Brian Jeffrey
Bun bo Hue has been acknowledged as a significant element of national intangible cultural heritage, classified under folk knowledge.
In accordance with Decision No. 2203/QD-BVHTTDL from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, Bun bo Hue has been officially designated as a national intangible cultural heritage within the folk knowledge domain.
This honor celebrates the historical, cultural, artistic, and economic significance of this famous dish, which encapsulates the spirit of Hue, Vietnam’s former imperial city.
Bun bo Hue is not only a cherished dish loved in Vietnam and beyond; it embodies centuries of culinary traditions that have been handed down through the ages. It represents the lifestyle, ethos, and culinary heritage of the people of Hue.
The dish is tightly interwoven with local spirituality and traditional craftsmanship, linked to villages renowned for their production, such as Van Cu for noodles and O Sa for rice cakes.
In 2014, celebrated chef Anthony Bourdain showcased Bun bo Hue on CNN. Furthermore, in 2016, the Asian Record Organization recognized it as one of the Top 100 most treasured dishes in Asia. By 2023, Taste Atlas ranked Hue 28th among the best food destinations worldwide, emphasizing Bun bo Hue as a must-try offering for visitors.
This heritage designation highlights not only the cultural and gastronomic importance of Hue but also lays a legal groundwork that propels efforts to preserve and promote its culinary history as part of cultural industry development, ultimately enhancing tourism and the local economy.
Simultaneously, Decision No. 2293/QD-BVHTTDL has formally acknowledged the Bhuoih Haro Tome Festival, known as the New Rice Festival of the Co Tu ethnic group in Nam Dong, Long Quang, and Khe Tre communes (Hue City), as a national intangible cultural heritage under traditional festivals, social practices, and beliefs.
The New Rice Festival serves as a significant agricultural ceremony reflecting the deep bond between people, nature, and the divine in the Co Tu community’s cultural expression.
Taking place after the harvest, this festival offers thanks to the deities—especially Giang Haro, the god of rice—for providing a successful crop and a flourishing life for the village.
Handed down through generations, the festival is essential to the Co Tu people’s traditional rice cultivation, acting as a festive occasion for community bonding, celebration, and strengthening unity.
