In the rhythm of modern life, cultural values can easily be forgotten. The Dao community traditional house in Ba Che contributes to preserving the long-standing cultural heritage of the Dao people in this mountainous district of Quang Ninh.
The unique Dao community traditional house in Ba Che, Quang Ninh
Ba Che is a mountainous district home to various ethnic minority groups living together, with more than 40% of the population belonging to the Dao ethnic group, comprising two subgroups: Dao Thanh Y and Dao Thanh Phan, who have enriched the vibrant cultural tapestry over many generations.
The Dao community traditional house. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
The Dao community traditional house in Nam Hai Village, Nam Son Commune was inaugurated to continue the journey of rediscovering traditional cultural values in northeastern Quang Ninh, as well as to restore and cater to the devotional and spiritual needs of the local Dao community.
Recreation at the traditional house. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
The building was constructed in the traditional half-stilt, half-earthen house style with a total area of over 1,600 square meters. This cultural space was developed from the ideas of Dao village elders, who have endeavored to preserve their ethnic identity amidst rapid and profound changes in modern society.
Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
The Dao community traditional house consists of 2 floors; the first floor divides the exhibition space into two distinct areas for Dao Thanh Y and Dao Thanh Phan. Each area features hundreds of artifacts vividly recreating customs, tools, and implements used in labor, production, and daily life.
Reenactment of the Cap Sac ritual. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
These artifacts have been faithfully reconstructed from real life or directly brought in from Dao communities across Ba Che District. They include traditional Dao costumes displayed as vibrant, exquisite works of art that convey concepts of the universe and human life through embroidered and printed patterns.
Reenactment of the fire-dancing ritual. Photo: Dan Toc Newspaper.
Each Dao person has their own attire, intricately woven and embroidered. Grandmothers and mothers teach their daughters embroidery from a young age. Dao maidens craft their finest outfits by hand to wear on wedding days and during festivals, as attire is an essential element defining the unique identity of the Dao people.
Ban Vuong Festival. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
The components of a Dao Thanh Y woman's costume include a halter top, tunic, trousers, headscarf, belt sash, leggings, pink tassels, and bead clusters. In Ba Che, the costume has been preserved quite intact with all its constituent elements.
In another section are photographs and artifacts of the Cap Sac ceremony, the most important ritual in Dao culture, marking the coming of age of Dao men.
Ban Vuong Festival at the Dao community traditional house. Photo: VOV.
During the Cap Sac ritual, the initiate is bestowed a religious name; after undergoing this ceremony, the man is acknowledged as a descendant of King Ban (Ban Vuong), granted the authority to serve as a ritual master, assigned spirit soldiers, and permitted to perform ancestor worship.
The Cap Sac ceremony is an extraordinary ritual in Dao culture, embodying profound educational values and life philosophy, guiding future generations toward truth, goodness, and beauty.
Dao Thanh Y costume. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper.
Not only through attire and rituals, Dao culture in Ba Che is also vividly reflected in daily life, especially in utensils and implements passed down through generations. Like many other ethnic minorities, the hearth is not merely for cooking food, but also plays an essential role in spiritual culture.
Cap Sac ritual of the Dao people in Quang Ninh. Photo: Quang Ninh Newspaper
Each artifact displayed at the Dao community traditional house carries its own story, embodying the unique characteristics of the Dao people blended into the cultural flow of brotherly ethnic groups living harmoniously in the northeastern land of the country.
These cultural materials partly reflect the formation and development of the Dao community in Ba Che, offering valuable historical lessons, and inspiring patriotism and ethnic pride across generations of Dao people.
