Two more intangible heritages receive national status

March 15, 2021 12:00 PM GMT+7

VGP - The gilding craft in Kieu Ky Village and the rice cooking contest in Thi Cam Village in Ha Noi have recently been recognized as intangible cultural heritages by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism .

Illustration photo

As a country boasting the wet rice cultivation civilization, rice cooking competitions are the must-have at Vietnamese village festivals, honoring  rice. One of the most animated ones is held on the 8th day of the first lunar month at Thi Cam village (Xuan Phuong ward, Ha Noi’s Nam Tu Liem district).

This custom aims to pray for a prosperous, happy, and peaceful new year. There are four teams in the contest. Each team has ten members who, in traditional dress, have to go to the Nhue river nearby to take water to the village. There is an award for the fastest team.

After the winning team is announced, the rice is shared to all of the villagers. They believe that adults who eat the rice will have a year full of luck and children will grow up quickly. The contest is the pride of Thi Cam Village which has been lively organized for centuries until today.

Kieu Ky gilding craft is prospered in Kieu Ky villageGia Lam district, in Ha NoiThe gilding process requires complex skills and a lot of patience. 

There are about 50 gilding households in Kieu Ky, with about 300- 400 workers. The end of the year is usually their busiest time. In addition to making gold leaf, they also get orders of inlaying gold in statues, worshiping and decorative items.

New products such as gold-inlaid ceramic items and wood paintings are also making the traditional craft livelier in the village./.

By Kim Loan

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