Preserving and spreading cultural heritage values in Quang Yen

With 219 historical and cultural relics, accounting for more than 1/3 of the total number of relics in the province, it has shown the richness and richness of the tangible cultural heritage system of Quang Yen. To preserve this heritage system well, the town has had many comprehensive and systematic management solutions in recent years.

Tourists visit Yen Giang stake field, evidence of Bach Dang victory in 1288.

More than 700 years ago, the historic Bach Dang victory took place in Quang Yen, leaving behind many relics that are traces of the war and works honoring the great contributions of our ancestors. That is the Bach Dang Victory National Special Relic Complex, including 11 relics of communal houses, temples, shrines and stake fields, mainly located in Quang Yen.

This place is also known as the "land of relics and festivals" with 34 relics ranked at the national level, 15 relics ranked at the provincial level, 3 festivals recognized as National Intangible Cultural Heritage and many festivals at the regional scale, the great blessing ceremony at 14 communal houses, 20 village pagoda festivals, the family feast ceremony of 23 ancestral halls of the Tien Cong family along with 70 festivals at other ancestral halls, bearing the cultural features of the residents of the Northern Delta region. In addition, many architectural works of offices, houses, roads... from the French colonial period are still preserved intact, creating ancient quarters such as Ngo Quyen, Tran Hung Dao, Nguyen Du, Tran Khanh Du streets...

In order to effectively carry out the work of preserving and promoting the value of cultural heritage, making the value of heritages permeate and spread in social life, in recent times, Quang Yen Town has implemented central and provincial documents on management, preservation and promotion of cultural heritage values as well as issued many important strategic and long-term documents on promoting the value of historical and cultural relics; connecting tourism development in the area. These resolutions and action programs have all been developed and issued with specific implementation plans to ensure they are close to local realities and in accordance with current regulations.

Through research, it is shown that the state management of relics has been focused on by Quang Yen, with specific leadership and direction from the town to communes, wards, and relic management boards to manage, preserve and promote values associated with tourism development in accordance with regulations.

State management of relics is carried out by Quang Yen town according to specific decentralization. Photo taken at Tran Hung Dao temple, Bach Dang historical relic site.

According to the town's report, up to now, 100% of historical and cultural relics in the town have been inventoried, classified, and listed, and the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee has approved the list of historical and cultural relics for management, protection and promotion of value.

Since 2015, the town has also coordinated with the provincial departments and branches to invest in the restoration and embellishment of relics from the budget with a total budget of 259.9 billion VND, of which over 155.4 billion VND has been implemented. At the same time, resources have been mobilized, mainly socialized sources, to invest in the restoration of relics, with a total approved budget of 564 billion VND. The budget has been implemented at 460 billion VND, thereby contributing significantly to the conservation of heritage values in a sustainable manner.

Tourists visit and take souvenir photos at the relic of two Gieng Rung lim trees.

However, the investment process over the past time has also shown shortcomings. Through research, it is shown that the investment funding for the conservation, renovation, embellishment and restoration of relics in Quang Yen from 2015 to present has mainly come from social mobilization, the expenditure from the provincial and town budgets is still low, facing many difficulties due to both subjective and objective reasons.

Therefore, many valuable relics are at risk of collapse and destruction and need to be taken care of soon. These are national relics such as the archaeological site of Dau Ram Mountain (Hoang Tan Commune), Quan Dai Temple, La Khe Pagoda (Tien An Commune), Tien Cong Temple (Cam La Commune)...; provincial relics such as Lai Pagoda (Lien Vi Commune), La Pagoda (Cam La Commune), Khe Chanh Temple...; architectural works included in the provincial relic inventory list such as the Zinc Factory, Quang Yen Ancient Citadel.

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