Awakening the lonely pearl of My Son

Although very close to each other, if Hoi An is a "must-see" place on the Central Vietnam tourist map, My Son of the brilliant Champa civilization is heartbreakingly deserted.

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The My Son Cham Monuments Complex is listed as an exceptional example of cultural fusion and a unique testimony to an important lost Asian civilization. Specifically, according to criterion ii: the My Son temple complex is an outstanding example of cultural exchange with the integration of external influences, especially Indian art and architecture from the Indian subcontinent, into the indigenous culture. According to criterion iii: the My Son temple complex vividly reflects the role of the Champa kingdom in the history and political culture of the Southeast Asian region.

My Son. PHOTO: MY SON HERITAGE MANAGEMENT BOARD

For many years, even before My Son was recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site, archaeological excavations and conservation had the support of many international experts. After the title, conservation work became more intensive, and there was no shortage of foreign experts working side by side. Among these, we can mention typical projects such as the G tower group restoration project under the cooperation program between the Italian government, UNESCO and Vietnam; from 2011 - 2015, the Institute for Monuments Conservation had a project to restore and preserve tower E7; from 2016 - 2022, the project to preserve and restore the A, H, K temple groups sponsored by the Indian government; the construction of a research exhibition house to introduce My Son sponsored by Japan in 2005.

Archaeological excavations have also brought many valuable discoveries. In 2020, the pair of linga - yoni altars were found. Previously, research from the early 20th century by French archaeologist Henri Parmentier showed the existence of this artifact. He even published images and drawings from 1918. Therefore, the discovery of the altar in 2020 can be considered a rediscovery, after which the altar was recognized as a National Treasure.

However, My Son has also been encroached upon, such as the case of the encroachment of the ancient Khe The stream in My Son in 2013. According to the map of researcher H. Parmentier, the stream flows through the middle of the My Son valley and has many branches. This stream is considered a sacred stream, according to the Government 's planning, it needs to be shaped by biological measures, absolutely not solidified. The lesson of Khe The shows that there must always be strict heritage supervision.

Dream of heritage road

Besides the valuable temple system, My Son also has another equally valuable value. The Management Board of the My Son World Cultural Heritage said: the tropical forest surrounding the My Son relic site is not only a green lung but also a treasure trove of valuable biological values. The My Son Special-Use Forest, with an area of ​​1,158 hectares, is home to 238 plant species and 607 animal species, including many rare species listed in the Vietnam Red Book and the IUCN Red Book. The forest discovery tour combined with a visit to My Son is a product that can be developed. This type of tour requires guides who understand the ecosystem, not letting visitors come, climb, and return on their own as has been done for many years.

Precious altar found in My Son. PHOTO: MANH CUONG

Currently, My Son aims to welcome 474,000 visitors by 2025. Therefore, in recent times, in addition to promoting the revival of ancient architectural complexes that collapsed due to war, in order to restore the original beauty and inherent splendor with its priceless historical and artistic values, the My Son World Cultural Heritage Management Board has cooperated with many units to promote. Performing arts, building experiential bicycle products, promoting promotional programs, improving the quality of customer service... are the designed programs. The launch of an automatic multilingual commentary system with 40 stories in 4 languages ​​(English, French, Korean, Vietnamese) via QR code or headphones is an important step in digital transformation, helping visitors proactively seek information.

However, an anonymous Champa researcher said that My Son is currently in dire need of special "tour guides" - experts who can guide tourists with high demands and high spending ability. "In the past, there were groups of European tourists who needed such special guides, and there were also experts who could do that. However, in recent years, as the elderly experts have aged, finding such high-level guides has become much more difficult," he shared.

Recently, Quang Nam province (old) announced the "Hoi An - My Son - Dong Giang Heaven Gate Heritage Route", the first official intra-provincial tourism route connecting tourist centers with the western and southern regions of the province, and further connecting with domestic and regional tourist centers.

A leader of the My Son World Heritage Management Board suggested that for My Son to truly take off, there needs to be a comprehensive management and development strategy. In addition to restoration to revive the entire relic site, it is necessary to focus on connecting My Son with other tours in the region. In particular, it is necessary to develop an idea of ​​a heritage road connecting famous heritage sites in the Central region.

This heritage road is not simply about connecting destinations on a map, but also about building a coherent story, a journey to explore the cultural and historical depth of the Central region. Tours can be specially designed, with premium experience packages…

In the immediate future, when Quang Nam and Da Nang merge, many people think of tours to explore Champa culture, tours to explore the Cham relic system. For example, tours linking Tra Kieu with the Sa Huynh Champa Culture Museum, then through the My Son forest to Tay Vien hot spring... It is also possible to link the Champa Museum with the Cham and My Son temples... However, in addition to the multilingual automatic guides that already exist, there needs to be more stories that are regularly updated. ( continued )

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/danh-thuc-vien-ngoc-co-don-my-son-185250904223446212.htm