Values of historical remains, history and culture preserved and promoted

Not only is it thriving in economy and urban areas, Di An city is also known to many people as a land with many historical, cultural and famous scenic spots. Every year, the locality attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world to visit and learn about the culture and the people. Thereby, the local authority cooperates well with other departments and branches to effectively preserve and promote the cultural traditions of the land.

Di An communal house campus now has hundreds of years old trees

The land of scenic spots

Currently, in the area of ​​Di An city are 8 recognized historical and cultural relics, of which, 2 are national monuments: Chau Thoi mountain pagoda, Di An communal house and 6 recognized relics recognized as provincial relic, including Ho Lang revolutionary base, Mach Mang stream, Ngai Thang temple, Binh An temple, Di An train factory and Ma 35 cultural and historical relic.

Every year, the relics have attracted thousands of tourists from all over the world to visit and learn about culture and history, including many with famous scenic spots such as Chau Thoi mountain pagoda, Di An communal house, the temple of Ngai Thang. In particular, Chau Thoi mountain pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in the Southeast region, was built in 1681 at an altitude of 82m above sea level.

The highlight of the pagoda in terms of architectural decoration is the use of ceramic pieces with dragon and phoenix motifs. Currently, the pagoda still keeps about 55 valuable artifacts to be ranked second among the temples in Binh Duong. During the two resistance wars against the French and the US Army, the pagoda with the rugged terrain and solitude was the place where many cadres, soldiers and patriots came to hide and do revolutionary activities to save the country.

Tran Hoang Huan, a tourist from Bien Hoa city of Dong Nai province said: “My family often goes to the temple, because besides being a Buddhist, the temple also has a very beautiful landscape to me, and our children love coming up here. At the height of the mountain top, I was delighted to see the whole city of Di An as far as Bien Hoa while breathing in the fresh air.”

From the top of Chau Thoi mountain, visitors only take a few minutes to travel by motorbike to the neighboring relics such as Di An communal house, Ngai Thang temple, where there are beautiful landscapes. Di An communal house was built of wood to have a history of hundreds of years from the 19th century, bearing bold Southeast Asian culture. In 1852, King Tu Duc ordained the family god. The communal house gate was built in the style of a three-way gate leading to the main worshiping part of a row of houses designed in a rectangular style including Vo Ca, main hall, guest house, and the shack. The works are intricately carved, painted with gilded gilding. The communal house is nestled under the canopy of a primeval forest over 2 hectares wide with trees and ancient mausoleum trees hundreds of years old.

According to Trinh Van Xuan, Head of the Management Board of Di An Communal House, during the anti-US Army war, the communal house was also a place of refuge and activities of patriotic soldiers. Under the old trees around the communal house or in front of the communal house yard, many shelters were built, which were gradually filled in later. However, he carefully recorded each location of the tunnels that were filled in in case the authorities wanted to restore the tunnels. Since he took over the communal house, every year he only planted more trees, but never let anyone cut down a single one. Tourists from all over the world come to visit the communal house in more and more crowded groups for the beautiful landscape and the learning about the history and culture of the unique communal house.

To promote and preserve the values

To preserve and promote the cultural and historical values of relics in the city, the Department of Culture and Information of Di An city every year conducts a review and assessment of the current status of the relics ready for analysis to report to departments, sectors and local authorities. Nguyen Hong Linh, Head of Culture and Sports Department of Di An city, said: “The monuments in the city have all been established with a relic management team to manage, exploit and effectively use; at the same time, to directly manage the work when organizing the reception of 0visitors, festivals, regular sanitation, and property protection. As for the historical and cultural relic site of Ho Lang revolutionary base, the department proposed the city People's Committee to establish a city-level relic management team. Therefore, the management and promotion of the values of the monuments are well done, bringing practical effects.”

Chau Thoi Mountain Pagoda with atonishing landscapes, attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world every year

From 2006 up to now, the monuments have been restored and repaired regarding a number of items from the state budget and socialization funds up to billions of VND. The city Department of Culture and Information contracts with the construction unit to deal with termites annually at monuments in the city at a cost of about VND 50 million a year while installing dozens of signboards on the monuments in the area for the convenience of people, departments, agencies, units, schools in the area to visit and learn about the monuments.

Nguyen Hong Linh added that in the coming time, Di An City's Culture and Sports Department will continue to coordinate with local departments and agencies to carry out propaganda to officials, party members and people in the city, especially young people to understand the value and meaning of historical and cultural relics in the area in order to contribute to raising the sense of responsibility of each individual in promoting the value of historical relics and the culture. The Department will also be proactive and active in planning and implementing contents related to the promotion of relic values. In addition, the department promotes the value of the monuments by organizing many activities at the monuments to strengthen the link with the school, attaching learning at school to the extracurricular learning at the site for students in the city.

With national monuments, Chau Thoi mountain scenic spot and Di An communal house art architectural relic have from 2006 up to now welcomed and served about 300,000 visitors and pilgrims. With provincial relics, the relics have welcomed and served about 75,000 visitors, averagely of about 1,000 visitors a year a relic from 2006 up to now.

Reported by Quang Tam – Pham An – Translated by Vi Bao