Many village communal houses, temples, and ancestral tombs have been preserved within Da Nang's urban area through the combined efforts of the community and local authorities. To further promote and enhance the cultural and historical significance of these remnants of the past, it is essential to ensure that spaces for such heritage are thoughtfully integrated, striking a balance with the city's ongoing urban development.

Mr. Le Van Le, the Head of the Ritual Committee of Thanh Khe Village, at Thanh Khe clan worship house. Photo: X.S.

The elderly men, with hair as white as the waves of the sea, respectfully perform rituals before the altar of the ancestors who founded the village. In the thick incense smoke, they remember their forefathers, the heroes and martyrs of Thanh Khe village, and remember the generations of fishermen who perished in their struggle for survival between the sea and the sky...

Old traces in the heart of the city

The place where they share the stories is in the courtyard of the village pagoda and Thanh Khe clan worship house (Thanh Khe Dong Ward, Thanh Khe District). According to historical records compiled by the District’s Department of Culture and Information and the village’s ceremonial committee, the 'Forefather of Thanh Khe Village', who is the first founder of Phu Loc Commune and the later founder of Thanh Khe Village, was Mr. Ho Van Tri, from Nghi Xuan District, Duc Quang Prefecture, Nghe An Province (now Ha Tinh Province), who followed his father move to the south to establish a new life in 1627.

Throughout the development of the village and the cultural-religious exchanges and adaptations of generations, several cultural landmarks were established in Thanh Khe, including the village pagoda, Thanh Khe clan worship house, Tap Linh Fishermen’s worship house, Lang Ong Mausoleum, Tam Vi Temple, and the ancestral grave. The construction date of the village pagoda is inscribed on its main gate, dating back to Canh Hung era in 1740. Notably, this pagoda embodies a folk character and serves as a unique cultural, religious, and spiritual institution for the residents of Thanh Khe Village.

Mr. Le Van Le, nearly 80 years old and the Head of the Thanh Khe Village Ritual Committee, shared his reflections. Thirty years ago, he left his life as a fisherman to dedicate himself to village matters, fostering a spirit of “connecting future generations with their ancestors”. As a descendant of Mother Nhu (Le Thi Danh), he often recounts stories to visitors about five martyr graves and three invaluable artifacts housed in the village pagoda. These include the Thanh Khe village cadastral record from the 14^th year of Gia Long’s reign (1815), which details the expansion of the pagoda grounds; the great bronze bell cast in the 4th year of Thieu Tri’s reign (1844); and an ancient stele from 1900 recounting the communal efforts to restore the pagoda. On October 25, 2024, the village pagoda and Thanh Khe clan worship house were officially recognized as municipal heritage sites by Da Nang People’s Committee. This is a significant achievement for the community after years of dedication to preserving their cultural roots.

Approximately 3 kilometers away, the national relic site of Thac Gian Communal House (Thac Gian Ward, Thanh Khe District), which includes the tomb of ancestor Huynh Van Phuoc, is currently undergoing restoration. According to Thanh Khe District’s Department of Culture and Information, the local authorities have reviewed boundary markers and prepared legal documentation to address encroachments on the access path to the tomb. They are also working on designing a protective landscape and perimeter wall for the site.

Leaving Thanh Khe, we headed back to the North of the city, passing through the cluster of seven Nam O relics (Nam O Communal House, Lieu Hanh Temple, Bo Bo Temple, Nam O Cemetery, Nam O Whale Tomb, Nam O Shrine and Lang Well) in Hoa Hiep Nam Ward (Lien Chieu District). This cluster of relics holds profound cultural and historical significance, representing the acculturation between the two cultures of Cham and Vietnamese with interwoven living customs and cultural sediment layers. Each relic tells a story of different historical periods in Nam O and Da Nang. After years of deterioration, the cluster underwent extensive preservation, restoration, and revitalization, completed in 2022.

According to Tran Cong Nguyen, the Vice Chairman of Lien Chieu District People’s Committee, Nam O relic cluster has played a crucial role in preserving cultural values and fostering the integration of Nam O fish sauce craft village with the region's cultural heritage. Notably, after three years of implementing the project “Preserving Nam O Fish Sauce Craft Village in the connection with Da Nang’s Tourism Development”, this integration has created a unique tourism product, gradually attracting both domestic and international visitors to explore and experience.

Heritage and Urban Space

At clan worship house of Thanh Khe village, many tiles can no longer avoid the impact of time and climate, causing leaks and weathering; royal decrees and cadastral record have been lost due to a lack of suitable spaces or methods for artifact preservation. Additionally, the surrounding infrastructure is inadequate to develop tourism products.

Mr. Duong Thanh Phong, the Vice Chairman of People’s Committee in Thanh Khe Dong Ward, acknowledged, “Key historical and cultural relics in the ward face infrastructure limitations, hindering the creation of unique tourism products that could leverage the distinct value of each relic and cultural heritage”. For example, landmarks like Tap Linh Fishermen’s worship house, Mother Nhu’s House, and Thanh Khe Village Communal House are located along narrow residential pathways, which pose significant challenges for tourism development.

According to Mr. Phong, with the expansion of Nguyen Tat Thanh coastal road, the investments in well-organized parking lots, walking paths, and souvenir shops would create favourable conditions for connecting visitors to key cultural landmarks in the area, starting with Mother Nhu’s House.

Urban infrastructure also presents challenges for the Nam O heritage site cluster. Mr. Tran Cong Nguyen shared that developing Nam O village into a tourist destination faces difficulties, including limited accessibility, inadequate amenities, and a lack of investment in production demonstration areas. Additionally, the scarcity of distinctive auxiliary products has failed to attract significant interest from travel agencies and tour operators.

Despite positive outcomes from the three-year implementation of the preservation project, infrastructure limitations—such as heritage sites located in narrow alleys or the restricted space of traditional fish sauce production facilities—remain obstacles to the transformation of these cultural landmarks. Currently, the district is awaiting approval from the city to select land at Nguyen Tat Thanh and Nguyen Luong Bang junction for constructing a display house dedicated to Nam O fish sauce craft village.

During the international conference “Planning for the Preservation and Promotion of Historic Urban Values in a New Context” held in Da Nang last year, Dr. and Architect Truong Van Quang, the Deputy Secretary General of Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association, suggested considering the concept of a “Historic Heritage City”.

Emphasizing the balance between man-made and natural elements in the urban landscape, Dr. Quang explained that a historic city is defined by its distinct cultural and historical urban values, a rich and unique system of urban heritage shaping its characteristic identity, and a well-preserved urban structure. This concept is worth consideration for Da Nang and other localities aiming to preserve historical values amidst the process of urbanization.

Reporting by XUAN SON – Translating by HONG VAN