Hue is a land that bears the imprint of the southward migration and territorial expansion undertaken more than 700 years ago by the people of ancient Thuan Hoa. Very few documents reveal the timing of these migration waves or the organization and formation of Vietnamese villages in the region. Yet during fieldwork, I gained access to several ancient Han-Nom documents recording the migration, land reclamation, and establishment of villages and communes. Most notably is a cadastral record dating to the 9th year of the Dai Hoa reign (1451) under King Le Nhan Tong, compiled exactly 575 years ago.

“Thuan Hoa is a local publishing house, but not merely a local one, as Hue is a long-established historical and cultural center of the country and is also the one being internationally recognized. Therefore, from the very beginning, the publishing house has strived to produce works worthy of the historic land of Thuan Hoa,” Dr. Nguyen Duy To, Director of Thuan Hoa Publishing House, quoted the late journalist Hoang Tung, former Secretary of the Party Central Committee, when addressing the functions and development orientation of Thuan Hoa Publishing House at a friendly gathering marking its 45th anniversary (1981-2026), held on the morning of February 10.

Flowing through the center of Hue City, the Huong River, a heritage river, is one of the iconic symbols of Hue Ancient Capital. Visitors to Hue will surely be enchanted not only by the Huong River but also by the peaceful, tranquil, and vibrant beauty of the Dong Ba River, the An Cuu River, and the Ngu Ha River, etc. This is why Hue is known as the “city of rivers”. Associated with over 700 years of history in expanding and developing the land of Thuan Hoa - Phu Xuan, each of these rivers is not just a natural landscape, but also a historical and cultural witness to this land.

Nestled on Thien An Hill (Thuy Bang Ward, Thuan Hoa District), Thuy Tien Lake Park was once infamous among backpackers for its abandoned, eerie, and ghostly appearance after years of neglect. For a period, it became an unsafe stop for adventurous travellers seeking unconventional experiences in unfamiliar lands.

As scheduled, on the morning of February 7, thousands of locals and visitors flocked to the communal house area of Lai An village (also known as Sinh village), Duong No Ward (Thuan Hoa District) to watch the wrestling festival. The Sinh village wrestling festival is a traditional festival with a rich martial spirit, and over 400 years old in the Ancient Capital land.