Community responsibility to preserve and promote historical values

Historical and cultural values, which have been painstakingly cultivated and created by successive generations, are the common property of the community. Therefore, preserving and promoting these historical and cultural values ​​is the responsibility of the entire community on a voluntary, consensual, active and proactive basis.

Tu Huan performance (Quang Yen commune) participates in the 2024 Quang Xuong district traditional cultural and artistic exchange.

1. The special national relic of Le Hoan Temple is located in Trung Lap village (Xuan Lap commune, Tho Xuan), a typical ancient Vietnamese village in the North Central Delta, the "noble land" that gave birth to Emperor Le Dai Hanh - a national hero, the founder of the prosperous Dai Viet nation. As one of the oldest temples in Thanh Hoa, Le Hoan Temple still preserves artistic architecture and many ancient artifacts of great historical and cultural value such as stone steles, royal decrees, royal orders, white stone plates, silver cups and chopsticks, porcelain jars, pairs of porcelain bowls, parallel sentences, and elaborate carvings on wood...

The most prominent among these ancient artifacts are the silver alloy cup and chopsticks and the white stone plate. The white stone plate is said to be an item that the Song Dynasty king gave to King Le Dai Hanh, called "Ngoc Tuyet". Inside the plate are engraved two seals and the Chinese characters: "Giang Nam nhat phien tuyet, trac khi van nien tran", roughly translated as: "Giang Nam province has a stone plate as white as snow, making a plate that will be treasured for ten thousand years". Previously, the plate was placed solemnly on the king's altar, it was clear white, and could glow in the dark. As for the pair of chopsticks and bowls made of silver alloy, it is said to be the king's belongings. The chopsticks were used to test for poison before the king ate. The chopsticks are contained in a copper tube with a base, the body of the tube is carved with delicate and beautiful patterns.

It is known that in the past, ancient artifacts were kept right at Le Hoan Temple. However, many times they were "watched" by thieves, trying to steal them, so the local authorities and people always had to be on guard and vigilant. Faced with that reality, since 2017, some artifacts have been brought to Xuan Lap Commune People's Committee for storage and preservation. This action has been very well received by the people, trusted and supported. Accordingly, the Commune People's Committee has arranged a special room to store and preserve artifacts. The room has 2 layers of doors, with 3 people holding the keys. If you want to open this room or come into contact with the artifacts, all 3 people must be present; however, contact with the artifacts is also very limited.

Moving ancient artifacts from Le Hoan Temple to the Commune People's Committee for preservation and conservation is not a long journey if calculated in terms of actual geographical distance. But it partly shows the change in both thinking and action of the local government and people towards preserving and promoting historical and cultural values. Vice Chairman of Xuan Lap Commune People's Committee Tong Canh Tien shared: "Xuan Lap is a rural area rich in historical traditions, imbued with unique and typical cultural values. This is an honor and pride that not every locality has. Therefore, in parallel with the goal of socio-economic development, the government and people of Xuan Lap Commune always uphold the spirit of solidarity, unity, and strive to preserve, conserve and promote the traditional historical and cultural values ​​left by our ancestors".

Through countless periods of time and historical changes, Le Hoan Temple has remained steadfast in its vitality; the ancient artifacts of the temple have been preserved by the government and generations of local people through the ages, working together and unanimously, as “the treasures of the village”. Because deep down, everyone is deeply aware that: “Those precious things, once lost, will never be found again, nothing can compensate for them”.

2. Identifying the preservation and promotion of historical and cultural values ​​as one of the important "nuclei" to promote tourism development, in recent years, Quang Xuong district has mobilized the participation of the entire political system, people and businesses, synchronously implementing solutions with many practical and meaningful tasks. In particular, the preservation and promotion of intangible cultural values ​​in the district have also achieved remarkable results.

In order for the work of preserving and promoting historical and cultural values ​​to spread and go into depth, it is impossible not to mention the role of the leader. Quang Xuong has actively directed and thoroughly instructed the leadership team from the district to the grassroots level to pay close attention, considering this one of the important tasks, building a specific plan and roadmap. In particular, in Resolution No. 336/NQ-HDND on approving the allocation of the district-level budget in 2024 issued on December 21, 2023, the People's Council of Quang Xuong district has paid attention to allocating regular expenditure estimates for activities to preserve and promote intangible cultural values ​​in the area, specifically: supporting funding for Quang Hop commune to prepare documents and build a video of the Tran Nhat Duat temple festival to propose the recognition of Van Trinh opera of the Tran Nhat Duat temple festival as a national intangible cultural heritage; Opening a class to teach Van Trinh's singing and Tu Huan's performance (Quang Yen)... This is one of the practical activities contributing to bringing Van Trinh's singing to the title of National Intangible Cultural Heritage in April 2024.

Over the past years, Quang Xuong district has coordinated with specialized agencies, researchers, and artisans to do a good job of collecting, researching, preserving, restoring, and promoting typical intangible cultural values ​​of the locality such as: Van Trinh opera (Quang Hop commune); Tu Huan and Quan Thuyen opera (belonging to Ngu tro Thien Linh, Quang Yen commune); Cheo singing; singing at the communal house gate in Quang Nham... Along with that, the district has focused on and promoted the construction of models and clubs of traditional culture and arts, folk songs and folk dances associated with the movement "All people unite to build a cultural life". Up to now, in the district, there are about 30 cultural and artistic clubs operating actively, positively, and effectively. For the "nuclei", the factors that actively participate and contribute to the development of the cultural and artistic movement, the district has forms of rewards and honors to encourage and motivate...

In line with its functions and tasks, in the spirit of effort, endeavor, dynamism and creativity, the Quang Xuong District Cultural, Information, Sports and Tourism Center has constantly innovated its methods of operation, contributing significantly to the preservation and promotion of traditional cultural values, increasingly meeting the needs of enjoying culture and art, and improving the spiritual life of the people. The Center guides the clubs to organize mass activities on holidays and Tet with rich and diverse content and forms, ensuring practicality, efficiency, safety, savings, and suitability to the cultural lifestyle, traditions, customs, practices and practical conditions of each locality, agency and unit.

In 2024, the center successfully organized a traditional cultural and artistic exchange program of Quang Xuong district, gathering 300 actors, artisans, and musicians from teams of 20 communes and towns in the area; guided the teams to develop and practice performances to participate in the 20th Thanh Hoa Province Ethnic Culture Festival and perform traditional costumes of Thanh Hoa province's ethnic groups, winning 3 A prizes and 4 B prizes. The center also coordinated with the communes to organize training classes, teach Van Trinh opera, Tu Huan and Quan Thuyen performances...

Director of the Center Duong Thi Tuong Van said: “Cultural and artistic activities have contributed to creating a vibrant competitive atmosphere, improving the spiritual life of the people, contributing to the successful implementation of political tasks, economic development, culture and society in the locality. In the next stages, the center will continue to coordinate with specialized agencies and localities to organize more training and dissemination courses, so that Quang Xuong district will have more and more types of intangible cultural heritage, recognized artisans, becoming an important factor in promoting tourism”.

Historical and traditional cultural values ​​are considered important indicators for us today to have a “support” and a basis to find our roots. Understand to love and appreciate more, so that every step on that journey always emphasizes our own role and responsibility in continuing, transmitting and promoting those precious historical and cultural values.

Article and photos: Hoang Linh

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/cong-dong-trach-nhiem-bao-ton-phat-huy-gia-tri-lich-su-van-hoa-230520.htm