To keep relics from becoming ruins

(Baonghean) -As a land with a long cultural history with thousands of cultural works, architecture, historical relics, of which hundreds have been ranked, many relics are currently seriously degraded and turning into ruins. Leading to the above situation, in addition to the objective causes of harsh weather, natural disasters, storms and floods, the main cause is still human.

Ho Dai Ton clan relic (Quynh Doi commune, Quynh Luu).

Many creative ways

We returned to Hamlet 13, Thanh Ha Commune, Thanh Chuong District on a day in early April. The weather was changing seasons, hot and humid, but the countryside scenery was very peaceful. At the end of the dirt road connecting the inter-commune road to the hamlet, the first sight that caught our eyes was the village well with a diameter of dozens of people hugging. Next to the well was a large banyan tree that was being carefully covered. Hamlet chief Hoang Van Nam said that the village well system had just been renovated by the villagers. The banyan tree next to the well was also donated to the hamlet by a household in the village to decorate the landscape and beautify the village well. The hamlet chief led us to Dau Temple, not far from the well. The first impression of the temple was a giant banyan tree shaped like a dragon located right outside the gate. Stepping up to the lower and upper halls of Dau Temple, everyone was surprised by the ancient beauty and sophisticated architecture of this temple. Both the upper and lower halls were made of wood, each with 3 compartments, 2 gables, and 2 porches. The temple pillars and other structures such as the lower, horizontal and rafters are all made of solid jackfruit, the purlins and battens are made of ironwood, and the roof is covered with yin-yang tiles. All the rafters and beams of the temple are elaborately carved and still remain original.

Over time, Dau Temple has suffered serious degradation. Part of the lower house has collapsed, all the wooden doors in the temple have been damaged, and some of the rafters have rotted due to the wind and rain of time. Mr. Tran Van Thieu, Head of the Dau Temple Relic Management Board, said that although the villagers are poor, since 2000, many elders in the village have mobilized people to contribute money to hire carpenters to repair the collapsed part of the temple. For a whole month, the villagers took turns supporting the carpenters, not afraid to sell young rice and rice seeds to pay the workers, and as a result, at the end of that year, the collapsed part of the temple was successfully repaired. In order for the temple to be truly effective, in addition to the spiritual issue, the Executive Committee of Hamlet 13 decided to turn the lower house of the temple into a meeting place for the village in the context that the village was still poor and had not yet built a cultural house. This initiative has contributed to connecting the temple with the lives of the people, making everyone responsible for doing something to preserve the good cultural values ​​of their ancestors. On the occasion of the recent Giap Ngo New Year, the Temple Management Board and the Village Executive Committee together mobilized more than 30 million VND to restore some items and repair the village well in front of the temple. It is the responsibility of the people that has helped this temple with a history of more than 200 years to retain its pristine, original beauty.

With a prime location, located on Quy Linh mountain, with its back leaning against the mountain and facing the sea, Quy Linh temple has long been a spiritual symbol of the people of Quynh Luong and Quynh Luu fishing villages. On an area of ​​0.5 hectares, the temple was restored with full ancient architecture (including the upper hall, lower hall, and harem...) lying majestically in front of the sea. Built during the Tran Dynasty as a place to worship and commemorate those who have contributed to the people and the country, Quy Linh temple is the first place to worship the "four holy women". After hundreds of years of existence, the ancient architecture of the temple has been greatly damaged. Although the temple still preserves many valuable ancient documents and artifacts such as royal decrees, genealogies, thrones, tablets... To promote the historical and cultural values ​​of the ancient temple, since 2006, Quynh Luong commune has advocated the restoration of the temple. Ms. Ho Thi Hai - Head of the Commune Cultural Committee said, "The temple was restored at a cost of nearly 4 billion VND. Of which, the local budget is only nearly 1/4, the rest is from socialized sources. To mobilize the people, the commune has established a mobilization committee; contacted local fellow countrymen's associations in provinces across the country to call for support; worked directly with local businesses; and regularly promoted on the commune's loudspeaker system the significance of the Quy Linh Temple Historical Relic as well as the restoration plan."

According to Mr. Tran Duc Dung - Head of the Department of Culture of Quynh Luu district, in general, in the district, the management board of temple relics, communal houses, and family churches is very active in mobilizing socialization with many creative forms. Thanks to that, the funding source for the restoration and renovation of relics in the area is largely based on the people's strength, mobilizing human and material resources from the people. Up to now, in addition to 23 ranked relics, 8 other relics in the area have also submitted documents to the district's Department of Culture for consideration. For historical and cultural relics with plans for restoration and renovation, we all require a report to ask for the opinion of the Relic Management Board and implement in accordance with the Heritage Law".

Dau Temple, Thanh Ha Commune (Thanh Chuong) is preserved intact.

Many relics become... ruins

Not all localities can do that. At the Hoanh Son communal house relic, Khanh Son commune, Nam Dan district, the communal house is considered unique in the North, a national relic but is currently in ruins. If there are no timely measures to repair it, this ancient communal house will certainly collapse at any time. The reason for the temple's deterioration is partly due to the slow restoration and embellishment project due to lack of funds. However, if in that context, the Khanh Son commune government had taken positive measures and shown its determination by calling on local organizations, unions and associations to help the temple, regularly hold community and spiritual activities at the communal house, link local activities with the cultural and artistic values ​​of the precious communal house and actively have forms of social contributions to restore the communal house, then surely the Hoanh Son communal house would have a different appearance.

Similarly, in Hung Nhan commune, Hung Nguyen district, Ram temple has long been known for its unique, sacred relic complex and ancient architecture. In 2008, the temple was awarded the National Historical, Architectural and Artistic Relic Certificate. However, up to now, Ram temple is seriously degraded. The temple roof is dilapidated, many wooden items in the temple have rotted and collapsed at some point,... Not far from Hung Nhan, the relic of Mr. Hoang Vien's house in Hung Chau commune is in the same situation. This was the place where the Central Region Party Committee operated and directed the revolution in the years 1930 - 1931 and was recognized as a National Relic in 1991. However, at present, this relic is seriously degraded. Most of the rafters and columns have been hollowed out by termites, the house is being reinforced with bamboo poles. The portraits are scattered on the ground, covered with dust,...

When talking about the degradation of relics in the area, the first cause is the funding problem. Due to lack of funding, restoration projects at Hoanh Son communal house, Ram temple, Mr. Hoang Vien's house as well as many other relics in the area are having to stop or be completed halfway, causing the relics to become desolate and degraded. The Management Board of Nghe An Monuments and Landscapes said that the whole province has 1,195 relics, of which 288 are recognized relics and 125 are national relics. The annual funding for restoration is decreasing. In 2014, Nghe An province was allocated 900 million VND for relic restoration from the provincial budget and the national target program. This amount of money is too little in the context of too many relics being seriously degraded. This makes the repairs only small-scale, fragmented and not really effective. However, in addition to the financial issue, we must also talk about the sense of responsibility of local officials and people towards relics and history.

If the local government and people have the right perspective, respect, and awareness of protection and preservation, historical, cultural, architectural, and artistic relics will certainly not be degraded. If the local government and relic management boards do not know how to bring relics into life, into cultural and spiritual activities, closely link the rights and responsibilities of the people to the relics as well as have reasonable forms of socialization, so that the people can own the relics, then surely many relics will soon turn into ruins.

Science - Moon