Ho Dynasty Citadel to officially become World Heritage

A ceremony to grant Ho Dynasty Citadel the status of World Cultural Heritage site will take place in the central province of Thanh Hoa on June 16.

An art program entitled Thanh Nha Ho – Niem Tu Hao Dat Viet (Ho Dynasty Citadel – the proud of Vietnam) will be held following the ceremony to honor the historical and cultural value of the citadel. A number of cultural activities will also take place to celebrate the event including a village market, a festival of Ly and Tran Dynasty folk games, and a display of objects, photos and articles about the citadel and Ho dynasty to promote tourism in this region.

The 14-century Ho Dynasty citadel, built according to feng shui (geomancy) principles, was sited in landscape of great scenic beauty on an axis joining Tuong Son and Don Son mountains in a plain between Ma River and Buoi River. The citadel buildings represent an outstanding example of a new style of Southeast Asian imperial city. It is the fifth attraction in Vietnam to be listed as a World Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO, after the complex of Huế Monuments, Hội An ancient town, Mỹ Sơn sanctuary and central sector of the Imperial Citadel of Thăng Long.

Ho Dynasty was a seven-year reign of two emperors, Ho Quy Ly in 1400 and his second son, Ho Han Thuong, who reigned from 1400 to 1407. Although the dynasty was short-lived, Ho Quy Ly nevertheless initiated many economic, financial and educational reforms. The most notable reforms for which Ho is credited were the introduction of a country-wide paper currency around 1399 or 1400 and the requirement that students sitting for the imperial exams have to pass mathematics papers before proceeding with literature papers in order to be selected well-rounded scholar-bureaucrats.