Duong Lam ancient village offers glimpse into traditional life

Foreign and domestic visitors are impressed by well-preserved ancient charm of Duong Lam ancient village (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hanoi (VNA) – Duong Lam ancient village, nestled in Hanoi's outlying district of Son Tay, is embarking on a transformation journey, upholding its rich cultural and historical heritage, particularly its renowned traditional cuisine, to craft innovative tourism offerings that celebrate its preserved legacy.

Only an hour's drive from the bustling capital city, the village has over the recent past undergone a transformation, with local authorities setting their sight on nurturing culinary tourism as a pivotal component of its future growth strategy.

Home to unique, rare ancient values

For Ha Thi Thu Huong, a proud native and tour guide of Duong Lam, the village holds a treasure trove of unique ancient treasures awaiting discovery.

Among the must-visit attractions are the iconic Mong Phu village gate, Mong Phu temple, Giang Van Minh temple, and especially Mia pagoda that is housing Vietnam's most ancient Buddha statues and a collection of 287 statues, including 174 clay and 107 wooden sculptures. Additionally, visitors are drawn to a house dating back nearly 600 years, a testament to the village's enduring legacy.

The Mong Phu village gate is a unique architectural structure with a two-sloped roof. Its upper part is the house while the lower part is the gate, which is rarely seen in the northern countryside.

Tour guide Ha Thi Thu Huong introduces an old fish-shaped bell in Mong Phu temple (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Mong Phu temple, dating back to 1533, showcases a rare architectural fusion inspired by ancient Muong ethnic stilt houses. Within the temple are the main hall, guest hall, and the rear chamber where the village's deity is worshipped.

The temple is adorned with intricate carved floral patterns depicting mythical creatures such as dragon, unicorn, tortoise, and phoenix, as well as motifs of pine, chrysanthemum, bamboo, and plum blossom. These patterns remain in their original form and have not been replaced during restoration.

Of particular note, the temple keeps a fish-shaped bell, a symbolic motif prevalent in local temples and communal houses.

Tourists delight in posing with an ancient wooden gate featuring a unique round handle, a distinctive architectural feature of Duong Lam ancient village (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Preserving its architectural heritage, Duong Lam boasts numerous ancient houses, including a five-compartment one with two wings, constructed in 1649 by Nguyen Van Hung. Noteworthy is the house's original earthen foundation, meticulously preserved since its construction.

Efforts to renew products

Besides visiting cultural and historical sites or ancient houses, school-age children will be able to experience making traditional cakes such as “banh san” (cassava cake) and “keo lac” (peanut candy), or join folk games such as blindfolded pot smashing, blindfolded duck catching, and assembling puzzle pieces of historical sites.

Tourists perform a "sạp" (bamboo) dance in front of the gate of Mong Phu temple (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Nguyen Dang Thao, head of the management board of Duong Lam heritage site, said the local culinary prowess has garnered acclaim, with its cuisine earning the prestigious 2024 ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Award for Gastronomy.

Moving forward, local authorities are committed to developing tourism products centred around traditional dishes, highlighting their nutritional and organic qualities. Plans include establishing clean and safe cultivation areas for vegetables, rice, meat, fish, and chicken, further enhancing the village's allure as a culinary destination, he said.

Duong Lam feast tray features specialties like local chicken, caramelised fish, pork skin soup, and stir-fried dried radish with mushrooms and vegetables (Photo: VietnamPlus)

When mentioning Duong Lam, one cannot overlook the mouth-watering delicacies that require meticulous preparation, such as roasted pork belly, mung bean pudding, or local chicken, he added./.