Hanoi to preserve numerous relic sites

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By Anh Kiet 12:13, 2016/08/18

Numerous relic sites are an indispensable component of Hanoi’s cultural heritage system, illustrating the traditional fondness for learning in the Capital City.

Visitors took photos at Doan Mon (Main Gate) of Thang Long Imperial Citadel

The thousand-year-old Hanoi city is home to 5,847 historical relic sites, including one world heritage site, 11 special national relics and 1,167 national sites. Statistics of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports, around 2,000 relics have been damaged to some extent, with more than 200 in need of urgent repair.

According to Nguyen Tung Lam, head of the Culture and Information Department of Phu Xuyen District, 20 local relic sites are in danger of collapsing any time. Last year, the district authorities spent 400 million VND on repairing Co Che Temple but it was not sufficient to improve its condition. Lam added that the temple has been included in the list of relics to be upgraded using the city’s budget during 2016-2020.

Phuc Tho District also reported nearly 30 seriously degraded relics, such as Se, Ba Ti and Tang Non Pagodas, and Hieu Hiep, Yen Duc and Ngoc Tao Temples. The district allocates several billion VND on relic upgrade each year but the amount is far from enough, said Vu Hong Hai, deputy head of the district’s Culture and Information Department.

According to Hanoi’s regulations, local authorities are responsible for the preservation and repair of relic sites under their management. Funding for the work comes from the three main sources, which are allocations from the State budget, fees collected from the use of relics for tourism purposes and social investment.

However, with the large number of degraded relics, many local administrations are unable to pay for the work. In seeking solution to the problem, head of the city’s relic site management board Nguyen Thi Hoa said the board plans to survey and draft a long-term plan for the preservation and upgrade of relic sites depending on their importance and level of damage.

The Capital's Temple of Literature

According to the official, priority should be given to special national relics, relics of the resistance wars and those dating back to the Le and Nguyen Dynasties. During 2013-2015, 35 relic sites in Hanoi were given a facelift, with the municipal budget paying out an average 17-18 billion VND for each site.

According to the latest statistics, Hanoi is home to 201 Confucian relic sites, mostly temples and places of worship dedicated to scholars including Van Mieu (the Temple of Literature); 83 of which have been ranked nationally.

In the past 14 years since the Law on Culture Heritage came into effect in 2001, historic and cultural relic systems in the capital have been restored and embellished. Hanoi has proposed ranking an additional 450 historical, cultural relic sites nationally, including 47 temples dedicated to ancient scholars.

Deputy Head of the Hanoi relic sites management board Nguyen Thi Thuy said 15 Confucian relics have been restored in recent years thanks to the Law. The management board reviewed the status of the Confucian relic sites in the capital between 2013 and 2014, selecting those to receive upgrades and improvements, she noted.

Localities home to Confucian relic sites have been asked to collect and supplement relevant documents and objects such as epitaphs, royal ordinances, family records, and ancient books to increase the value of the vestiges.

As one of the most important Confucian symbols of the country, the Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) and Quoc Tu Giam (Vietnam’s first National University) have been notably maintained. From 2013 to early 2015, the Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam’s Scientific and Cultural Activities Centre completed project upgrades to the Thai Hoc house, the Bell house, the Drum house and the shelters of the doctoral steles, said Deputy Director Nguyen Thi Luan.

According to Associate Professor Dr Nguyen Quoc Hung from the Vietnam Institute of Culture and Arts Studies (VICAS), Confucian relic sites receive due attention from organisations and individuals, especially from schools and families.

Localities and families often hold ceremonies to pay tribute to the ancient scholars with high marks on their royal examination and organise study promotion activities at Confucian relic sites, he cited as examples. The Van Mieu-Quoc Tu Giam’s Scientific and Cultural Activities Centre hosts a number of activities annually to draw students to the sites and works with other agencies to build a heritage education promotion programme.

In 2016, the City will dole out part of the costs for the repair of 44 classified sites.

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