Vietnam’s dossier on Then practice met all five criteria for UNESCO recognition. Then practice is part of the spiritual life of ethnic groups of Tay, Nung and Thai, reflecting the relationship between man, nature and the universe.
Then is a long-standing cultural and religious practice of the Tay, Nung and Thai ethnic groups in the northern mountainous region. This is also a kind of synthetic folk theater, reflecting every aspect of life, from joys and sorrows to dreams and ambitions, towards peace and good things.
Then has been maintained and passed down through generations of the community of the Tay, Nung and Thai ethnic communities. There are many people like artisan Tham Ngoc Kien who diligently preserve and pass on the heritage to the next generations.
Then practice is the 13th intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam honored by UNESCO. This contributes to enhancing the position and cultural influence of Vietnam internationally and contributes to the sustainable development of localities with precious heritages./.
