Hue Culture Week in Hanoi will be held from November 21 to 25 at the Vietnam Culture and Art Exhibition Centre, Hanoi to honour two first world tangible and intangible heritages in Vietnam – Hue Monument Complex and Vietnam Royal Court Music.

The week, organised by the Hue Monuments Conservation Centre and the Vietnam Culture and Art Exhibition Centre, coincides with the fourth Vietnam Cultural Heritage which falls on November 23.

The week will see various cultural activities such as exhibitions, art performances, royal games, culinary, exchanges and forums.

An exhibition on Ancient Royal Life will recalls a royal life at the 19th and early 20th century through a collection of bronze and porcelain objects, weaving products, enamelled artefacts from Hue Museum of Royal Antiquity.

Another exhibition named Hue- Past and Present will reflect changes of Hue through 100 artistic photos of Hue in old days and at present days for a comparison.

The event will also introduce Hue Royal Designs through photos taken by artist Dao Hoa Nu who has lived in Hue for a long time. The exhibition features architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty, giving visitors a view on concept and aesthetic of the ancient time.

Besides, Hue – a city of culture, tourism and festival will also be the theme of another exhibition displaying 150 photos on relics of Thua Thien – Hue, values of court and folk intangible heritages, places of interest and festivals. This aims to depict a city potential on culture and tourism, young and dynamic in integration through organised Hue festivals.

The week also exhibit calligraphy about Hanoi – Hue with calligraphy works on lacquer paintings featuring poems of Ho Chi Minh, emperors and other celebrities.

Gastronomy and traditional handicrafts of Hue will also introduce at kiosks. Royal and folk dishes of Hue such as Hue rice noodle, different kinds of cakes as well as handicrafts such as bronze casting, knitting, conic hat making and carpentry  will be shown.

In addition, art performances and royal and folk games will take place throughout the festival. Art programmes include Royal song and dance, Hue traditional opera theatre, poetry and Court music.

A sideline event- a seminar on opportunities and challenges on Hue cultural heritage in development and integration period will be held with the expected participation of 60 experts at home and abroad.

Another festival entitled “Come back to the Origin” will take place on November 23, with the aim of promoting campaigns to vote for Ha Long Bay, Phong Nha-Ke Bang grotto and Phan Xi Pang mountain as the new natural wonders of the world.

The Hue Monument Complex was recognised by the UNESCO as the World Cultural Heritage in 1993.  The complex presents unique architectural, sculptural and aesthetic achievements and high creative labour by the Vietnamese people over a long period of time, particularly in monumental arts, town planning and landscape design, considered as “a urban masterpiece of ”. The complex includes 16 sites recognised by the UNESCO including the citadel located in northern bank of the Huong river, the Royal Enclosure located in the heart of Hue citadel, Gia Long Tomb, Minh Mang Tomb, Nam Giao Esplanade- Temple of Heaven, Thien Mu Pagoda- a symbol of Buddhism in Hue etc...

Vietnamese Court music was named as the Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2003.  Vietnamese court music was performed at annual ceremonies, including anniversaries and religious holidays, as well as special events such as coronations, funerals or official receptions, by highly trained and skilled court musicians. Instruments commonly used for court music include ken bau (conical oboe), ?an ty ba (pear-shaped lute with four strings), ?an nguyet (moon-shaped two-string lute), ?an tam (fretless lute with snakeskin-covered body and three strings), ?an nh? (two-stringed vertical fiddle), sao (also called sao truc; a bamboo transverse flute), trong (drum played with sticks), and other percussion instruments.

(Source: Nhan Dan Online)