Focus on preserving and promoting the value of cultural heritage

In the process of socio-economic development in recent years, Sam Son City has paid special attention to the preservation of traditional cultural values. Thanks to the attention of investment in restoration and preservation, the system of relics, scenic spots and intangible cultural heritages has been and is being promoted effectively. From there, it has contributed to improving the spiritual life of the people, and can be exploited to serve tourism development.

The palanquin procession at the 2024 Doc Cuoc Temple Blessing Festival.

The land at the mouth of Sam Son beach still preserves many valuable tangible and intangible cultural heritages. Notably, the Sam Son Complex of Monuments and Landscapes was ranked as a National Monument by the Ministry of Culture (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) in Decision No. 313-VH/VP, dated April 28, 1962. This is a very biologically diverse natural area (special-use forest). At the same time, there are many architectural works of historical and cultural value, such as Doc Cuoc Temple located on Co Giai Islet, To Hien Thanh Temple, Co Tien Temple, Trong Mai Islet... with colorful and legendary legends, associated with unique traditional festivals such as Doc Cuoc Temple Festival, Cau Ngu Festival, Trong Mai Islet Love Festival... With such special values, on December 31, 2019, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 1954/QD-TTg on ranking the Sam Son Complex of Monuments and Scenic Landscapes as a special national monument.

Located on the special national relic complex of Sam Son relics and scenic spots is the famous Hon Trong Mai landscape. Hon Trong Mai is located on the gentle slope of Truong Le mountain, which is a large rock arranged by nature to exist for many generations. A large rock lies flat below like a solid pedestal, for two rocks resembling a pair of birds to sit on. On that rock, there is a sharp-headed rock, rising high like a rooster, a smaller rock opposite, nestling against the rooster, like a hen. In particular, Hon Trong Mai is also associated with a beautiful story about the faithful love, living and dying together of a young couple after the great flood, to the point that fairies traveling on earth were moved by admiration and transformed into a pair of Stone Birds to cling to each other every day. Over time, Hon Trong Mai stands tall between heaven and earth and has become a symbol of steadfast love, faithful couple affection. This is also an attractive destination for tourists every time they come to beautiful Sam Son.

According to statistics, Sam Son City currently has 50 historical and cultural relics and scenic spots in the inventory list. Of these, 39 are ranked (including 1 special national relic; 8 national-level relics: Doc Cuoc Temple, Co Tien Temple, To Hien Thanh Temple, Ca Lap Temple, De Linh Temple, the temple of King An Duong Vuong and Princess My Chau, Chua Kenh Stele, Hon Trong Mai scenic spot; 30 provincial-level relics; 11 unranked relics; 5 relics recognized as tourist attractions.

In order for relics to be invested in restoration and embellishment, the city has mobilized resources from the whole society for conservation work. Accordingly, the total investment budget for the fields of culture, sports and tourism in the period of 2014-2024 in the whole area is 114,689 billion VND (including the budget for preserving and promoting the value of cultural heritage). In addition, the city has also built and implemented many mechanisms and policies to preserve cultural heritage, as well as reasonably and harmoniously resolve the conservation and promotion of historical relics and cultural heritage with socio-economic development. Typically, implementing Conclusion No. 82-KL/TU, dated May 30, 2017 of the Provincial Party Standing Committee on "Strengthening the leadership of Party committees at all levels in the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage values ​​in Thanh Hoa province, period 2017-2025"; Conclusion No. 02-KL/TU, dated November 21, 2016 on "Continuing to implement Resolution No. 04-NQ/TU, dated December 15, 2007 on "Continuing to innovate and improve the quality of a number of cultural fields in Sam Son town by 2020"; Resolution No. 05-NQ/TU, dated May 19, 2021 of the City Party Executive Committee on promoting historical and traditional cultural values; absorbing the quintessence of regional and world cultures, building a beautiful image of Sam Son people in the hearts of friends and tourists...

As a coastal locality, during the years of resistance against the French and the Americans, Sam Son was a strategically important location, because the enemy could land from the sea into Thanh Hoa's inland, through the Sam Son gateway. Recognizing that important position, the army and people of Sam Son participated in the fight against the enemy, contributing a lot of human and material resources to the Dien Bien Phu victory that shook the world (1954) and liberated the South, reunified the country (1975). Among the contributions of the army and people of Sam Son, there was the contribution of the Quang Tuong guerrillas in sinking the Amio-danh-vin ship in the Sam Son sea. Female soldier Nguyen Thi Loi heroically sacrificed herself. To commemorate her contributions, in 2017, Sam Son City coordinated with Thanh Hoa Provincial Police to build a monument to the female Hero - Martyr Nguyen Thi Loi on Sam Son beach. The statue is made from a 7.5m high monolithic stone block, standing on a French warship before it was sunk; in an area of ​​530m2.

In 1960, Sam Son was honored to welcome President Ho Chi Minh to visit. He stayed in Sam Son from July 17 to 19, 1960. In 2017, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of Uncle Ho's first visit to Thanh Hoa, Sam Son City restored the memorial stele where Uncle Ho visited and pulled nets with fishermen (Vinh Son quarter, Truong Son ward); restored the western pedestal of Co Tien temple, and decorated the guest house of Co Tien temple where Uncle Ho stayed when he visited Sam Son. Also in 2017, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the first Party cell - the predecessor of the City Party Committee (September 2, 1947 - September 2, 2017), the city cleared the ground, restored and embellished the house where the first Party cell founding conference took place. The project is built on a total area of ​​nearly 1,300m2 with a total investment of over 5.146 billion VND. In particular, the main house is decorated as a place to worship the first party members who participated in the establishment of the Co Gong Party Cell; the side house is decorated as a traditional house to display memorabilia and pictures, books, and newspapers about the formation and development process of the City Party Committee, the achievements in the process of leading the construction, innovation, and development of Sam Son City today.

In addition to tangible heritage, the city also focuses on preserving and promoting intangible cultural values. Sam Son City has 3 traditional cultural festivals at the city level and 24 traditional festivals at the commune and ward levels associated with relics. The festivals are held annually mainly in the spring (except for the Banh Chung - Banh Giay festival and the Cau Ngu - Boi Trai festival held in the 5th lunar month). The festivals have contributed to preserving and promoting the value of relics, as well as meeting the religious needs of the people and tourists. In the period of 2017-2023, the city successfully organized 1 cultural festival associated with famous landscapes, the Hon Trong Mai Love Festival (held annually); 1 festival was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage, the Cau Phuc festival at Doc Cuoc Temple. In addition, many communes and wards have restored festivals, folk games, traditional sports..., contributing to preserving national cultural identity.

It can be said that historical, cultural, revolutionary relics and intangible cultural heritages in Sam Son City have been and are being preserved and promoted. From there, they effectively serve the education of historical, cultural and revolutionary traditions for each local resident. At the same time, they become a resource for socio-economic development, contributing to building Sam Son into a tourist center of the whole country.

Article and photos: Tran Hang

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/chu-trong-bao-ton-va-phat-huy-gia-tri-di-san-van-hoa-226025.htm