To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day (23 November 2005 – 23 November 2025), the Thang Long – Hanoi Heritage Conservation Center, the Management Board of the Cổ Loa Relic Site, and the People’s Committee of Đông Anh Commune jointly organize the exhibition themed “The Resonance of Heritage – The Colors of Cổ Loa Intangible Cultural Heritage”.
1. The Colors of Cổ Loa Intangible Cultural Heritage
Cổ Loa is not only distinguished by its system of tangible heritage but also by its rich treasury of intangible cultural heritage, including: the Cổ Loa Festival, worship rituals, legends, social customs, folk performing arts, culinary traditions, and traditional crafts. Together, they weave a vibrant cultural tapestry that reflects the soul, essence, and unique identity of the thousand-year-old Thăng Long – Hanoi region.
The intangible cultural heritage of Cổ Loa serves as a “living bridge” connecting the ancient legends of nation-building with today’s era of integration. The preservation and promotion of these values not only strengthen the community’s bond with its roots but also introduce to the world an image of Cổ Loa that is traditional yet dynamic and creative. Amidst globalization, Cổ Loa stands as evidence of the enduring vitality of Vietnamese culture—preserving its essence while adapting and shining on the cultural map of humanity.
2. Millennium Essence
The Cổ Loa Festival, also known as the Festival of the Eight Villages of Loa Citadel, is held to commemorate and honor King An Dương Vương, the founder of the Âu Lạc state who established the capital in Cổ Loa, built the ancient citadel, defended the country, safeguarded national sovereignty, promoted production, and expanded the nation. To remember his great merits, the people of Cổ Loa and surrounding villages celebrate the festival on the 6th day of the first lunar month each year. The Cổ Loa Festival was inscribed into the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List under Decision No. 603/QĐ-BVHTTDL dated 3 February 2021 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Council Offering Ritual
Procession of the Eight Villages
Human Chess Game at the Festival
In the minds of the Vietnamese people, Cổ Loa is inseparable from its legendary tales passed down through generations. These stories, half-real and half-mythical yet rooted in historical events, are closely tied to physical relics, customs, and festivals, offering profound lessons on the protection and construction of the nation.
Legend of the Jade Well
Cổ Loa preserves many distinctive forms of folk performing arts. These performances not only provide entertainment but also reflect the community’s rich spiritual life, contributing to the affirmation of Cổ Loa’s longstanding cultural identity.
Ca trù Performance
Cổ Loa is also home to many traditional customs such as: the Khao quân ceremony, the Khất keo ritual, the ceremony of An sêu Bà Chúa, the custom of honoring daughters-in-law but not sons-in-law, and the taboo against raising white chickens. These customs, preserved through generations, express gratitude to King Thục and local ancestors while reflecting the spiritual richness and strong communal bonds of this sacred land.
Khao quân Ceremony at Cầu Cả Village – Cổ Loa
The folk cuisine of Cổ Loa embodies the rustic charm of northern Vietnamese villages—simple, humble, yet refined. It is closely linked to daily life and festive occasions, featuring dishes such as Tày-style bánh chưng, bún xào cần (celery-fried vermicelli), chè lam, bánh tẻ, bánh tro, bánh củ gừng, among others. Each dish is a puzzle piece contributing to Cổ Loa’s distinct culinary identity, where the heroic past of the Âu Lạc capital intertwines with the traditional lifestyle of rural Vietnam.
Cổ Loa Culinary Display
In addition to traditional crafts associated with the era of King An Dương Vương and the Âu Lạc state—such as vermicelli-making (Mạch Tràng Village) and popped rice production (Cổ Loa Village)—Cổ Loa also maintains common northern handicrafts including rice wine making, rice paper production, tile and brick crafting, embroidery, carpet weaving, and bamboo weaving. Today, the people of Cổ Loa continue to preserve this vast cultural heritage, painting a multi-colored yet peaceful countryside landscape.
Popped Rice Craft of Cổ Loa Village
3. Living with Time
Through the passage of time, thanks to the love and consciousness of the local community, Cổ Loa’s intangible cultural heritage continues to resonate and remain vibrant, passed down from generation to generation as a valuable spiritual resource for today’s integration and development. The Cổ Loa community plays a central role in preserving and promoting heritage values. Residents actively participate in traditional festival rituals such as palanquin processions, ceremonial offerings, and folk games, while also safeguarding traditional knowledge, customs, crafts, and cuisine in everyday life.
Villagers Discuss Festival Preparations
Today, local authorities and residents are working to preserve and enhance traditional agricultural products such as jackfruit and canarium nuts by restoring cultivation areas, applying modern farming techniques to improve productivity and quality, and linking these efforts to tourism and branding. Beyond preserving local plant varieties, Cổ Loa aims to develop OCOP products, build value chains, and turn jackfruit and canarium offerings into unique local gifts for visitors, thereby fostering sustainable livelihoods and strengthening cultural identity.
At the Cổ Loa Relic Site, the Heritage Education Program helps students gain a deeper understanding of local history, culture, and traditions. Through lessons about relics, festivals, legends, crafts, and hands-on experiences, students develop love and pride for their homeland, while cultivating civic spirit, respect for origins, and responsibility toward their community.
Students Participating in Heritage Education Activities
In the journey of integration and development, the intangible cultural heritage of Cổ Loa carries within it a resilient vitality, preserving national identity while opening pathways for international cultural exchange. The region’s traditional festivals, folk performing arts, and customs are not only community memories but also a “cultural language” introducing Vietnamese origins and spirit to the world.
The exhibition is open to visitors from 19 November 2025 at the Exhibition House of the Cổ Loa Relic Site, Chùa Hamlet, Đông Anh Commune, Hanoi. Respectfully invited.
