Hanoi registers 2 more national intangible cultural heritages

Recently, Hanoi pho and the traditional craft of making lotus tea in Quang An have been listed as National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Hanoi Pho and Quang An lotus tea have long been specialties that tourists must try when visiting the capital.

Lotus tea making craft in Quang An

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has issued Decision No. 2316/QD-BVHTTDL on including the traditional craft of making lotus tea in Quang An (Quang An ward, Tay Ho district, Hanoi) in the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

Quang An Ward has the advantage of being bordered by West Lake on three sides, with 157 hectares of West Lake water surface with 11 ponds, lakes, and lagoons with good soil and thick mud layers very suitable for the development of lotus, so since ancient times, this has been a famous place for growing lotus and making lotus tea.

Lotus tea has long been a precious tea, imbued with the Vietnamese soul, conquering and captivating generations of Vietnamese tea drinkers. The lotus flower has a profound meaning in the culture and religion of many Asian countries, especially Vietnam. The lotus scent is both strange and familiar, both close and noble, pure and peaceful, making people's hearts pure.

West Lake lotus tea is a famous specialty in Hanoi only available in the summer. (Photo: Le Ngoc Yen)

Lotus combined with tea creates a harmony, lotus enters tea and lifts tea, tea brings lotus to the peak of flavor. Lotus scent is the spirit of lotus tea. Lotus tea brings the drinker a feeling of relaxation and tranquility.

Quang An land next to West Lake used to be a large lotus area of ​​Hanoi and this is also the cradle of the famous lotus tea brewing profession. Quang An used to be called Mau hamlet, a small land arch jutting out towards West Lake, surrounded by lagoons, ponds and lakes.

Due to the climate, water resources and especially the soil, West Lake is famous for its precious double-petal lotus with a strong fragrance, also known as the hundred-leaf lotus. When this lotus blooms, it is as big as two hands, with hundreds of petals, layered around the pistil, calyx and lotus seed, giving the lotus a pure, fragrant scent.

It is no coincidence that West Lake lotus is in a "superior" position that lotuses from other regions can hardly compare to, because West Lake lotus is nourished by a layer of mud accumulated over millennia, 0.7 to 1.2 m thick, something that few ponds have.

Since ancient times, Quang An people have used lotus leaves to create lotus tea products and the knowledge of making lotus tea has been passed down through generations and preserved to this day.

Currently, in Quang An, there are many households that still maintain the lotus tea-perfuming profession. The process of making dried lotus tea is also very elaborate, from the raw materials, washing the tea, separating the lotus seeds, perfuming the tea, drying the tea, packaging and preserving.

Although the process of perfuming lotus flower tea is not as elaborate as that of dried lotus tea, to have delicious and fragrant tea, tea makers have their own secrets. The raw tea used to perfume lotus flower is usually young tea buds. After the tea is perfumed once with lotus rice, the tea is put into lotus flowers with each flower weighing about 15 grams. This job requires skillful and meticulous skills of the tea maker.

When in season, lotus rice will be plump and soaked in tea, giving it the most delicious flavor. (Photo: Le Ngoc Yen)

Currently, the lotus tea brewing profession in Quang An is facing difficulties due to the shrinking lotus growing area, environmental pollution affecting the growth of lotus; the tastes of users, especially young people, are less and less interested in tea and do not like to drink tea.

Furthermore, many people still do not understand and appreciate the cultural, spiritual and physical values ​​and benefits of tea in general and lotus tea in particular. Hanoi City has a plan to develop and expand the area of ​​​​lotus growing to honor the value of West Lake lotus and contribute to preserving the traditional craft of lotus tea here.

Pho Hanoi

In the newly issued Decision No. 2328/QD-BVHTTDL, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has included Hanoi pho in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Previously, the Hanoi People's Committee submitted a dossier requesting the inclusion of Hanoi pho folk knowledge in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Traditional Hanoi chicken pho does not use cinnamon or star anise, but only grilled onions, ginger, coriander roots, and onion roots to create a unique light flavor. (Source: VNE)

According to the Hanoi city's proposed profile, the subjects of pho are individuals and families who directly practice and possess the knowledge, skills, techniques, and secrets of making pho; passed down through many generations, demonstrating the continuity of identity and recognized brand.

As of 2023, Hanoi has nearly 700 pho shops, mainly concentrated in the districts of Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Cau Giay, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Thanh Xuan and Long Bien.

Many historical documents record that the dish “pho” in Hanoi was born in the early 20th century. Pho was originally a street food, carried around and sold throughout the streets of Hanoi.

Traditional pho brands (with more than 2 generations of making pho) usually only specialize in selling beef pho or chicken pho, mainly concentrated in Hoan Kiem district, Ba Dinh district and Hai Ba Trung district.

There are many different opinions about the origin of the dish "Pho". In fact, the process of forming Pho is a community creation associated with the social, historical and cultural context of the early 20th century in Hanoi. The French had the habit of eating beef, so in Hanoi there appeared places specializing in providing beef.

Although many localities in the country have pho, pho has long been associated with the lives of Hanoi people, becoming a popular snack. The need to regularly enjoy pho of Hanoi people has influenced the cooking techniques of pho restaurant owners, making Hanoi pho more delicious and more unique.

Pho Bat Dan is the oldest pho restaurant in Hanoi, with an age of over 50 years. (Source: Mia.vn)

Pho also shows the sophistication of Hanoians not only in cooking but also in enjoying. Culinary experts, researchers, writers and poets all admit that: Pho is a special gift of Hanoi, not only Hanoi has it, but because it is only delicious in Hanoi.

Currently, Pho has become a world-famous dish, highly appreciated by domestic and international tourists. It is expected that Hanoi will promote propaganda and promotion; research, collection; planning cultural spaces to practice heritage; building a map of Hanoi Pho to introduce delicious Pho shops to tourists...

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/ha-noi-ghi-danh-them-2-di-san-van-hoa-phi-vat-the-quoc-gia-282349.html