Amid the flow of visitors experiencing the Ancient Capital, the image of Mr. Nguyen Don Long - a male tour guide (born in 1986) wearing the traditional ao dai - quietly tells the story of love for culture, spreading traditional values in a distinct Hue way.

Amid the rhythm of modern life, as fashion becomes increasingly diverse and is constantly changing, the traditional ao-dai continues to remain a lasting presence in the lives of women in the former imperial capital. In Hue, the graceful image of women’s association members wearing Ao-dai is not only a symbol of beauty but also a way of preserving and spreading the traditional cultural values of their homeland.

Together with the Huong River - Ngu Mountain, the conical hat and the purple ao dai of Hue Women are also a symbolic cultural combo that is deeply connected with the locals in the Ancient Capital. And the poet Bui Giang once “fell in love”: The poetic conical hat / Taking you to Hue City / Sunshine pierces the rim / Revealing the soul of homeland in poetry… (Taking you to the city).

After more than four years of implementation, the project “Hue – The Capital of Ao Dai Vietnam” has more or less received the attention and positive response of the public through many activities and events. Besides, there have been policies that create favourable conditions for businesses operating in the tailoring industry, as well as encourage people to wear ao dai on important occasions and events, which has popularised the image of ao dai.

For Hue Ancient Capital, Ao dai is a unique cultural heritage that has been formed, developed, and existed for over 300 years. In recent years, Thua Thien Hue has launched and promoted the revival of the traditional ao dai (including both male and female versions) in connection with the implementation of “Hue - The capital of Ao dai Vietnam” project. Ao dai has been integrated into daily life, cultural festivals, sports events, and flag-raising ceremonies in offices.

Many images of Ao dai Hue and Hue ancient capital’s relics are being displayed by Kao Kuong, a Hue-born photographer (whose real name is Nguyen Cao Cuong) in a photo exhibition themed "The Ao dai which I love". The exhibition opened on March 2 at 87 Tran Quoc Thao Street, Ho Chi Minh City.