Hue Festival to celebrate 700 years of cultural heritage in region, world

According to Nguyen Xuan Hoa, Director of the Hue Festival Office and Thua Thien-Hue Province’s Culture and Information Department, 'this year’s festival will occur at the same time as the 700th anniversary of the province’s historical Thuan Hoa-Phu Xuan region. The theme this year is ‘700 Years of Thuan Hoa-Phu Xuan-Thua Thien-Hue – Cultural Heritage with Integration and Development’.

'The nine-day event will be filled with cultural programmes not only depicting Vietnamese art forms, but also the beauty of foreign cultures.'

Various warm-up activities will begin in May, including the International Sculpture Camp, Viet Nam and European Union Cultural Days, an International Music Creative Camp and a Hue Poem Festival.

Opening ceremony will be held at Ngo Mon Square, facing the ancient imperial citadel, with stage performances representing the traditional arts of Hue and Viet Nam, including mua cung dinh (royal ritual dancing) and nha nhac (court music) – unique to Hue, UNESCO recognised this music as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage in 2003.

French artist Pierre Alain Hubert will close the evening with a special colourful fireworks display.

During the festival, a multiform programme will take place at Dai Noi (Purple City), An Dinh Palace and neighbouring areas.

Dem Hoang Cung Hue (Hue Imperial Night), a nightly programme recreating the royal night life will not only show royal art forms but will also present royal cuisine and games.

Art ensembles from France, China, the UK, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Argentina and Australia will spotlight their cultural heritage during the festival. One show in particular is the performance dance Han Han va Con Mua II (Drought and The Rain), directed by Vietnamese-French Ea Sola

The event will also showcase the Nam Giao procession (restoring three main parts of the Nam Giao Festival), Truyen Lo Festival (doctor proclamation ceremony), where new doctors return to their native villages to thank their ancestors after achieving academic honours and the Huong (Perfume) River Festival.

After its success in 2004, the ao dai (traditional long dress) show will take place in Hue’s Trang Tien Bridge.

Tay Nguyen’s gong festival, which UNESCO recently recognised as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage, will be honoured during the Hue Festival 2006 together with a replica of nha rong (communal house).

Visitors have the occasion to learn more about Hue’s culture and cuisine while attending the Wedding Ceremony in Hue in the Old Days and the Vegetarian Food of Hue.

The biennial festival, organised since 2000, has played a pivotal role in Viet Nam’s cultural tourism development. The Government and the province plan to develop Hue as the country’s Festival City.