Advantages of developing community cultural and spiritual tourism in Ninh Giang

Mr. Lenain Pascal, a tourist from France, was delighted to receive a Teu (a character in water puppetry) after watching a performance by the Hong Phong water puppet troupe (Ninh Giang). Photo: TN

"If I have the chance I will come back"

"The first time I came to Vietnam, after watching water puppetry in Ninh Giang, I found your culture very attractive. Especially watching a water puppet show in a village makes it even more traditional. The scenery here is wonderful, rare, everything is genuine, rustic, and interesting. If I have the chance, I will come back with my family and friends," said Mr. Lenain Pascal, a tourist from France, after watching the Hong Phong water puppetry troupe perform in mid-May.

This is not only the feeling of Lenain Pascal, but also the general comment of the members of the group of 40 French tourists when they saw the performances of the artisans of Hong Phong water puppetry troupe.

Water puppetry is a unique cultural form of the Red River Delta, closely associated with the Vietnamese rice civilization. Hong Phong Water Puppetry Troupe is a place to promote and nurture this folk art form in a sustainable way. Water puppetry appeared in Hong Phong around the 17th century and has been passed down to this day. The images of fairies, wrestlers, Mr. Teu, buffaloes, farmers... appear rustic, graceful, and flexible under the skillful hands of the artisans, making many tourists, especially foreign tourists, especially excited. Hong Phong Water Puppetry Troupe also preserves ancient plays and creates modern puppetry to reflect the life and economic development of the people here.

Along with water puppetry, Ninh Giang also has a unique folk game of clay cannon shooting, which always attracts a large number of audiences of all ages. This is a folk game that does not discriminate against the age or gender of the players, so it has been passed down for hundreds of years. Every year, at each local festival, especially the Tranh Temple festival, or national festivals such as Con Son - Kiep Bac, Ninh Giang cannon teams participate and win high prizes.

Water puppetry, folk games of clay cannons, pot-breaking, walking on a bamboo bridge, blindfolded duck catching... are some of the bases for Ninh Giang to develop community tourism and expand the range of tourists, not only domestic but also international groups...

Appropriate orientation

Many types of folk art in Ninh Giang have attracted many domestic and foreign tourists to explore. Photo: TRUONG NGUYEN

Building a project to develop cultural, historical, spiritual tourism; agricultural and rural tourism, based on existing internal factors is something that authorities at all levels in Ninh Giang have long been concerned about. This is considered an orientation suitable for the natural conditions, potential and people of the locality.

Ninh Giang has a favorable geographical location and natural conditions, bordering Gia Loc, Tu Ky, Thanh Mien (Hai Duong); Quynh Phu (Thai Binh) and Vinh Bao (Hai Phong). The road and waterway traffic system connecting Ninh Giang with localities inside and outside Hai Duong province is also increasingly improved.

The art of singing and practicing the worship of the Mother Goddesses of the Four Palaces, recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, is performed at the national relic of Tranh Temple.

Ninh Giang currently has more than 300 relics, including many types such as communal houses, temples, pagodas, shrines, churches, monuments, victory steles... distributed throughout the communes and towns. In addition to the system of relics, traditional festivals, folk games, Ninh Giang also has many traditional craft villages. Notable are the making of gai cake in Ninh Giang town and some localities in the district; making ham (Tan Huong commune); Cuc Bo carpentry village (Kien Quoc commune); making Van Hoi wine (old Van Giang). Local products have also created a reputation such as Hiep Luc guava, Vinh Hoa early lychee, gai cake, buffalo meat... bringing unique regional culinary experiences to visitors.

Ninh Giang clay cannon is a folk game that always attracts a large audience and cannon players of all ages and genders to participate enthusiastically. Photo: Tranh Temple Management Board

Based on the inherent advantages of Ninh Giang district, a unit has proposed to develop specific tourism products such as "Returning to the art of water puppetry in the Red River Delta". Main tourism products: Sightseeing - worship tourism at Tranh temple; Khuc Thua Du temple. Agricultural eco-tourism products at Cuu An river tourist area. Supplementary tourism products such as: visiting Uncle Ho's monument (Hiep Luc commune), Uncle Ho's memorial area (Hong Du commune), Bo Duong communal house (Hong Phong commune), Cuc Bo carpentry village... At the same time, develop inter-provincial specialized tours and routes from Ninh Giang to Con Son - Kiep Bac...

According to statistics, in the first 5 months of the year, there were about 50,000 visitors to Ninh Giang, mainly to major relics such as Tranh Temple, Khuc Thua Du Temple, Trong Pagoda, Trinh Xuyen Communal House. Hong Phong Water Puppetry Troupe alone welcomed over 50 groups of visitors with about 300 foreign visitors. This number is quite high compared to the same period last year. This is an important foundation, a favorable signal for Ninh Giang to develop cultural, historical, spiritual tourism...

TIEN HUY

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/loi-the-phat-trien-du-lich-van-hoa-cong-dong-tam-linh-o-ninh-giang-384691.html