With the value and potential for tourism development of Thach Khuyen stone village, it is necessary to strengthen propaganda and mobilize people to preserve and maintain traditional lifestyles.
 |
Thach Khuyen stone village in Xuat Le commune, Cao Loc district, Lang Son province. (Source: Realtimes)
Thach Khuyen stone village in Xuat Le commune, Cao Loc district, Lang Son province has long been famous for its stone structures that have existed for centuries. In recent times, the Party Committee, government and people in Xuat Le commune have taken many measures to preserve and maintain the stone village so that these structures will last forever and retain their unique, ancient beauty.
Thach Khuyen village currently has 115 households with 532 people, mainly Tay and Nung ethnic groups. Coming to the stone village, we saw with our own eyes the stone walls with a 3m wide foundation, stones of all sizes stacked on top of each other without using any adhesive materials. The stones here are paved to make roads, fences, pond embankments, and rice field banks...
 |
The beauty is both wild and ancient, yet strangely interesting, of the ancient stone village.
There are large stones, weighing several hundred kilograms, many of which are covered with moss, showing the antiquity and also proving the longevity of the stone village for more than 300 years. It is known that the total length of the stone wall surrounding Thach Khuyen village is more than 1,000m.
In the village there are still 5 rammed earth houses, a typical architectural style of traditional houses of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups. These are houses made of thick, solid earthen walls, roofed with yin-yang tiles, 1-2 stories high. Inside the house, there is a system of sturdy latches and bolts; the attic has loopholes for defense.
Pointing to the rows of stones in front of his house, Mr. Tang Van Hao, 65 years old, shared: Since I was born, I have heard my father and grandfather tell stories about stone walls. Thach means stone, Khuyen means circle, a stone wall surrounding the village, to protect the lives and property of the villagers. The elders said that the stone village was built by the villagers in the early 19th century to protect the villagers from robbers and bandits. Previously, the stone walls surrounding the village were about 4-5m high, built in 2 sturdy layers. The village with stone structures has become the pride of our people whenever someone asks about the unique features of our homeland.
 |
Mr. Hao next to the stone fence of his house. (Source: Lang Son Newspaper)
Like Mr. Hao, more than 500 people in Thach Khuyen village are proud of the stone village here. These stones have witnessed the "transformation" of the village from the past to the present. With the above meanings, the Thach Khuyen site in the Ba Son Guerrilla Zone has been ranked as a provincial-level relic according to Decision No. 41/2002/QD-UBND dated October 2, 2002 of the Provincial People's Committee. The Thach Khuyen village relic has been inventoried as a historical relic in the Ba Son Guerrilla Historical Relic Site according to Decision No. 73/QD-UBND dated October 10, 2019 of the Provincial People's Committee on approving and announcing the list of relic inventories in the province.
However, over time, the stone village is no longer as complete as before due to the increasingly rapid urbanization rate, the stone roads are replaced by long concrete roads, the 4-5m high walls of the past are now only about 1-2m high... However, the Party Committee, the government of Cao Loc district, Xuat Le commune and the people here are always aware that the stone village plays an important role in the spiritual life of the people, so in recent times, there have been solutions to preserve the stone village.
 |
Stones are stacked to create a sturdy fence. (Source: Realtimes)
Mr. To Van Tuan, Chairman of the People's Committee of Xuat Le Commune, said: Over the years, we have proactively promoted the preservation and restoration of stone fences at risk of erosion and encouraged people to proactively maintain environmental hygiene, regularly weed and pick up trash in the stone village... Thereby, contributing to preserving the beauty of the stone structures that our ancestors built.
Along with that, in order for the stone village to be known by more and more people, all levels and sectors in the district are also interested in preserving and promoting the value of the stone village. Ms. Hoang Thi Phuong Hue, Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Cao Loc district, said: With the desire to preserve and spread the beauty of Thach Khuyen stone village to the masses, in early 2023, we coordinated with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to survey and research to exploit the tourism potential here. At the same time, coordinate with the People's Committee of the commune to call on organizations and individuals to invest in building a community tourism model here, in the future, a community tourism village will be formed to preserve the value of the stone village as well as promote the economic development of the people.
 |
This village still has many traditional rammed earth houses of the Tay and Nung people. (Source: New Rural Magazine)
With the value and potential for tourism development of Thach Khuyen stone village, in the coming time, all levels and sectors of the district and commune need to continue to pay attention and call for socialized investment to preserve the pristine beauty of the relic. At the same time, strengthen propaganda and mobilize people to preserve and maintain the traditions of Thach Khuyen stone village. So that the stone village can truly become a cultural tourist destination that attracts a large number of domestic and foreign tourists to visit and experience./.
Comment (0)