Hue kites - High-flying culture

Hue ancient city had been the convergence of many pastimes such as making poems, playing cards in huts, and listening to Hue folk music. However, these entertaining activities just bring fun to joiners. Meanwhile, flying kites make everyone happy. People who fly a kite become a server meeting the happiness and admiration of onlookers. Hue kites came into being for hundreds years ago. They have been a featured Hue culture. Flying a kite is one of the most long-lasting recreational activities in Hue, attracting a large number of participants from children to the old people. It is not clear about the exact time when kites were born. It is said that, flying a kite was a game of children in countryside, and then the game spread and became popular in Hue royal citadel. For a long time ago, the royal class in Hue used to hold kite festivals in some big events. Since then, kites became more colorful and diverse in shapes. These kites are made of various materials by skillful artisans. The visual and performance art reached a high level.

To make a kite flying high, artisans must have a skillful, ingenuous and talent technique. The process of making a kite undergoes several steps from choosing bamboo to make frame of kites to decorate them. Each kite is an artwork which is the combination of many factors such as art, architecture, aerodynamics, and folk experience. Artisans do not fly a kite and let them free in the sky, they will control to create a lively and flexible kite depending on its theme. Hue kites are characterized by different beautiful shapes such as butterfly, phoenix, dragon, frog, horse… and harmonic colors. Each kite has its own beauty, size and visual art. The most interesting thing of Hue kites is the performing art. Kites’ performances are seen as on-air puppetry art in Vietnam. Hue kites do honor Vietnamese kites at domestic and international kite festivals in Vietnam. In 1992, in the framework of Vietnam – France cultural festival, Vietnamese artisans were firstly invited to France to perform flying kites, which attracted all onlookers.

In Vietnam tours to Hue, travelers not just have a chance to visit majestic Hue royal citadel, enjoy court cuisine, and court music, but also have an opportunity to explore Hue culture through vivid kites. Recently, there are Hue tours to explore kites. The exploring kite tours in Hue lasts about one hour. Travelers will be introduced by artisans with basic stages to make a kite. Travelers can join some of stages in the process, which brings an interesting feeling to them. Also, in this tour, travelers will have a chance to explore the history of kite art in Hue. Kite is an artwork, and artisans are architects and artists who ensure all kites to fly high. Many travelers coming to Hue are interested in Hue kites. They learn to make kites and bring them home as unique souvenirs. Flying kite becomes an appealing cultural sport. At present, there are many craft villages in Hue making kites, which are attractive and featured tourism services. In Vietnam travel, tourists will have chances to explore not only puppetry, water puppetry, but also air puppetry. Let’s come to Hue in summer to enjoy a flying kite performance in front of Ngo Mon Square or on beaches in Hue to feel the beauty of Hue kites.

Hue becomes ASEAN City of Culture

On April 19, in Hue City, the sixth Ministerial Conference in charge of ASEAN’s Culture and Art took place, representatives of Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, and China discussed relevant issues, and awarded the title “ASEAN City of Culture” to Hue.

Hue is the third city, after Cebu (The Philippines) and Singapore, becoming ASEAN City of Culture. This is the land of history, poetic and beautiful nature, also a place of reserving the value of tangible and intangible cultural heritages, including relics of Hue Citadel and Nha Nhac (Hue Royal Court Music) once recognized by UNESCO as world cultural heritages. In recent years, many cultural events are held in Hue. For example, Hue Festival, an international event, is held every two years. The purposes of these events are to promote Hue tourism, the image of Vietnam, Vietnamese people and culture; to expand exchanges and cooperation to promote economic development; to contribute to affirming the rich cultural identity of Hue, the city of heritage and tourism of Vietnam.

Hue awarded title ASEAN City of Culture - Source: Image from baothuathienhue.vn

After receiving the title of “ASEAN City of Culture”, the Chairman of Hue People’s Committee, Mr. Nguyen Van Cao pledged to have a detailed plan and program on introducing Vietnamese in general and Hue people in particular the image of ASEAN community, at the same time promulgating Hue culture to the region and the world. The targets of Hue after receiving this tittle are to bring achievements into play, and to promulgate the image of peaceful, civilized ASEAN community with happy and comprehensively developed people. In the process of introducing, promoting the image of ASEAN community, many activities of cultural heritage value of preservation and promotion will take place in Hue, the ancient capital, in the integration and development phase. At the same time, exchanges, cooperation and community stability of ASEAN and the region will be focused through regional tourism cooperation, conferences, workshops, and cultural activities like cultural festivals, exhibits, and trade shows.

Mr. Nguyen Van Cao also thanked the Government, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, other ASEAN countries and international friends for supporting Hue during that time. He also expressed his wish of continuing to receive the attention and support in promoting the image of the country, people and culture from ASEAN community. By virtue of this, culture will be truly a cultural bridge between nations and peoples with the aims of building a world of peace, stability and prosperity, making Hue really a place of cultural exchange. Thereby, promoting the conservation and promulgation of cultural heritages, development of economy will be strengthened to be worthy of the title "ASEAN City of Culture". In two-year term, Hue will play its part in enhancing exchanges, cooperation with other cultures and civilizations in ASEAN.

Leaders meet and have conversation - Source: Image from baothuathienhue.vn

With this great tittle, Hue also has to establish the cultural identity of ASEAN. With the topic “raising the cultural role in the stable development of ASEAN”, the ministerial conference focuses on discussing and concretizing pledges given, strengthening ASEAN community, and promoting partnership with other countries to share experiences on developing art and culture. In terms of the role of culture for sustainable development of ASEAN community, utilization of knowledge, science, technology and art forms to improve the quality of material and spiritual life in ASEAN, a wealthy and prosperous community will be established in the near future.