The collector, Mr Vu Tat Chien from Hang Tram town (Yen Thuy) is introducing an ancient lime vase that is 700 years old.

Being lost in "the treasure” of antiques

Mr. Chien says that he has been interested in collecting antiques since he was young. Later, when he got married, he and his wife have been to a number of places inside and outside the province to buy scrap materials and then they got acquainted with this and other place. Thanks to the fate, he has collected objects of great historical and cultural value. For many antique enthusiasts, the items he owns are the ones that cannot be bought with a lot of money.

"The treasure” of his antiques is extremely rich and respectable, which are mostly 400 years ago. There are antiques from thousands of years ago, such as the stone ax, the lama stone (also called sacred stone), the ancient coins, the ancient jars ... Some artifacts are from 500-700 years ago, such as Chu Dau plate, a pair of Van Ninh bottles. Under Le and Nguyen dynasties from 300 – 400 years ago, there is aset of 4 jars, pairs of wood panels and gongs, some items in daily activities of the ancient Muong people such as Pieng, jars, lime pots, hunting tools (crossbow, musket) ... These treasures are all cherished and well preserved by Mr. Chien. In addition, he set up a separate corner to display objects in the subsidized period such as televisions, radios, lamps, bicycles ...

According to him, playing antiques must be knowledgeable in history, and it is necessary to have knowledgeable in order to distinguish the antiques from imitation products. In order to assess what is real and what is fake, it is necessary to carefully consider the enamel, essence, motif ... In the eyes of antique players, these are also the factors that make the antiques become soulful.

Handing down the history of Muong land and culture

Being a Kinh person, however he is passionate about Muong culture and history, Mr. Chien has been diligently collecting and preserving values. According to his him, in the years of 89 and 90 of the last century, a lot of the antiquities of Muong in Hoa Binh land were lost by trading to other provinces or to China. Having put a lot of effort and regardless of the money, Mr. Chien persisted in fulfilling his desire to retain a part of that cultural and historical value.

Minh Mạng với chất liệu đồng Đông Sơn được treo ở vị trí trang trọng nhất.

For decades, Mr. Chien has been to all the Muong areas in the province, especially in Lac Son and Yen Thuy to collect treasures. In his fortune, there are many items he found in the former villages of spirituality such as Chieng hamlet in Vu Ban town (Lac Son), Chieng hamlet in Bao Hieu commune; Nau and Thay hamlets in Lac Luong commune (Yen Thuy) ... In particular, he has a collection of ancient gongs including 12 from the Nguyen dynasty, of which the gong dividing the crown in Minh Mang King is considered as a treasure. It is made of Dong Son copper and is hung in the most solemn position.

Since 2013, at a number of events, especially the activities related to the promotion of the cultural and tourism identity of Yen Thuy district, he has often been invited to exhibit, introduce and share the cultural knowledge and history through the artifacts he kept. This provokes the pride and encourages the individuals like him to continue preserving and protecting artifacts with cultural and historical values of Muong land.

Related Topics

Kim Boi: Cultural life building efforts produce fruitful outcomes

Provincial leader inspects construction site of Mo Muong conservation space

A “fire keeper” of Muong culture

Bringing art to the people in remote and disadvantaged areas

---

Bringing art to remote areas - promoting ethnic culture

Hoa Binh city - Vibrant community activities at cultural houses

Building a cultural conservation area for Muong ethnic group in Luy Ai hamlet

Phong Phu commune, Tan Lac district of Hoa Binh province, is widely regarded as the cultural heartland of the Muong ethnic group. Among its many traditional communities, Luy Ai hamlet (formerly Ai hamlet) stands out as a rare location where the customs and way of life of the Muong Bi people remain largely intact.

Truong Kha temple festival celebrates Muong cultural heritage

The Truong Kha temple festival, a distinctive cultural event held every three years in Vu Ban township, Lac Son district, returned recently with vibrant rituals and folk traditions of the Muong people. Located next to the Buoi River in the Muong Trao fields, the Truong Kha Temple is dedicated to the three Kun Dol deities, revered for teaching farming techniques, irrigation, weaving, and protecting the harvest.

Hoa Binh city residents enjoy upgraded cultural houses

The demand for spaces serving community activities of residents in various areas across Hoa Binh city has been satisfied as local cultural houses now feature modern, spacious facilities thanks to the effective implementation of Resolution No. 49/NQ-HDND issued on December 28, 2021 by the city People's Council, which approved the plan for reorganising, converting, and allocating land for the construction, repair, and expansion of cultural houses in Hoa Binh’s villages and residential areas until 2025.

Enhancing cultural and spiritual life in remote and ethnic minority areas

At the end of May, the Hoa Binh Provincial Ethnic Arts Troupe organized a series of performances for residents in Region 2 and Region 3 communes across the province. Bringing art to ethnic communities in remote, isolated, and especially disadvantaged areas has become a meaningful activity. These are not merely artistic performances but also journeys to disseminate cultural values, enrich spiritual life, and contribute to preserving the cultural identity of ethnic minorities.