Affirming "Vietnamese cultural identity"

In recent times, the image of the ao dai ngu than (five-flap long dress), born in the 19th century, has gradually become more and more familiar in modern life. In particular, the costume that was once considered too classic, rigid and unsuitable for modern life, is now seeing a lot of interest from young people.

Meanwhile, many activities aiming to introduce ao dai ngu than have received the attention of the majority of the public. A space for the ao dai ngu than at the Heritage House (at No. 87 Ma May street, Hang Buom ward, Hoan Kiem District) has been kept by Hanoi's Old Quarter Management Board in collaboration with Dinh Lang Viet (Vietnamese communal house in the village) Club, in early 2021.

At the same time, at the Doc Sach Cung Con (Reading Books with Children) Club in Hanoi, a programmes showcasing the ao dai ngu than have been held, and spring tours in Hanoi's Old Quarter in the traditional costume featuring members of the Dinh Lang Viet Club have created a good impression on viewers.

Before that, in 2017, an Ao Dai Ngu Than Development Support Centre officially came into being, becoming a go-to address for those who love the traditional costume.

The centre's founders wish to organise many useful and practical promotional activities to help the public understand and appreciate the value of national costumes, thereby promoting the movement of wearing the traditional ao dai ngu than during holidays, such as at Tet (Lunar New Year) Festival, and also at festivals; improving the applicability of traditional costumes in contemporary life bit by bit.


Along with reviving the beauty of the ao dai ngu than, it can be seen that in recent years, many activities to restore, promote and honour the traditional cultural values of the nation have taken place across many fields. For example, the restoration of folk games and traditional festivals as well as Vietnamese Tet customs.

Specifically, in 2020, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism selected seven traditional festivals of ethnic minorities for restoration and preservation, including traditional festivals of the Lao ethnic minority people in Dien Bien province, the La Chi ethnic group (Quang Binh district, Ha Giang province), the Nung ethnic group (Hoang Su Phi district, Ha Giang province), the Thai ethnic group (Yen Bai province); Binh Phuoc province; the Si La ethnic group (Lai Chau province), and the Gia Rai ethnic group (Kon Tum province).

Recently, an activity that many people are interested in is the "Hoa Sac Viet" project of the S-River Agency group to restore Hang Trong folk paintings and in particular those with motifs, typical colours in this line of paintings. In order to welcome the Lunar New Year 2021, the group created a set of red envelopes with the theme "Opening the New Year” inspired by a Hang Trong painting on Tet, a combination of traditional elements and modern design warmly welcomed by the public.

It is worth noting that many activities promoting and preserving traditional cultural values have been carried out by individuals, associations, and groups in recent times, with a desire to spread quintessential national values in the community, especially to young people. Thus, for the preservation and promotion of the precious traditional cultural values of the nation, together with the participation of the authorities, the response and participation of the people is always essential, showing that true values will always have a worthy place in life.

Currently, Vietnam is increasingly integrating with the world, and its cultural exchanges are increasingly developing. Therefore, the preservation, promotion and continuous enrichment of the nation's cultural assets has become increasingly necessary, contributing to promoting the nation's quintessence and characteristics to our international friends and step by step affirming "Vietnamese cultural identity" in the international arena.