Where heritage values converge

Patterns on the costumes of the Dao people in Lam Thuong commune, Lao Cai province.

In mass culture, Lao Cai currently maintains more than 2,000 village, hamlet, and residential group art troupes, of which more than 1,000 are regularly active. During festivals, Thai xoe dances, H'Mong panpipe dances, and Dao ethnic fire dances... attract tourists when participating in the festival. The Lao Cai Province Ethnic Art Troupe, one of the few professional art troupes nationwide, is invited to attend and perform at the Hue Festival, a unique and prestigious cultural and artistic event held annually.

Lao Cai currently has 172 historical and cultural relics, provincial-level scenic spots, one special national historical and cultural relic, and 34 national-level historical and cultural relics. Notably, the province has four representative intangible cultural heritages of humanity recognized by UNESCO, including: Thai Xoe art, the practice of worshipping the Mother Goddess of the Three Realms of the Vietnamese people, tug-of-war rituals and games, and then practice of the Tay people in Lao Cai. There are two People's Artists, 44 Meritorious Artists; two artists and authors were posthumously awarded the State Prize for Literature and Arts by the President. Highly aware of this symbolism, Lao Cai is making efforts to promote the heritage recognized by UNESCO as a representative intangible cultural heritage of humanity, to turn heritage values into assets, promoting socio-economic development.

The H'Mong people in the Lao Cai highlands have many famous products that are popular with tourists, such as corn wine, forging, brocade... In particular, the H'Mong people are also the ones who created the terraced fields stretching across the sky from Mu Cang Chai, Tram Tau to Sa Pa, Y Ty, Bac Ha... Coming to the Dao people, visitors can feel the sophistication in San Lung wine, Thanh Kim wine, silver carvings, brocade embroidery, herbal medicine making... Coming to Muong Lo, visitors can immerse themselves in the unique Thai xoe dance, relax in hot mineral pools, and recharge their energy for the new day.

Mr. Le Xuan Duong, Head of the Department of Social Culture of Mu Cang Chai commune, said that along with the majestic beauty of the mountains and forests, the terraced fields - "Golden Stairs to Heaven" - of the H'Mong people are the highlight of Mu Cang Chai tourism in the flood season and the golden season. These heritages have helped the people of the highlands escape poverty.

According to the 2024 summary assessment, Lao Cai tourism has become a bright spot in the northern mountainous region with more than 10 million visitors, bringing in total revenue from tourism services of more than 46,000 billion VND. The diversity of cultural heritage types has created a large tourism linkage area, connecting tourist destinations from Sa Pa National Tourist Area to Mu Cang Chai Terraced Fields National Monument, creating tourism products imbued with national cultural identity, unique, and typical of the Northwest region. The "heritage routes" stretching from Fansipan peak to Thac Ba Lake, from Y Ty, Bac Ha to Mu Cang Chai expand the destination fund, increase the experience activities, length of stay, and spending capacity of tourists.

Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nong Viet Yen said: After the merger of Lao Cai and Yen Bai provinces, with open space, Lao Cai province has great potential for tourism development. The province aims to become the leading "green" and "smart" natural and adventure sports tourism destination in Vietnam and the region by 2050, associated with the traditional cultural identity of ethnic minorities.

THANH SON

Source: https://nhandan.vn/noi-hoi-tu-cac-gia-tri-di-san-post904707.html