed: “Compared to other localities, Hue people know how to preserve the cultural and spiritual heritage of their ancestors. Therefore, Hue would be the best place to preserve traditional culture and the orientation to build Hue into a heritage city is appropriate.”.
With this same view, Secretary of Hue City Party Committee Phan Thien Dinh said that the soul and sustainability of a particular heritage city are the people. Building cultural values for people is towards building a particular heritage city. Therefore, preserving, promoting and spreading good moral values, lifestyles, customs and practices will make those beauties become the driving force for the socio-economic development of Hue.
At a forum discussing Hue’s cultural identity, many opinions said that Hue’s personality not only has advantages but also many limitations, which are stagnation, conservatism, closedness, and slow breakthrough. Because of traditional values, Hue people are afraid to approach new things, requiring time to filter and challenge to accept. That is why sometimes Hue has not kept up with the movement of society.
Therefore, in preserving the cultural identity of Hue people, it is necessary to be aware of the advantages to promote, but also to see the disadvantages to overcome and eliminate inappropriate things. On the one hand, preserving the identity of the Hue people, but on the other hand, creating a positive direction, limiting conservatism; selecting what is quintessential, appropriate to preserve, and harmoniously blend into modern life.
It is the young generation who will preserve the identity, character, and virtues of the Hue people, therefore, the most important thing is to educate them about cultural traditions to shape the youth’s personality. The programme of education on household skills and developing Hue culinary culture has only been taught by Hai Ba Trung High School (Hue city) as one of the practical jobs to contribute to the formation of students’ skills of sewing, embroidery, cooking, as well as knowledge about Hue traditional beauty.
The good news is that more and more young people are returning to the traditional heritage culture. Many groups of young people in Hue regularly organize experience programs to learn and discover the heritage and traditional cultural values for students in craft villages, historical sites, and scenic spots.
To implement the project “Hue Culture – Hue People: Conservation and Development”, Thua Thien Hue province has focused resources to promote the planning and restoration of cultural, historical and revolutionary relics, as well as moving factories, enterprises and offices out of the area of Hue Citadel; and clearing and relocating people living in area No.1 of Hue Citadel; at the same time, investing in tourism development infrastructure; strengthening linkages and cooperation with domestic and international localities in association with building a cultural, friendly and hospitable environment.
Hue city has also made a positive move when issuing a resolution on propaganda, education, promotion of moral values, lifestyle, and unique Hue customs and practices associated with building a civilized urban lifestyle, for the period 2021-2025 and the following years.
At the same time, reviewing and concretizing the system of moral values and Hue lifestyle into appropriate regulations, including the conventions of the population community, the rules of agencies and organizations, brings these values to life.
