Ancient town Đồng Văn in Hà Giang

On the way upwards to the skygate Quản Bạ from Yên Minh - Mậu Duệ, the pass Cản Tý, through dense forests of pine-trees, zigzagging slopes that look like long sheet of silk, we arrive at the highland of stone, the ancient town Đồng Văn (Hà Giang) only to be taken by surprise. It’s a destination in the top Northern tip of Vietnam where age-old customs and habits, intangible cultural values of the ethnic minority groups remain well-preserved.

Going to the market Photo: ĐX

The town was built in the early 20^th century, home to Kinh, Tày, Mông, Hoa, Lô Lô, Giáy... minority groups. It’s not the oldest, or the largest but the most specific in identities of the highlanders in Vietnam. Đồng Văn market is an architectural project of stone, the harmony of China – Vietnam construction style in conformity with highlands Fengshui. Stone pillars, well-sculptured and so big that two or three people could embrace. It’s a touch of beauty in the highland valley.

           

Opposite to the market is a long row of houses that make a busy street. All houses are covered with jin-and-jang tiles with stone-floor, earthen walls. Some were built under French time and of the firewood. Generally speaking, houses in Đồng Văn town were harmoniously built between the local traditions and those from Hoa Nam in China. These are about 40 houses aged 100 years and one is 200-years-old.

           

Đồng Văn market is the business exchange of the locals. On market day, it’s very busy and crowded, young girls of Mông, Pu Péo, Lô Lô... look more pretty in their new costumes. They came here from distant places to buy something, to meet their friends or to exchange their brocade products or just to eat a bowl of thắng cố (their special soup), to drink some alcohol and to talk their heart-talk.

           

Visitors who have chance to meet on “ancient street nights” (14, 15 and 16 every lunar month) will join in such activities: artistic performance, production by craftsmen... In light of red lanterns, the market looks like a pearl of multi-colours in the grey immensity of mountain. The local authority plans to build Đồng Văn into cultural destination in order to preserve and develop it as a beautiful spot in the border area.

           

Đồng Văn is the pride of the people, not only for its famed architecture but for its age-old customs and habits that have handed down for generations historically.   

                                                                    THANH HẰNG

source : http://www.vtr.org.vn/vtr.php?ml=923&pid=940