Receiving the National Intangible Cultural Heritage "Van Cu Vermicelli Making Craft"

NDO - Ceremony to receive the title of National Intangible Cultural Heritage of Van Cu vermicelli making profession with rich and meaningful activities such as: sacrificial ceremony, Vietnamese vermicelli heritage culinary festival, art performances, bicycle journey, journey to discover the heritage of Van Cu vermicelli village, display and introduction of OCOP products, reenactment of traditional vermicelli making profession... thereby contributing to promoting the image of community tourism to tourists and people.

On February 19, in Van Cu - Nam Thanh village, Huong Toan commune, Huong Tra town (Hue city), the ceremony to receive the title of National Intangible Cultural Heritage "Van Cu vermicelli making profession" took place. This is also the death anniversary of Mrs. Bun - the founder of Van Cu vermicelli village (January 22, At Ty year).

Attending the ceremony were Nong Quoc Thanh, Deputy Director of the Department of Heritage - Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; members of the Standing Committee of Hue City Party Committee: Nguyen Thanh Binh, Permanent Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee; Hoang Khanh Hung, Head of the City Party Committee's Propaganda Department; Pham Thi Minh Hue, Head of the City Party Committee's Inspection Committee; Nguyen Chi Tai, Head of the City Party Committee's Mass Mobilization Department; leaders of Huong Tra town, Tourism Association, City Culinary Culture Association and related departments, branches and sectors, artisans and a large number of people and tourists.

City leaders, departments, branches and sectors attended the ceremony.

Characteristics of traditional noodle making

Van Cu vermicelli village has a history of more than 500 years of formation and development. Making Van Cu vermicelli is not only a way of earning a living, but also a unique cultural feature of the people here. Each vermicelli strand is not only the crystallization of rice, water and the skillful hands of the craftsman, but also the pride and respect of generations for the traditional profession of their ancestors.

Van Cu vermicelli village has a history of more than 500 years of formation and development. Making Van Cu vermicelli is not only a way of earning a living, but also a unique cultural feature of the people here.

Today, the finished Van Cu vermicelli is delivered by villagers and wholesalers to markets, eateries, and restaurants throughout the province, contributing to the brand of the famous "Hue beef vermicelli" dish. Van Cu vermicelli is ivory white in color, with a fragrant aroma like the scent of newly milled rice.

The special thing is that there is no need to eat it with any delicacies, sometimes just a bowl of fish sauce with lemon, garlic and chili is enough to make diners remember the noodles in the village along the Bo River forever...

For the Van Cu people, vermicelli is a part of the village’s soul, a memory, a cultural identity of the people here. It is estimated that Van Cu vermicelli village produces about 30 tons of vermicelli every day; of which, on average, each household produces and consumes 200 kg of vermicelli per day, the largest household produces up to 600-700 kg per day. During holidays, the vermicelli output sold can be more than double, even 3 or 4 times higher.

Despite many ups and downs, Van Cu vermicelli still promotes its inherent value and spreads everywhere.

The reason why Van Cu vermicelli is famous and loved by customers is because the vermicelli is smooth, white, shiny, not sour when eaten but has a fragrant smell of flour, not crumbly but not too tough. During the production process, the vermicelli maker does not use any additives except raw salt to soak, wash rice, and nourish the flour to clean impurities, disinfect, and remove sourness. This is also the reason why Van Cu vermicelli can only be kept in the natural environment for 24 hours, but it is also the advantage that consumers trust and choose.

The reason why Van Cu vermicelli is famous and loved by customers is because the vermicelli is smooth, clear white, shiny surface, when eaten it is not sour but has a fragrant smell of flour, not too crumbly but not too chewy.

Unlike other traditional craft villages, the products can be kept for a long time and become souvenirs. Van Cu fresh vermicelli is produced and consumed within the day. What makes the small vermicelli become the pride of a village, and then a traditional craft village like Van Cu today, is the quality of Van Cu vermicelli which is associated with the typical delicacies of Hue.

With important contributions in many fields, in 2014, Van Cu vermicelli village was recognized as a "traditional craft village" of Thua Thien Hue province (now Hue City).

The ceremony to receive the title of National Intangible Cultural Heritage for the Van Cu vermicelli making profession was solemnly held at Van Cu communal house (Huong Toan commune, Huong Tra town).

Preserve and spread cultural identity values

In Decision No. 3979/QD-BVHTTDL dated December 10, 2024 of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on the announcement of the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage, the traditional craft of "Van Cu Vermicelli Making" was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vice Chairman of Huong Tra Town People's Committee Do Ngoc An shared that the reception ceremony is an important milestone in the journey of preserving and promoting national cultural values. This is an honor for Van Cu people and a common pride of the people of Huong Tra Town, Hue City.

“The recognition of Van Cu vermicelli making as a national intangible cultural heritage not only honors a traditional craft, but also acknowledges the cultural values ​​of this land. This is an honor and also a responsibility for the vermicelli making profession to develop, adapt to modern life while still preserving traditional values," Mr. Do Ngoc An emphasized.

Vice Chairman of Huong Tra Town People's Committee Do Ngoc An spoke at the ceremony.

Vice Chairman of the Town People's Committee Do Ngoc An has requested the Party Committee, the government of Huong Toan commune and the people of Van Cu village to continue to join hands to preserve and promote the combination of tradition and creativity, preserve cultural identity associated with the development of community tourism. Close coordination between the government, the community and tourists, in which the people are the main subjects to do community tourism, apply science and technology to vermicelli production in a friendly direction, protect the environment sustainably.

The Van Cu vermicelli making profession is recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, not only honoring a traditional profession, but also recognizing the cultural values ​​of this land.

Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of the town Do Ngoc An

In addition, it is necessary to focus on building a brand for Van Cu vermicelli products with diverse designs, forms and shelf life; connecting with restaurants and eateries to make Van Cu vermicelli the main ingredient in specialty dishes.

Developing community tourism in traditional craft villages for Van Cu vermicelli village; bringing information about traditional craft villages into local education programs, integrating them into extracurricular programs..., thereby preserving and developing the Van Cu vermicelli brand to reach out far and wide, contributing to bringing the quintessence of Vietnamese cuisine to international friends.

Vietnamese Bun Heritage Food Festival - Van Cu Bun Village.

According to Mr. Do Ngoc An, preserving and developing cultural heritage from traditional craft villages is not only the task of artisans but also requires the cooperation of the whole community. When each craft village product is respected, each craft village tour is organized, that is how we contribute to preserving and spreading the good cultural values ​​of the nation.

Taking place on February 18 and 19, the Ceremony to receive the title of National Intangible Cultural Heritage "Van Cu Vermicelli Making Profession" with many exciting and meaningful activities such as: Mrs. Bun's Worship Ceremony, Vietnamese Vermicelli Heritage Culinary Festival - Van Cu Vermicelli Village; Artistic program Proud of Van Cu Vermicelli Village Heritage; Bicycle journey to the beloved land of Huong Toan; Journey to discover the heritage of Van Cu Vermicelli Village, displaying and introducing OCOP products and local specialties.

In particular, the program also featured a performance recreating the traditional vermicelli making profession of the people of Van Cu village, and the memories of the mothers and grandmothers carrying vermicelli in the old days in the fields. This is one of the traditional features of the Van Cu vermicelli making profession, thereby contributing to promoting the image of community tourism to tourists and locals.

On this occasion, 2 groups and 5 individuals were commended for their contributions to preserving and promoting the value of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage: Van Cu Vermicelli Craft.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/don-nhan-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-quoc-gia-nghe-lam-bun-van-cu-post860683.html