Hoa Binh, a gateway to the Northwestern region, is home to six main ethnic groups, namely Muong, Kinh, Tay, Thai, Dao and Mong, of whom the Muong people account for about 64%. In recent years, with the efforts of Party committees and administrations at all levels and ethnic minorities, the province has achieved encouraging results in preserving and promoting traditional cultural values.


Traditional festivals in the province are organised to contribute to preserving and promoting the cultural identity of ethnic groups. Photo taken at Ke Pagoda Festival in Phu Vinh commune (Tan Lac district). 

The preservation and promotion of the cultural heritage values of the ethnic groups has been given special attention by Party committees and administrations at all levels. The province has issued a lot of directive documents, including Resolution No. 04-NQ/TU, dated October 11, 2021 of the provincial Party Committee’s Standing Board on preserving and promoting the cultural heritage values of ethnic groups in Hoa Binh province for the 2021 – 2025 period, with a vision to 2030. 

Quach Thi Kieu, Director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the highlight of the work is that the province has carried out a programme to conduct a general inventory of all intangible cultural heritage of local ethnic groups. Up to now, the whole province has 786 intangible cultural heritage pieces, including: language, writing, folk literature, folk performing arts, traditional crafts, social customs and belief. It owns five national intangible cultural heritages: Mo Muong, Muong Gong Art, Muong bamboo calendar folk knowledge, Khai Ha traditional festival of Muong people, and Keng Loong social customs and the belief of Thai people in Mai Chau district. 

On September 8, 2016, the provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 2295/QD-UBND on approving the Muong handwritings of Hoa Binh province. The provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 1349/QD-UBND, dated June 8, 2019 approving a project on teaching and learning the Muong ethnic language in the province for the 2018 – 2025 period, with a vision to 2035. The Department of Education and Training has organised training courses to build a contingent of experts to teach the Muong language. 

In addition, implementing a project to preserve traditional costumes of the ethnic groups, localities, agencies and units have had many solutions to encourage officials, members and people to wear traditional costumes on holidays and anniversaries, and encourage students to wear traditional costumes in flag-raising ceremonies, and cultural and artistic activities.


Related Topics


Hoa Binh - The land of epics and legends

As a land deeply intertwined with human history and Vietnam’s millennia-long journey of nation-building and defence, Hoa Binh is often revered for its epic tales and legends. Residents of Hoa Binh boast a rich cultural identity, reflected in their unique language, traditional attire, customs, and folk melodies – described as "sweet as honey, clear as a mountain stream.”

Truong Kha temple festival 2025

Lac Son district’s Vu ban town held the 2025 Truong Kha temple festival on April 12–13 (the 15th–16th days of the third lunar month). Since its revival in 2019, the festival has been organised every three years, preserving valuable intangible heritage while meeting the community’s cultural and spiritual needs.

Women's clothing of ethnic minorities in Hoa Binh

The clothing of women reflects the culture of the Muong, Thai, Tay, Dao, and Mong ethnic groups in the northern province of Hoa Binh.

Hoa Binh’s cultural heritage: Muong Gongs, a timeless cultural treasure

Gongs hold a special place in the cultural and spiritual life of the Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province. More than musical instruments, they are an indispensable part of community rituals and collective memory, echoing through generations as a spiritual thread linking the past, present, and future.

Preserving, promoting Muong cultural heritage: Upholding Muong culture into contemporary life

Preserving and promoting the cultural values of the Muong ethnic group has become an urgent task in the current context, as many traditional values face the risk of fading away. This effort requires not only protecting the cultural identity but also eliminating outdated customs and developing a modern cultural lifestyle, contributing to sustainable values for the Muong community in Hoa Binh province.

Preserving essence of Muong culture: tradition meets modernity

The Muong ethnic culture, deeply rooted in Vietnam’s mountainous north, continues to be preserved and revitalised by dedicated individuals and communities determined to safeguard their ancestral identity.