The 600-year-old village of Phuoc Tich in central Thua Thien-Hueprovince has lost half of its natural beauty, according to locals, andthe rest is under threat from road and dyke works.
Many even complain that the replacement of a grass road with bricks haschanged the view of the village. "The brick road gives the feeling of anorthern village and is unfamiliar to us," a villager said.
Hoang Tan Minh, head of Phuoc Phu, one of the two hamlets in thevillage, said the 1.5km road through the village was tiled with bricksin 2007.
Recently authorities from Phong Dien district built adyke on the bank of O Lau river, which borders one side of the village.The work destroyed the village's bamboo forest and ended the use of manyjetties along the river.
Cultural researchers and localsraised their voice and authorities apologised for the carelessness, butat that time the work was almost finished.
Meanwhile, manyvillagers are upset at rules that prevent them from repairing theirhouses unless it is done in the old style. They say they cannot bebothered about tourism, because little of it has happened anyway.
"Only one group of visitors has paid a visit to our village, so no onecan live on promises," said Nguyen Thi Khanh Ly, co-host of the200-year-old homes with wooden pillars and beams (nha ruong) owned byNguyen Duy Thanh.
Locals feel the village has little service tooffer visitors. "It is not enough for tourists. Visitors can only seeold nha ruong," said Le Trong Dao, another villager.
Thegeneral dissatisfaction has led experts to warn that eventually,residents will modify their houses according to their own desires.
Last year, the Vietnam Institute of Arts and Culture Studies in Hueworked with the Belgian Wallonie Heritage Institute to preserve oldhouses and a traditional kiln. But, unfortunately, the pottery productscould not find a market.
According to Nguyen Thang Long, aresearcher at the institute, getting locals involved is crucial formaintaining the operation of the kiln. He said that when they saweconomic benefits from the kiln, their attitudes would change.
The village is about 50km from Hue city on the national highway leadingto Hanoi. It was classified as national heritage in 2009, after therecognition of old Duong Lam village in Hanoi.-VNA
Many even complain that the replacement of a grass road with bricks haschanged the view of the village. "The brick road gives the feeling of anorthern village and is unfamiliar to us," a villager said.
Hoang Tan Minh, head of Phuoc Phu, one of the two hamlets in thevillage, said the 1.5km road through the village was tiled with bricksin 2007.
Recently authorities from Phong Dien district built adyke on the bank of O Lau river, which borders one side of the village.The work destroyed the village's bamboo forest and ended the use of manyjetties along the river.
Cultural researchers and localsraised their voice and authorities apologised for the carelessness, butat that time the work was almost finished.
Meanwhile, manyvillagers are upset at rules that prevent them from repairing theirhouses unless it is done in the old style. They say they cannot bebothered about tourism, because little of it has happened anyway.
"Only one group of visitors has paid a visit to our village, so no onecan live on promises," said Nguyen Thi Khanh Ly, co-host of the200-year-old homes with wooden pillars and beams (nha ruong) owned byNguyen Duy Thanh.
Locals feel the village has little service tooffer visitors. "It is not enough for tourists. Visitors can only seeold nha ruong," said Le Trong Dao, another villager.
Thegeneral dissatisfaction has led experts to warn that eventually,residents will modify their houses according to their own desires.
Last year, the Vietnam Institute of Arts and Culture Studies in Hueworked with the Belgian Wallonie Heritage Institute to preserve oldhouses and a traditional kiln. But, unfortunately, the pottery productscould not find a market.
According to Nguyen Thang Long, aresearcher at the institute, getting locals involved is crucial formaintaining the operation of the kiln. He said that when they saweconomic benefits from the kiln, their attitudes would change.
The village is about 50km from Hue city on the national highway leadingto Hanoi. It was classified as national heritage in 2009, after therecognition of old Duong Lam village in Hanoi.-VNA
