Preservers promote the cultural beauty of the Ancient Capital

Truong Yen commune is closely associated with the ancient Hoa Lu citadel. In recent times, in addition to preserving and conserving historical and cultural relics, the Party Committee, government and local community have always valued and promoted the traditional cultural beauty of the ancient capital.

Mr. Hoang Van Chinh, 76 years old, Truong Son village, Truong Yen commune (Hoa Lu) is known as one of the people passionate about traditional musical instruments in Truong Yen commune. Despite his old age, he always maintains his love and enthusiasm for traditional culture.

Mr. Chinh can play many traditional musical instruments such as monochord, flute, and two-stringed fiddle. Each traditional musical instrument has its own beauty and uniqueness. Among them, monochord with its unique features and wonderful sound creates a special attraction. As one of the purely Vietnamese musical instruments, the sound of monochord, both deep and high, evokes feelings and captivates listeners. The sound of monochord carries the soul of the nation.

Although he was not formally trained in the use of traditional musical instruments, with his love for traditional culture, Mr. Chinh researched, studied and learned on his own. Mr. Chinh is like a true musician, able to play many pieces of music, songs on the monochord, flute, and two-stringed fiddle, praising his homeland and country. He regularly performs for the people and tourists at the Hoa Lu Festival, cultural and artistic activities of the community; and participates in many performances and mass art festivals at the district and provincial levels.

Those who preserve and promote the cultural beauty of the ancient capital — Mr. Hoang Van Chinh, 76 years old, Truong Son village, Truong Yen commune, performs the monochord.

Mr. Chinh said: I am proud to be a son born in the ancient capital. With a little musical talent, since childhood I have loved the sound of the monochord, the flute... I spent 4 years in the army. This was the time that helped me acquire more knowledge of music theory, practice playing the instrument and blowing the flute. Through performances of traditional musical instruments, I contribute to enriching the spiritual and cultural life of the community, promoting the culture of the ancient capital Hoa Lu to the people and tourists...

Not only is he talented in playing traditional musical instruments, Mr. Chinh is also a talented and skillful driftwood craftsman. Mr. Chinh is recognized as a bonsai artist of the province. The driftwood works carved by him are very diverse in design, with elaborate and sophisticated patterns such as embossed art, sunken carving, perforated carving, channel carving, large-scale layering... The carving style carries the royal art with themes of dragons, phoenixes, moons, suns, heroes and great men.

The works of artisan Hoang Van Chinh not only preserve the quintessence of driftwood carving art of the ancient capital but also serve the needs of customers. With passion and enthusiasm, Mr. Chinh has been contributing to preserving and conserving the quintessence of the local traditional craft.

For those who love literature and poetry in Truong Yen commune, almost everyone knows Mr. Tran Luc Van (pen name Thanh Tung), a member of the Vietnam Writers Association . As a son of the ancient capital, Mr. Tran Luc Van has many poetic works praising his homeland, country, and cultural values of the ancient land, a place that bears the mark of rich historical and cultural values.

Living in the unique cultural space of the ancient capital Hoa Lu, through his poems, poet Tran Luc Van has depicted the beauty of the cultural and historical traditions of his homeland and country, reflecting many perspectives on life and aspirations of the people of the ancient capital. Mr. Van feels proud and actively promotes the traditions and cultural and historical values of his homeland to readers nationwide through poems printed in many newspapers and magazines.

Poet Tran Luc Van shared: I am very proud of my hometown Hoa Lu - a land rich in tradition and wonderful scenery. People of Truong Yen, from young to old, love their hometown and are always conscious of preserving and maintaining traditional cultural values.

Over the years, the Dong Thanh village's nine-curve female worship team has made a significant contribution to preserving and promoting the traditional cultural values of their ancestors. Ms. Nguyen Thi Tuong, Head of Dong Thanh village, said: The Dong Thanh village worship team maintains over 30 members, of which the team is preserving the King worship ceremony ritual according to the royal worship tradition, from walking, standing, kneeling... solemnly and respectfully in the ceremony. The nine-curve worship includes 9 songs and music praising the merits of King Dinh Tien Hoang, praying for national peace and prosperity, and good crops. This is a very important part of the annual Hoa Lu Festival.

In Truong Yen commune, there are currently 16/16 hamlets with cultural and artistic clubs, Co Lau Poetry Club, ornamental plants club, traditional ritual festival operating very effectively. Comrade Bui Thi Thanh Nhan, a civil servant of Culture and Society of Truong Yen commune, Hoa Lu district, said: Towards the 10th anniversary of UNESCO's recognition of Trang An as a World Cultural and Natural Heritage, Truong Yen commune is promoting the effectiveness of cultural and artistic clubs; gathering cultural and artistic elements in the commune to have a source of creativity and performance; creating an environment for cultural and artistic clubs to operate such as seminars, spring meetings, outdoor activities to have a source of inspiration for creation... These are the core elements in preserving, conserving and promoting the cultural values of the ancient capital Hoa Lu.

Article and photos : Phuong Anh

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