Hồ Văn: Where heritage meets creativity in the heart of Hanoi

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From July, the Centre for Cultural and Scientific Activities at the Temple of Literature will host new tourism and education products at the Literature Lake to enhance the visitors’ experiences at Imperial Academy, Vietnam’s first national school.

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The Literature Lake is an important part of the Temple of Literature, and has an open space which is suitable for organising cultural activities to help locals and tourists understand more about the country’s history.

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Visitors are invited to experience Vietnamese culture through all five senses at 30 themed stalls set around the site.

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A craft village exhibition area brings together artisans from traditional craft villages, including Dong Ho folk painting, Bat Trang pottery, Phu Vinh bamboo and rattan weaving, and Chuong conical hat making.

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A culinary space showcases a variety of regional specialties, including Hanoi's bún ốc (snail noodle soup) and West Lake lotus tea, bánh cuốn (steamed rice rolls) from Nam Dinh, and coffee from Vietnam's Central Highlands.

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The creative space has been chosen by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, embassies and schools to host fine arts and cultural activities.

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Dr. Le Xuan Kieu, director of the Centre for Cultural and Scientific Activities of the Temple of Literature, says the activities are expected to connect traditional values into an ecological system with four key product groups, namely interactive craft village experiences, heritage education, community events and weekend tours, and team-building activities for businesses.