Located in the eastern part of Quang Ninh, Duong Hoa is not only renowned for its signature tea but also stands out as a land steeped in cultural identity. With Dao people making up more than 40% of the population, mainly from the Thanh Y and Thanh Phan groups, Duong Hoa has preserved a rich treasure of customs, folk melodies, and rituals that form an integral part of the province’s cultural landscape.

Artisan Chiu Thi Lan and her traditional house

Founded in 2024 with 17 members, the Dao ritual initiation ceremony preservation club in Duong Hoa has been collecting, safeguarding, and teaching Nom Dao script to the younger generation. At the home of artisan Dang Van Son, the club’s chairman, the cultural space of the Thanh Y Dao comes alive through ancient ritual books, timeworn worship paintings, traditional musical instruments such as drums, gongs, and cymbals, and the ceremonial attire of ritual masters.

“Every Thanh Y Dao man must undergo the initiation ceremony to receive a ritual name, which he carries for life and into the afterlife. Passing this down, especially teaching Nom Dao to the young, is essential so they know how to honor their ancestors. Our ethnic identity is inseparable from culture and from socio-economic development. Everything must progress in harmony", said the club's chairman.

For the Dao, the initiation ceremony is not only a rite of passage for men but also the spiritual core of their community. Ritual masters don traditional costumes and perform 13 ceremonial stages, accompanied by chants, drumbeats, gongs, and symbolic dances such as the dragon, turtle, and chicken dances, blending into a vibrant spiritual symphony.

In December 2024, Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized the Thanh Y Dao initiation ceremony as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. For artisans like Dang Van Son, this recognition is both a source of pride and a responsibility to keep the flame of cultural heritage alive for younger generations.

Amid urbanization, traditional Dao earthen houses are becoming rare, replaced by modern, solid concrete homes. Fortunately, Duong Hoa still retains some ancient trình tường (earthen wall) houses, such as the nearly century-old home of artisan Chiu Thi Lan in Mo Kiec village. Known for teaching traditional embroidery, Lan proudly preserves her ancestral home with its earthen walls, yin-yang tiled roof, and wooden staircase. Inside, the red clay walls are adorned with family achievements, certificates of merit, and mementos.

“Although we have built a concrete house next to it, I still prefer living in the old earthen house. It is warm in winter, cool in summer, and has withstood countless storms. This home, for us, is priceless, and we will keep it for generations to come,” she said.

A visit to Duong Hoa would not be complete without meeting master artisan Gieng Chong Senh, renowned for her embroidery. With a warm smile and skilled hands, she creates exquisite Dao Thanh Phan costumes, including the unique bridal headscarves found only at Quang Moi village.

Devoting her life to preserving embroidery, Senh has taught her children, grandchildren, and villagers alike, ensuring every woman at Quang Moi knows how to embroider. The village has even established a traditional embroidery club.

Now in her seventies, the artisan recalls: “My mother taught me embroidery when I was 11 or 12 years old. We used to dye threads naturally: yellow from tree bark, blue from indigo, red from roots. It took a lot of time and effort. Today, materials are easier to find, but every costume remains unique.”

Today, Duong Hoa is home to a number of cultural preservation clubs, including those dedicated to the initiation ritual, Dao Thanh Phan and Thanh Y embroidery, Dao bronze trumpet rituals, as well as classes teaching Dao hairstyles, language, and script.

These initiatives not only safeguard and pass on cultural traditions but also enrich the community’s spiritual and cultural life, contributing to both identity and development.