Don't "uniformize" the countryside

In the past, my village had a large area, few people, and a well with cool, clean water. The road leading to each hamlet had fences made of hibiscus, chrysanthemums, and Malabar spinach, dividing the road from the house or from one house to another.

That was in the past, but now my hometown is different. There are not many green fences left. The well in the middle of the village has been filled in. But in return, the village roads are wider, cars can go right to the door. High-rise buildings are springing up more and more, people's incomes are higher.

The significance of the new rural development program to each countryside cannot be denied, but joy is mixed with regret. We are happy about the development, but it is a pity that many villages are being concreted and look similar.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Minh Hoan is also concerned about this, so every time he visits Hai Duong, he does not forget to remind people to preserve the unique identity of the village and not to "uniformize" the countryside. He also soon proposed that the Government implement the National Target Program on preserving and promoting rural cultural values ​​in the process of industrialization and modernization of the country. This program aims to concretize the Law on Cultural Heritage and the instructions of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong at the National Cultural Conference in 2022.

Each locality needs to make a difference in building new rural areas but must preserve the identity and beauty of the countryside. New rural areas need to be created from a harmonious combination of economic benefits and traditional values. The original culture of the village must be preserved. New rural areas are smart and modern but must still preserve the unique features of each village.

Some localities in Hai Duong have done this. In Quang Phuc commune (Tu Ky), instead of high brick walls, filled with broken glass or covered with barbed wire, people here still keep hibiscus fences around their houses. Even to protect the ancient stone bridge, another bridge was made to one side for people to walk on. In Thach Loi commune (Cam Giang), when building a new rural area, people did not forget to preserve and conserve ancient structures such as village gates, communal houses, wooden houses... In Gia Khanh commune (Gia Loc), village wells were still carefully preserved during the process of building a new rural area and those structures have become local heritages. Cheo and ca tru clubs are maintained in some villages of Nam Sach, Binh Giang, Tu Ky districts...

Hai Duong is one of the first 5 provinces in the country to be recognized for completing the task of building new rural areas in the 2010-2020 period. Many localities in the province are on the journey to build advanced new rural areas and model new rural areas. In June 2024, Hai Duong issued Decision No. 1379QD/UBND specifying a number of criteria and targets under the National Criteria Set for New Rural Districts and the National Criteria Set for Advanced New Rural Districts in the 2021-2025 period in Hai Duong province. Many criteria and targets for Hai Duong to continue effectively implementing the new rural area construction program and renewing each rural area in the next phase have been identified, emphasizing the criteria for building smart new rural areas while still preserving the unique features of each region.

Building new rural areas not only helps each locality to be proud of the criteria achieved but also preserves the heritage and unique cultural beauty. It is impossible to keep the village as it was, but the important thing is to do something so that the villages can integrate into contemporary life and the soul of the village is still preserved.