Preserving and promoting the value of antiquities: What needs to be done (Part 2) - Warning about the damage to antiquities and national treasures

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Recently, a number of cases of damage to antiquities and national treasures have occurred in a number of localities in the country, including Thanh Hoa. The brazen acts of digging, stealing, and destroying heritage have been sounding the alarm bell for the government, cultural management agencies, functional forces as well as the community.

Antiques are displayed and preserved at the Antiques Exhibition and Research Room managed by Mr. Nguyen Kim Cuong.

One of the recent incidents that has attracted public attention in the province is the encroachment on the tomb of King Le Tuc Tong at the Lam Kinh National Special Relic Site. This tomb is located isolated on a hillside in Kien Tho commune, about 4km from the center of Lam Kinh Relic Site. In early May 2025, the management force discovered traces of illegal digging at the tomb. According to a report by the Thanh Hoa Center for Historical Research and Cultural Heritage Conservation, the hole was 90cm x 52cm in size, about 1.6m deep and broke the stone stele. Using professional measures, Thanh Hoa Provincial Police coordinated with Quang Ninh Provincial Police to arrest two Chinese nationals while they were on the run through Mong Cai. The seized evidence included metal detectors and digging tools. The subjects confessed that they came to Vietnam to search for antiquities in ancient tombs of kings and rich people to steal the property, which were buried in the tombs. This was not just a simple vandalism case, but also contained elements of organization and cross-border activities.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Mai Van Tung, Head of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Duc University, the incident of encroachment and damage to the national treasures of the Nguyen Dynasty Throne (Hue) as well as the tomb of King Le Tuc Tong in Lam Kinh in 2025 is not only an act of encroachment on the relic but also a consequence of the lack of proper investment in heritage education , lack of specialized human resources, and synchronous coordination in protection work between relevant parties and the cultural sector.

“Damaging cultural heritage, including antiquities and national treasures, is an infringement on the soul of the nation. Therefore, we cannot just react after each incident and then quietly forget. And it is necessary to determine that protecting cultural heritage is not only the responsibility of the cultural sector or the authorities, but the role of the education sector is very important. Awareness of preserving national culture, wanting to have deep roots and lasting roots, first of all, starts with education. In that, not only must we educate about heritage values ​​but we must also clarify the role and responsibility of citizens,” said Associate Professor, Dr. Mai Van Tung.

Although there are many regulations on the protection of cultural heritage, including antiquities and national treasures, the reality shows that the protection work still has many shortcomings due to the lack of qualified specialized forces and especially the supervision of the community. Not only the incident in Lam Kinh, many antiquities and precious artifacts at relics, communal houses and pagodas in Thanh Hoa may also be at risk of loss. In some localities in the province, people have discovered ancient artifacts but do not know how to preserve them or secretly sell them. In some cases, bad guys even impersonate archaeologists, taking advantage of people's trust to illegally exploit antiquities.

Mr. Nguyen Kim Cuong, a member of the Thanh Hoa Cultural Heritage and Antiquities Association, shared: “Currently, the “bleeding” of antiquities abroad is really alarming. Some national treasures, if not displayed and protected according to standards, will be easily damaged or stolen. Meanwhile, the awareness of heritage protection of a part of the people is still limited, even indifferent, considering heritage as an asset unrelated to them. Therefore, the drastic intervention of the government is necessary, but it will not be enough without the supervision and companionship of the local community.”

From a broader perspective, the destruction of antiquities and treasures is not only a matter of cultural management, but also reflects the perception and attitude of society towards the past and national identity. When heritage is destroyed, it is not only a loss of physical objects, but also a break in the connection between generations, a risk of blurring historical marks, and hollowing out the cultural identity of the land. Thanh Hoa, with its rich culture, is a land of "geomancy and talented people" that holds many antiquities and national treasures, but if not strictly protected, those heritages can easily disappear in silence.

The above reality shows that it is time to have a comprehensive, long-term and highly enforceable heritage conservation strategy. It is not only the story of the cultural sector or local authorities, the preservation of antiquities and treasures must become a common awareness among every citizen.

“Every artifact, no matter how small or large, is a piece of history. Every relic, no matter how modest, is a witness to national memory. If we do not protect, respect and promote those values, we will gradually lose our cultural footholds in our development journey. The incident of the encroachment on King Le Tuc Tong’s tomb is a stern bell, requiring concrete and drastic actions from all sides. Do not let the national antiquities and treasures only exist in archives or sketches. Let the heritage be protected with the pride and shared responsibility of the whole society,” Associate Professor, Dr. Mai Van Tung emphasized.

Article and photos: Hoai Anh

Last article: "Awakening" the relic

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