Recreating the bustling "on the wharf and under the boat" of ancient Pho Hien

According to research by scientists, the formation and development of Pho Hien relic site is the crystallization result of the urbanization process of ancient Pho Hien. Since the 16th and 17th centuries, Pho Hien has been a political, economic and cultural center with many international exchanges with countries such as China, the Netherlands, Japan, France... This place has become a transit point and a gateway for all river trade routes from the Northern sea deep inland to Thang Long Citadel. This has contributed to creating a Pho Hien that is both a convergence point and a crossroads between cultures, forming a unique cultural feature of the land and people here.

Chairman of Hung Yen City People's Committee Doan Quoc Hoan said that, through the ups and downs of history, Pho Hien today is no longer a trading port, but the vestiges of a prosperous time are still very clear in the architectural works, customs and lifestyle of the community. Currently, Hung Yen city preserves and conserves about 200 historical, cultural and architectural relics, including a Pho Hien National Special Relic Site, 20 relics ranked at the national level, 30 relics ranked at the provincial level, over 100 steles and thousands of valuable antiques with many unique architectural styles interwoven between pure Vietnamese culture and Eastern and Western culture.

According to Mr. Doan Quoc Hoan, the Pho Hien Folk Culture Festival is organized to help tourists and locals have the opportunity to learn about the spiritual values, imbued with the history of Pho Hien land, and enjoy the sophistication and richness of art forms bearing the cultural identity of the Vietnamese people in general and the Red River Delta region in particular.

After a 4-year pause due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2024 Pho Hien Folk Culture Festival will be held from February 29 to March 2 at historical sites in the Pho Hien National Special Relic Complex. The ceremony includes an incense offering ceremony and an opening ceremony solemnly held with sacrificial rituals, palanquin processions, and dragon dances to restore traditional values ​​and cultural and religious activities. The festival includes exciting and bustling activities with folk games such as tug of war, sack jumping, blindfolded pot smashing, water puppetry, singing on boats at Crescent Lake... vividly recreating and depicting, helping visitors visualize the bustling scene of "on the wharf, under the boats" of the ancient Pho Hien trading port.

Pho Hien relic site is a complex of typical architectural and artistic works, bearing its own marks, expressing unique values ​​in the ancient urban system of Vietnam and was recognized as a special national relic site in 2014.

Head of the Management Board of the Pho Hien National Special Relic Site Nguyen Thi Hoa said that the Pho Hien relic site is also a complex of typical architectural works with its own marks, expressing unique values ​​in the ancient urban system of Vietnam. Pho Hien originated in a prosperous period when local people and foreign merchants built wonderful architectural works such as ports, trading posts, temples and pagodas. Among them, many works carry the beauty of Vietnamese culture, some works have a harmonious and sophisticated combination with Western architecture but still carry the Vietnamese soul.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa, Pho Hien today still has many unique architectural works of art, proving the brilliant development period of an ancient "Little Trang An", a priceless heritage of the national and human cultural treasure. Outstanding among them are purely Vietnamese architectural works such as Chuong Pagoda, Ne Chau Pagoda, Hien Pagoda, Mau Temple, May Temple, Kim Dang Temple, Xich Dang Temple of Literature... Besides, Pho Hien also has Vietnamese architectural works combined with Chinese and Western architecture such as: Dong Do Quang Hoi, Thien Hau Temple, Pho Pagoda, Vo Mieu...

Along with the unique architecture, when coming to Pho Hien, visitors can also immerse themselves in the space of Chuong Pagoda with its magnificent scenery, considered the "most beautiful landscape in Son Nam", May Temple looming on the banks of the Red River, considered more beautiful than "a hundred thousand scenes", or the ancient Mau Temple hidden under the shade of a three-rooted ancient tree by the poetic Crescent Lake. This has helped Hung Yen retain visitors, making anyone who goes far away remember it.

Every year, after Tet, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh, residing in Hoang Mai district, Hanoi city, comes back to visit and worship at Pho Hien National Special Relic Site. Ms. Thanh shared that although it is located in the city, Pho Hien today still retains its quiet and ancient atmosphere. Coming here, we feel the peace and tranquility. This time, she and her friends came back right when Hung Yen city held a festival, so the joy was multiplied.

To continue to preserve and promote the value of the Pho Hien National Special Relic Site, as well as the relic complex, in the coming time, Hung Yen city will continue to mobilize resources to preserve, restore and promote the value of the ancient urban area of ​​Pho Hien, associated with tourism development. At the same time, pay attention to investing in the construction of transport infrastructure, tourism and trade infrastructure; promote propaganda, promotion and tourism promotion.

On December 18, 2023, the People's Committee of Hung Yen province issued Decision No. 2718/QD-UBND approving the Project to restore and embellish the Pho Hien National Special Historical and Architectural Relic Complex.

The project aims to renovate, embellish and prevent degradation, promote the value of original architectures with historical and artistic architectural values ​​that have been ranked at the national level; contribute to preserving and promoting the national cultural identity, the culture of Pho Hien land; improve the cultural, material and spiritual life of local people and tourists. The total investment of this project is 120 billion VND, implemented in the period of 2023 - 2025. The scale of investment in renovating and embellishing works in the relic sites: Tran Temple, Mau Temple, Xich Dang Temple of Literature, May Temple, An Vu Communal House, Hien Communal House - Pagoda...