Nestled at the foot of Vien Vong mountain, Tien Hoa village - formerly belonging to Ha Linh commune, former Ha Trung district, now Tong Son commune, Thanh Hoa province - is one of the ancient villages that still preserves its traditional structure and ancient lifestyle quite intact.
According to local people, around the mid-17th century, to avoid floods in the rainy season of July and August every year, a part of the residents moved to live around the foot of Vien Vong mountain. From there, Tien Hoa Son village was formed, the old Nom names were Ke Khao, Khao Ru or Tien Cao. Through many generations, the village still retains many ancient houses, mossy tiled roofs, and brick walls stained with time.
The village leans back against the mountain, living in a "compass" from low to high. Rows of alleys connect each other winding along the mountainside, creating a rare characteristic structure. To date, the village still has 12 Rows of alleys - small paths leading to Vien Vong mountainside - like persistent threads connecting the past with the present.
The people here mainly live by farming. The healthy young people mostly go to work far away, and the rest are elderly people gathered in old houses. The pace of life is slow, not noisy, not chaotic.
Every Lunar New Year, Tien Hoa becomes even more peaceful. Under the old roofs, people together wrap banh chung, clean up the ancestral altar, prepare traditional dishes such as pickled vegetables, pickled onions, and pork. The Tet atmosphere here is not bustling but full of reunion and connection.
Mr. Hoang Dinh Ket - a villager - said that on Tet, people mainly visit each other, then gather at the family temple and communal house to burn incense to commemorate their ancestors.
In front of the communal house yard, there is a chessboard. Every Tet holiday, we often go to the communal house to play human chess, drink tea, and chat. The atmosphere of welcoming Tet is quite peaceful, not too noisy or bustling," Mr. Ket shared.
In the memory of the people, the ancient well of the village used to be a bustling place every spring. Previously, during Tet, people gathered at the well to wash clothes, get domestic water, and chat animatedly. The village well not only provides water but is also a community living space, preserving many memories of generations.
According to a representative of the leadership of Tong Son Commune People's Committee, Tien Hoa village still has many ancient architectures with unique cultural values. The locality is developing a plan to expand the model of community tourism, experiencing ancient villages, especially during Tet - spring, in order to preserve and promote long-standing traditional values.
Amidst the current of modernity, Tien Hoa still maintains a precious tranquility. Every spring, the small village at the foot of Vien Vong mountain quietly welcomes Tet in its own way - simple, deep but imbued with identity.
