(To Quoc) - On August 9, 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 2328/QD-BVHTTDL to list the dish "Pho Hanoi" in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The official recognition of "Pho Hanoi" as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage is not only a recognition of its historical and cultural value, but also opens up opportunities to preserve and sustainably develop the traditional culinary quintessence of the Capital.
Pho Hanoi - symbol of the capital's cuisine
Hanoi Pho appeared in the early 19th century and quickly became a symbol of the capital's cuisine. The traditional typical Pho in Hanoi is Pho in water, mainly beef Pho and chicken Pho. This is a nutritious dish, suitable for all ages and subjects. A bowl of traditional Hanoi Pho is full of sophistication: rice noodles made from rice, meat (beef for beef Pho and chicken for chicken Pho) poured with sweet and fragrant broth simmered from bones (beef bones simmered in broth for beef Pho; chicken bones, pork for chicken Pho) combined with typical spices, adding onions, coriander (some shops add basil) and served with fried breadsticks, seasoned with vinegar, garlic, chili sauce, lemon, pepper... depending on preference.
Mr. Do Dinh Hong, Director of Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Not only is it a nutritious dish, pho is also a cultural feature that connects people, reflecting the quintessence of Vietnamese cuisine.
The main practitioners of the heritage are pho shop owners, who preserve and pass on the profession through many generations in their families, both preserving knowledge and creating a livelihood for the community. Pho shops are spaces for people to connect and exchange, meeting places for friends with similar culinary interests. Along with the development of Hanoi, traditional pho shops have witnessed many generations preserving and promoting the value of this traditional dish. For example, to have the Pho Thin Bo Ho brand as it is today, in the 50s of the 20th century, Mr. Bui Chi Thin started his business with pho on a street vendor selling around the Bo Ho area, the Toad Flower Garden, then selling permanently at 61 Dinh Tien Hoang, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi. Or Pho Ong Dao at 33 Hang Giay Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi, was started by Mr. Vu Van Tam, who initially sold pho on a street vendor in the area of Nguyen Thien Thuat and Tran Nhat Duat streets in the 50s of the 20th century.
According to statistics, by 2023, the whole city of Hanoi has nearly 700 pho shops, mainly concentrated in the districts: Ba Dinh (21 pho shops), Hoan Kiem (32 pho shops), Cau Giay (29 pho shops), Dong Da (9 pho shops), Hai Ba Trung (30 pho shops), Thanh Xuan (56 pho shops), Long Bien (93 pho shops). In which, the traditional pho brands (over 2 generations of making pho) usually only specialize in selling beef pho or chicken pho and are mainly concentrated in Hoan Kiem district, Ba Dinh district and Hai Ba Trung district.
In 2023, the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports coordinated with the People's Committees of districts, towns and the host community to develop a scientific dossier to propose the inclusion of Pho in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List through statistical activities, surveys, fieldwork, filming, audio recording, photography, etc. to identify and assess the current status of the heritage. With its historical, cultural and scientific values, "Pho Hanoi" was included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in 2024 in Decision No. 2328/QD-BVHTTDL dated August 9, 2024 of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The inclusion of Hanoi Pho folk knowledge in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List will create far-reaching and positive impacts on the preservation and development of traditional culinary culture in the future.
Honoring cultural heritage
In order to honor, preserve and promote the traditional cultural and culinary values of the capital Hanoi, build and effectively exploit the cultural and culinary brand through developing a quintessential, unique and quality culture and cuisine, the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports organizes the Hanoi Culinary Culture Festival 2024 with the theme "Hanoi connects five continents".
Mr. Do Dinh Hong, Director of Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the Festival will honor, preserve and promote the traditional cultural and culinary values of Hanoi Capital, create development resources, build and effectively exploit the cultural and culinary brand, through developing a diverse, quintessential, unique and quality culture and cuisine, thereby affirming Hanoi's position as an attractive culinary destination to domestic, regional and international friends.
"Pho Hanoi" was officially recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage, not only a recognition of its historical and cultural value, but also opened up opportunities to preserve and sustainably develop the traditional culinary quintessence of the Capital.
The Director of the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports emphasized that the festival also plays an important role in preserving and promoting culinary values, especially products of traditional craft villages, to spread, preserve and transmit culinary values and specialty products of each region and locality.
At the same time, it creates conditions for embassies of countries, localities, businesses, organizations and individuals to meet, exchange, display and promote products, discuss, sign business cooperation agreements, expand markets, develop tourism to enhance brand, enhance reputation, and contribute to promoting the economic development of the capital.
From there, expand relations and cooperation with foreign localities, organizations and individuals, international organizations, attract investment, promote trade, tourism, cultural industry, contribute to socio-economic development, and at the same time absorb the quintessence of human culture, enrich and deepen the traditional cultural values of Hanoi.
The opening ceremony will take place at 7:00 p.m. on November 29, 2024 at Thong Nhat Park, Hanoi. The Hanoi People's Committee will officially announce the Decision to register "Pho Hanoi" as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. The opening ceremony will be attended by 500 delegates including: Leaders of Hanoi City, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Culinary Association, District Leaders and Companion Units. In particular, the program will also feature the appearance of People's Artist Xuan Bac to contribute to promoting and spreading the cultural heritage of "Pho Hanoi".
Within the framework of the event, there will be a discussion on "Protecting and promoting the intangible cultural heritage of Hanoi Pho". Held from 9:00 - 11:00 on December 1, 2024 at the main stage of Thong Nhat Park. Experts and artisans will share the values that make up the intangible cultural heritage "Hanoi Pho" and the characteristics passed down through generations that create the unique flavor of "Hanoi Pho". In addition, lecturers and students of the Capital University and the accompanying unit will discuss ways to promote and connect to make it a subject at the university.
Besides, the photo exhibition about pho and pho spices and some other folk cultural and artistic activities will also be the highlights of this Festival./.
Source: https://toquoc.vn/bao-ton-va-phat-trien-di-san-pho-ha-noi-20241125220653974.htm
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