In this issue, Hue Today Weekly brings readers in-depth perspectives from experts and experienced writers across the fields of culture, the arts and the heritage economy. It also explores topical issues of public interest, including regulations on caps for service fees at public educational institutions across the city, on green tourism, and how Japan preserves its historic villages. ​

Early in the morning, in a three-bay house filled with sea air in Phuong Loc Village (Phu Vinh Commune), 73-year-old Tran Van Than, surrounded by bamboo baskets, miniature boats, and coracles, was moving his hands skillfully with thin bamboo strips. Having spent decades making a living from the sea, though his health no longer allows him to work at sea, his deep affection for his hometown’s sea lives on through every product he makes.

On the morning of September 1, the 2026 Khe Tre Highland Market (third edition) under the theme ‘Spirit of Great Forest - Colors of Independence’ officially kicked off at the Co Tu Ethnic Traditional Cultural Village in Thuong Lo Village, Khe Tre Commune. The event offers visitors a space to experience the unique culture, cuisine, and specialties of the highlands during the National Day holiday (September 2).

Over the National Day (September 2) holiday, Hue welcomed a large number of visitors from near and far, creating a vibrant and bustling atmosphere. From the Imperial Citadel and heritage sites to scenic spots, craft villages, and community-based tourism destinations, visitors can be seen sightseeing, experiencing local activities, posing for check-in photos, and capturing memorable moments on their journey to discover the Ancient Capital.

Ru Cha mangrove forest stands quietly like a sentinel guarding Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon system. Through countless seasons of storms and heavy rains, the ancient Cha trees have remained firmly rooted in the soil, embracing the surrounding villages, blocking waves, trapping sediment, and sustaining the unique ecosystem of the lower reaches of the Perfume River.

On the morning of August 18, at the Memorial House of President Ho Chi Minh’s childhood in Duong No Village (Duong No Ward), Hue City Youth and Children’s Center, in coordination with Ho Chi Minh Museum of Hue City, organized the 2026 history-learning journey ‘Following Uncle Ho’s Footsteps - Pride in Our Homeland’s Traditions’.

It is not even the end of the sixth lunar month, but I have already heard elderly men in my neighborhood enthusiastically asking one another how the upcoming Autumn offering ceremony will be organized at the village communal house, and whether the heads of the clans have made plans to meet yet. It may seem strange that amid the bustle of city life, these elderly men are passionately talking about village affairs. The village communal house is not far away either, just a few dozen meters from my house. “The city also began with villages. Preserving the roots of the village means preserving its culture for future generations. You young people should remember that,” they would tell me whenever I asked.

With no advance warning, a school of sergestid shrimps suddenly rides the tide close to shore, turning a stretch of sea red. In a rush, right after the acetes arrive, villagers along the sandy shore grab nets, baskets, and bowls and head into the sea to scoop them up. Regarded as a festival day for the fishing village, the day the sergestid shrimps arrive brings both a meaningful source of income and a lively, bustling atmosphere to coastal fishing communities.

From the second to the seventh month of every lunar year, boat-hauling vehicles are once again busy along the shores of Phuong Dien Village, Phu Vinh commune.

Every land has memories of its own. Some memories are preserved in history books, stone steles, communal houses, pagodas, and temples. Others, however, remain in the most ordinary forms - in the name of a village, a small hamlet, a riverside wharf, or a field.

On the morning of July 11, Phong Dinh Ward People’s Committee officially launched the Hue Community Ao Dai Week 2026 at Phuoc Tich Ancient Village under the theme “Traditional Ao Dai - Old Scent of the Ancient Village”.

Life of the fishing villagers by the Bu Lu River flows by peacefully. And the beauty of this small village captivates anyone who has a chance to visit it.

From a type of wild grass growing in waterlogged lowlands, the people of Pho Trach village have turned rush into hundreds of thousands of practical, beautiful and environmentally friendly handicrafts.

The wrestling festival of Thu Le Village is a distinctive cultural feature, a rich manifestation of the martial spirit of the local people.