Lang Son city: Efforts to preserve and promote the “dual” heritage of Ky Cung and Ta Phu

– Ky Cung and Ta Phu relic and festival is the only cultural heritage of Lang Son that is ranked at the national level in both tangible and intangible forms. Over the past time, the city’s government and people have made great efforts with many positive solutions, contributing to preserving, promoting and enhancing the value of the heritage.

 According to some recorded documents, Ky Cung temple (Vinh Trai ward, Lang Son city) was built around the Later Le period, initially as a small temple worshiping Giao Long God (God of the Ky Cung river). Over the course of history, at present, the temple worships the great Quan Tuan Tranh, an official who was sent to the town in Lang Son. Ta Phu Temple (Hoang Van Thu ward, Lang Son city) was built by the people of 7 wards of Lang Son and traders from 13 Chinese provinces in the 4th year of Chinh Hoa (1683) to show gratitude and worship to Right Commander General of the Five Armies Than Cong Tai. In 1993, two monuments were ranked at national level by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism); In 2015, Ky Cung and Ta Phu temple festival was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

Ms. Pham Tuyet Le, Deputy Head of the Vinh Trai Ward Relic Management Board, Head of the Standing Committee of Ky Cung Temple Management said: For our people, Ky Cung temple has great significance. That’s why, every day, we consist of 5 people who regularly clean the altar.  When tourists come to visit and worship, the members of the committee remind and guide the people to follow the 5K rule, behave civilized at the monument, burn votive paper in the right place, do not burn incense indiscriminately…

Traditional palanquin procession at Ky Cung Temple  and Ta Phu Temple festival in 2022

On the government side, over the past time, the City People’s Committee has implemented many positive solutions to preserve and promote this “dual” heritage such as directing specialized departments to zoning and granting certificates of land use rights for the relic, in which, Ky Cung temple with an area of 2,359.3 m2, Ta Phu temple with an area of 343.7 m2; assigned the Culture and Information Division to pay attention and guide the People’s Committees of Vinh Trai and Hoang Van Thu wards in managing and protecting the relic.

Accordingly, in 2018, the relic of Ky Cung temple, Vinh Trai ward were restored, embellished and expanded the main temple area from 285 m2 to 487.3 m2 (increasing by 202.3 m2) with a cost of nearly 20 billion VND from socialization fund.

Regarding the relic of Ta Phu temple, Mr. Phung Manh Cuong, Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee, Head of the Relic Management Board of Hoang Van Thu ward said: Currently, the Standing Committee of Ta Phu Temple Relic Management, consisting of 5 members, regularly implements strict preservation of artifacts and worshiping objects in the temple. In particular, in 2018, according to the wishes of the people, the Ward People’s Committee advised the City People’s Committee to develop a plan to restore and rebuild Ta Phu Temple. It is expected that, according to the policy of the People’s Committee of Lang Son city, in the fourth quarter of 2022, Ta Phu temple will be repaired and rebuilt.

In parallel with the conservation of relics, the promotion of festivals associated with the two relics has also been promoted by the City People’s Committee. For example, every year, the City People’s Committee issues documents to guide, direct and strengthen the State management of festival organization to ensure it is suitable with local traditional culture; direct the People’s Committees of the two wards to seriously implement and manage the festival in accordance with the law… In particular, in March 2022, the City People’s Committee issued Plan No. 102/KH-UBND on the implementation of the Project on Conservation and promotion of the value of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Ky Cung and Ta Phu Temple Festival, Lang Son city in the period of 2021-2025, with a vision to 2030.

Ms. Pham Thi Thuan, Deputy Head of the City’s Division of Culture and Sports said: In order to well implement the project, we have developed an implementation plan with a specific roadmap for each year and each phase. In the immediate future, in 2022, we advise the City People’s Committee to focus on the main contents such as implementing phase 1 of the project to restore Ta Phu Temple and monuments; complete the overall and detailed script of the Ky Cung and Ta Phu temple festival; making video clips, documents, news, articles, printing, distributing leaflets, leaflets introducing about relics and festivals of Ky Cung temple and Ta Phu temple…

It can be said that the relics and festival of Ky Cung temple – Ta Phu temple are the pride of the city’s cultural heritage in particular, the Land of Lang in general, and the heritage in the heritage. It can be said that the relics and festival of Ky Cung and Ta Phu temple are the pride of the city’s cultural heritage in particular, and of Xu Lang in general, the heritage within the heritage.

However, in order to exploit tourism potential as well as heritage value while preserving traditional elements is not easy. Therefore, in the coming time, in order to promote this “dual” heritage value, more attention is needed from all levels, sectors and the efforts of people in the province.