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Cham artifacts in Hue: loss or opportunity for a new museum?
Discover the significance and challenges of the proposed Hue Cham Culture Museum and its artifacts.
Cham artifacts in Hue: loss or opportunity for a new museum?
In Hue, the cultural cradle of Vietnam, a major project to revive the heritage of the Champa Empire is on the agenda. An idea for building a cultural museum on the subject of Champa has been floated, but this project is currently only in the conception phase, with no concrete progress in sight. Loud Vietnam.vn The discovery of Cham artifacts in a cafe located in an old French villa on Le Loi Street was initiated by a curious tourist, Mr. Thai Duong.
The artifacts include stone steles and statues of Cham gods hundreds to thousands of years old, lying unguarded and uninformed in an unusual location. The most striking piece is a coffee-brown stone stele engraved with Cham characters from the village of Niem Pho. These items once belonged to the Hue Cultural Museum, which has since been disbanded. Currently, many of the more than 250 Cham artifacts are under municipal administration and are partly located on the ground floor of the Thuan Hoa District Cultural, Information and Sports Center.
The importance of cultural heritage
Ms. Chu Thi Hung, who serves as exhibition director, points out that it is not just about preserving but also promoting cultural heritage. For example, historical records show renovations of temples by the Cham people in 1346. Cultural researcher Nguyen Xuan Hoa argues for the establishment of a specialized exhibition space for Cham culture in the city history museum to better showcase the valuable artifacts and keep local history alive.
However, the director of the Culture and Sports Department, Mr Phan Thanh Hai, expresses concerns about the practical implementation of a separate museum. A possible solution could be vacant administrative buildings that would be suitable for housing the artifacts. The community is home to numerous local customs and linguistic influences that have their origins in the Cham culture, making the need for focused preservation even more impressive.
A look beyond the city limits
Visitors can look forward to a variety of exhibits presented in various galleries, including the Tra Kieu Gallery and the My Son Gallery. Audio tours are also available that tell visitors in detail about Cham culture in English, French or Vietnamese. It is even possible to book a tour with a human guide if you are traveling in a group of five or more people. The museum is open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and the entrance fee is 60,000 VND per person.
The preservation and promotion of Cham culture is reflected not only in museums, but also in the numerous historical sites spread across the south of Vietnam, such as Quang Nam, Binh Dinh and My Son, all of which are important in properly presenting the heritage of this fascinating civilization. Whether as a local or visitor - the Cham culture offers a deep insight into the diverse history of Vietnam and is worth a visit.