(HBO) - The Hang Pagoda - Chua Cave Festival kicked off in Yen Tri commune, Yen Thuy district of Hoa Binh province on February 19 (the 15th day of the first lunar month).
Hang Pagoda was recognized as a national
historical and cultural relic site by the Ministry of Culture and Information
(now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) in 1994. The pagoda,
including two ancient pagodas, is located on a cliff. It was built by predecessors
a long time ago and was embellished during the reign of King Khai
Dinh.
During the two resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American
imperialists (1955-1975), Hang Pagoda served as the headquarters of the Vietnamese
army and was the place where the army hid weapons and food to serve the
resistance wars.
Art performance at the festival
The Hang Pagoda festival offers a chance
for tourists and local people to visit the pagoda. Everyone offers an incense to express their
respect to the Buddha, and pray for health, happiness and prosperity.
The festival includes incense and flower offerings
to pray for peace and health. Meanwhile, festive activities are art and culture
performances and volleyball competitions among teams of hamlets in the commune./.
Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.
The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.
Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.
The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.
Recognising the importance of cultural heritage preservation in protecting and promoting the value system of Vietnamese culture, and serving socio-economic development in the new period, Party committees and local administrations in Hoa Binh province have identified it as a key task in the cultural development strategy. The province has been making efforts in mobilising resources, creating consensus among people and engaging ethnic communities in preserving and promoting cultural identity.
Hoa Binh province has captured growing attention both domestically and internationally for its distinctive cultural heritage and rich history. Most notably, it has been renowned for its famous Hoa Binh culture, considered the cradle of ancient Vietnamese civilisation. Looking ahead to significant milestones in 2025 and the 140th anniversary of province establishment in 2026, Hoa Binh Newspaper presents a comprehensive overview of the province's development across economic, social, cultural, tourism, and security domains.
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