Ha Long - A marine space with many creative values

Besides its magnificent landscapes and diverse ecosystems, Ha Long Bay is also a bay with rich economic potential, a cultural space with depth and many creative values, and has early on formed several famous maritime cultures.

Artifacts found during archaeological excavations at the Hon Hai Co Tien site, related to the Ha Long culture, are currently preserved at the Quang Ninh Museum.

Ha Long Bay is the birthplace of prehistoric maritime cultures: Soi Nhu - Cai Beo - Ha Long; it was an important economic center in East Asia, playing a connecting role between Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and Southwest Asia from the early centuries AD; and it was a leading hub for international diplomacy and trade for the Dai Viet nation. According to scientists , the Ha Long culture belongs to the late Neolithic to early Metal Age, dating from approximately 6,000 to 3,500 years ago. Its distribution is mainly in Quang Ninh province and some areas of Hai Phong.

Visitors view some ceramic artifacts related to the Ha Long culture currently on display at the Quang Ninh Museum.

The Ha Long culture originates from a maritime culture, possessing unique characteristics evident in its diverse system of relics, rich collection of artifacts, and new developments in the techniques of crafting stone tools, jewelry, and pottery. Particularly noteworthy are the porous pottery decorated with added patterns, S-shaped and wave-shaped incised patterns, and U-shaped grooved tools.

Ha Long is the name of a maritime culture, the largest of its kind in Vietnam, and situated at a pivotal point in the transition from prehistoric times to the present day. In particular, the Ha Long culture is a significant cultural resource that has shaped the Vietnamese cultural identity. It forms the basis for the combination of maritime and continental cultures, leading to the emergence of early states on Vietnamese territory.

The Đầu Rằm ceramic vase, a National Treasure discovered in Hoàng Tân commune, Quảng Yên town, is believed to date back 3,000-3,400 years.

According to Professor, Dr. Nguyen Quang Ngoc, Vice President of the Vietnam Historical Science Association, this is the immense value of Vietnam's first maritime culture, creating vitality for the Vietnamese nation from its founding to the present day. The blending of maritime and continental cultures crystallizes the material and spiritual strength of the Vietnamese people. The maritime culture of Ha Long is dynamic, attractive, widespread, and possesses a powerful vitality, and these values ​​are further amplified in new conditions.

In terms of intangible cultural heritage, the people of Ha Long still preserve much folk knowledge, customs, folk arts, and unique legends about the sea. According to Professor, Dr. Nguyen Van Kim, Vice Chairman of the National Council for Cultural Heritage, these include folk festivals of the coastal region, the custom of worshipping the whale god and other sea deities. These beliefs reflect the seafaring people's awareness of the power of nature.

Many valuable artifacts related to maritime culture were introduced to the public in the exhibition "Colors of Maritime Cultural Heritage of Hai Phong - Quang Ninh," held in Hai Phong in 2024.

Overall, the cultural space of Ha Long Bay is diverse, multi-layered, profound, and achieves a high degree of universality in its spread. It can be considered a cultural complex encompassing both tangible and intangible cultural values, formed and integrated within the landscape of the heritage site – a magnificent natural wonder. The richness, distinctive characteristics, and historical depth of Ha Long Bay culture, both tangible and intangible, are vivid evidence of the Vietnamese people's tradition of exploiting the sea, their sea-oriented thinking, and their development of the marine economy over many generations. These values ​​have contributed and continue to contribute to increasing the unique value, depth, integrity, and authenticity of the Ha Long Bay World Heritage Site.

Huynh Dang

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/dac-sac-van-hoa-bien-ha-long-3353886.html