Difficulties in preserving Nguyen Dynasty culture

Hue Imperial Palace

Many buildings were restored.
The conservation of Hue cultural heritage over the past 50 years, especially since 1993, has attracted and mobilized the participation of many social classes, of all levels of government from central to local, of many international organizations of government and non-government. And in fact, it has achieved great achievements, the most prominent of which is the transformation of Hue ancient capital heritage from a state of "urgent rescue" to a period of "stability and sustainable development".

After the war, facing many difficulties as well as different and inconsistent views on the issue, the treatment of the heritage of the ancient capital of Hue was still inappropriate. The arbitrary use of relics led to many losses and deformations... In 1981, after a visit to Hue, UNESCO Director General Amadou Mahtar M'Bow issued a call to "save Hue" to launch an international campaign to preserve and restore the values ​​of Hue's cultural heritage.

Dr. Phan Thanh Hai, Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, said that since the call was issued, the preservation, restoration and embellishment of Hue relics began to operate in accordance with its orbit. Up to this point, about 175 large and small relics have been invested in, restored and preserved. Typical works include Ngo Mon, Thai Hoa Palace, Hien Lam Cac, The Mieu relic cluster, Dien Tho Palace, Duyet Thi Duong, An Dinh Palace... "This has brought about positive economic and social effects, contributing significantly to the beautification of urban and residential areas, attracting tourists, increasing tourism and service revenue...", Mr. Hai commented.

Sharing the same view, Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Manh (University of Sciences, Hue University) said that the systematic restoration, embellishment and conservation of heritage from policy, research to implementation process all comply with scientific principles. Therefore, since the Hue Monuments Complex was recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage in 1993 until now, the restoration and conservation of the heritage system has been effectively implemented.

And there are challenges.

However, according to some experts, in recent years, along with the market economy and the process of industrialization and modernization, Hue's cultural heritage is facing challenges in preservation and promotion. In addition to the relics recognized by UNESCO, there are many other relics that have been degraded and forgotten... This is due to the lack of planning, lack of strategic vision, conservation methods, and funding sources.

Speaking more about the limitations, Dr. Tran Duc Anh Son, Dong A University (former Director of the Hue Royal Fine Arts Museum) - commented that there is not yet a comprehensive and harmonious policy for research, conservation and promotion of the value of Nguyen Dynasty cultural heritage in Hue, there is a lack of a team of real relic conservation experts, many restoration and embellishment works are not in line with the original relics... The reason pointed out by Mr. Son is due to internal conflicts in resolving the relationship between conservation and development, the owners of Nguyen Dynasty cultural heritages and those participating in the conservation work are not knowledgeable, leading to improper behavior towards cultural heritage, the process of researching cultural heritages before restoration, conservation or exploitation is not thorough, leading to not being able to come up with optimal solutions... Besides, financial difficulties, human resources and weather climate of the Hue region are also obstacles.

To minimize that situation, this expert believes that a synchronous policy should be issued and implemented in preserving cultural heritage of all periods in Hue, instead of focusing on prioritizing the preservation of cultural heritage of the Nguyen Dynasty. It is necessary to develop a set of rules for the conservation and restoration of historical and cultural relics in accordance with national and international standards; use a team of workers knowledgeable about the history, culture, and art of the Nguyen Dynasty in the restoration and embellishment of Nguyen Dynasty relics in Hue...

Dr. Son believes that in order to contribute to preserving and promoting the value of Nguyen Dynasty cultural heritage in Hue, in addition to the efforts of management agencies, professional agencies and authorities at all levels in Hue, it is necessary to spread this activity to the community, by promoting research and education on Nguyen Dynasty cultural heritage to the community, especially the young generation. In addition, promoting Nguyen Dynasty cultural heritage in a systematic and extensive manner to tourists visiting Hue, helping them understand and appreciate its value.

Article and photos: Nhat Minh

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