Considered the capital of salt production in Vietnam, Bac Lieu is one of the localities with the largest salt production area in the country. Located in the coastal area of the Mekong Delta, the sea is clean with high salinity, not bitter, so the salt production of Bac Lieu is famous throughout the South. The Chinese who came to reclaim and establish the land were the first to lay the foundation for the salt production here.
During the years of resistance against the French and the Americans, only wealthy households were allowed to produce salt in the fields along the river. Today, there are still some large architectural works and mansions built during the French colonial period that are the property of the former salt-making bosses.
I love and miss Bac Lieu every salt harvest season not only because of the poetic and special beauty of the salt fields when the season comes but also because of the love of the salt farmers here. Salt making is very hard work and the income is low but the salt farmers are determined to keep the job. To make white salt grains, it must go through many stages.
With the arduous manual salt making method, these people still work diligently in the salt fields, sticking to the profession of creating refined salt grains - an indispensable spice for daily life. The love for the traditional profession has entered the blood of each person, they can choose other less strenuous jobs but still choose the salt profession, because of the heart and responsibility to preserve the livelihood that has been passed down for generations.
The two famous salt-making localities in Bac Lieu are Hoa Binh district and Dong Hai district with a total salt-making area of about 1,600 hectares, producing more than 90,000 tons of salt per year. With a history of more than 100 years of formation and development, salt farmers in Bac Lieu have accumulated practical skills and passed down the unique salt-making profession from generation to generation. "Salt-making in Bac Lieu" has been certified as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage in the traditional handicraft category. The image of Bac Lieu salt fields is not only familiar but also a particularly attractive place for me to visit and take photos.
Heritage Magazine
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