 |
| Gentle young woman of Hue. Photo: Hoang Hai |
Spirit of virtue and inner depth
The people of Hue have long been recognized as models of elegance, refinement, composure, and depth. This character stems not only from the former royal environment - when Hue was the Imperial Capital - but also from a long process of education and cultivation grounded in Confucian and Buddhist values.
Hue people speak softly, behave with caution, and highly value etiquette and social order. They emphasize family honor, uphold dignity, and tend to live introspectively. Their emotions are not expressed in an overtly passionate manner but rather in a quiet, enduring, and profound way. They live modestly, shunning ostentation, with an inclination toward aesthetic appreciation - favoring simplicity and subtle beauty. This sensibility is evident in their lifestyle, in their choice of words, and in their artistic expression.
Hue is one of the few places where court culture and folk culture harmoniously converge. As the Capital of the Nguyen Dynasty for more than a century, Hue preserves a rich system of tangible and intangible cultural heritage: the Imperial Citadel, royal tombs and temples, court music (Nha nhac), royal rituals, archives, and examination systems.
At the same time, Hue’s folk culture maintains its unique vibrancy: folk songs and Hue Singing, folktales, village festivals, marriage and ancestor rites with distinctive features. Hue’s cuisine reflects both worlds: the refined and elaborate dishes of the royal court and the creative simplicity of local dishes such as com hen (mussel rice), banh beo (water fern-shaped rice cakes), bun bo Hue (Hue beef noodles soup), and che Hue (Hue sweet soup).
Hue is also a prominent Buddhist land, home to ancient pagodas and many renowned monks and scholars. Folk beliefs such as Mother Goddess worship, village tutelary god, craft village festivals, fishermen’s rituals, and village ceremonies also embody the resilience of local cultural traditions.
The Hue dialect belongs to the Central-Central Vietnamese dialect group, marked by its gentle, melodic intonation and distinctive vocabulary. Its most notable feature is the “soft lilt” of pronunciation, enriched with tonal and syllabic nuances that convey strong emotional colorings.
The Hue dialect preserves many archaic words, Sino-Vietnamese variants, and unique pronouns such as mạ (mother), mệ (grandmother/elder), o (aunt/older woman), hắn (he/she), rứa (so), mô (where), răng (why/how). These elements make it unmistakable as a linguistic symbol. Hue people often speak indirectly, with delicacy and imagery, favoring metaphor and sentiment rather than blunt expression. The Hue dialect is not only a tool of communication but also an expression of Hue’s spirit, mindset, and aesthetics. It is a “voice of the heart” carrying resonances of history, literature, and collective memory.
Hue’s cultural space is a synthesis of nature and human creation, of the tangible and intangible. The Huong River, Mount Ngu Binh, Thien Mu Pagoda, Truong Tien Bridge, and the Imperial Citadel, … are symbols not only of architecture but also of spirituality and aesthetic sensibility.
The Hue landscape carries a meditative, contemplative character. The city resembles a classical melody, with a slow rhythm in harmony with nature: the traditional wooden beam houses, Hue gardens, narrow alleys, the morning chime of pagoda bells, and Hue chamber music sung on the river... All harmonize to form a symbolic living space.
Hue continues to preserve its traditional lifestyle in many aspects: rituals, cuisine, clothing, beliefs, and domestic customs. This space allows Hue people to live slowly, live deeply, and remain closely tied to their roots.
The character of Hue in the national mindset
In the Vietnamese collective consciousness, Hue is the land of “tranquility,” where the ancient Vietnamese soul crystallizes. Its identity is often associated with erudition, calmness, aesthetic refinement, and inner strength. Unlike bustling Saigon or lively Hanoi, Hue possesses a cultural depth and spiritual resilience of its own.
Hue is the land of poetry, music, and a philosophy of life that is gentle yet enduring. For this reason, Hue people are often considered “bearers of the nation’s soul” - carrying memories of emperors, courts, poets, and Buddhists. From the Nguyen Dynasty to patriotic movements, and through major cultural figures like To Huu, Buu Y, and Trinh Cong Son... they all carry Hue’s identity.
Hue’s identity is the convergence of many elements: people, language, culture, space, and spirituality. It is not merely a local heritage but a national symbol of depth and cultural continuity.
The research demonstrates that Hue’s identity is not only the outcome of history and geography but also a cultural choice - where people, traditions, and environment blend to create a distinctive essence. The elements that create Hue’s identity - from people’s character, tangible and intangible cultural heritage, language, to lifestyle and mindset - are all internally connected, both distinct and mutually reinforcing, highlighting a refined, profound cultural region with the capacity to inspire for a long time.
Hue is not only the former Imperial Capital of a dynasty but also the “Capital” of inner depth, of quiet beauty, elegance, and aesthetic consciousness. Its silence and reserve have given it cultural vitality and uniqueness. In the nation’s consciousness, Hue stands as a symbol of tradition, morality, reverence for knowledge, and compassion - core values of Vietnamese culture.
Yet, under the strong currents of contemporary society, Hue’s identity faces risks of dilution or commercial reinterpretation. Therefore, a thorough recognition of its formative elements is not only academically significant but also foundational for effective and sustainable cultural preservation strategies.
Through this study, the author wishes to add a voice to the effort of preserving Hue’s soul - not as a static relic, but as a living cultural entity, capable of adapting, spreading, and continuing to enrich the cultural identity map of Vietnam in the new era.
Story: Dr. Nguyen Thi Suu