Explore the ancient stone village of the Tay Cao Bang people of more than 400 years

(CLO) Each ethnic group has its own characteristics from customs, words, traditions to house architecture. While Thai people often build standard stilt houses according to the "Tay direction", Mong people often build ground-floor houses without attic, then Tay people in Cao Bang build stilt houses completely made of stone.

(CLO) Each ethnic group has its own characteristics from customs, words, traditions to house architecture. While Thai people often build standard stilt houses according to the "Tay direction", Mong people often build ground-floor houses without attic, then Tay people in Cao Bang build stilt houses completely made of stone.

The architectural style of the Tay people in Cao Bang is prominently shown in Khuoi Ky stone village, Dam Thuy commune, Trung Khanh district. This is an ancient village with a history of more than 400 years, nearly 100km from Cao Bang city center. The village has about 14 Tay households.

Setting foot in Khuoi Ky village, visitors will immediately recognize the difference. The fences around the house or the stilt house are all designed entirely of stone. Stone is also used a lot in the daily life of ethnic people. Because, people here believe that stone is like a god that helps protect the harshness of nature. They considered rocks to be the source of life and the center of the universe. Humans are born from stone and when they die they turn into stone. Therefore, in the customary law of each ethnic group in this land of Cao Bang, there are certain days to conduct sacrifices to thank the stone god.

According to the people here, when the Mac dynasty came to Cao Bang to build a citadel for defense, stone stilt houses were built as "fortresses" and that was the origin of the stone village. at up to today.

Seen from a distance, the houses of the indigenous people seem to be nestled next to the mountains, standing out among the green of the mountains and forests but still looking sturdy, protecting the gentle and simple residents. In front of the village is the peaceful Khuoi Ky stream, where the village children bathe and play in the afternoon. In the late afternoon, kitchen smoke from the stone-stilted houses floats out on the mountainside, making the village look ancient, tinged with the legendary color of the border region.

Stone stilt houses were built like "fortresses" and that is the origin of the stone village that exists today.

To better understand the village, a group of reporters from Journalist & Public Opinion Newspaper visited the house of Mr. Nong Van Truong (70 years old). When asked about Khuoi Ky village, he proudly shared: "In the Tay language, Khuoi Ky means small stream (referring to the stream running right in front of the village, and behind are rocky mountains). The village has an area of ​​about 1 hectare and currently has 14 Tay ethnic households living. To complete a house with stone floors is not simple, it takes people about 2-3 years to complete. In the past, workers often used slaked lime mixed with water, molasses, and sand to make materials to stick the stones together. Because the stones have different sizes and weights, arranging the stones into walls when building a house is extremely difficult. The most difficult thing in arranging stones is making sure that the thickness on both sides of a wall is balanced and square. If it's a little off, you'll have to take it apart and start over again. To build a stone wall when building a house, it takes a worker several months."

Mr. Ly Thi Mai, Mr. Truong's wife, continued: "Here, the house is usually 7 to 8 meters high. As you can see, the stilt house is covered with yin and yang tiles and has 2 roofs. The house's columns are made from ironwood blocks, underneath are rounded stone slabs for the base of the columns. Inside the house, the rooms are divided into compartments corresponding to the family's living space such as: kitchen fire, ancestral worship space, and bedrooms for family members. Below the floor, about 2 meters high, is where tools are stored.

The stone-floored house hides the traditional customs and culture of the Cao Bang Tay people.

The stone-stilted house hides the traditional customs and culture of the Cao Bang Tay people, so Khuoi Ky stone village has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as "Typical traditional cultural village of Vietnam". ethnic minorities" in 2008. By 2016, grasping the trend of promoting tourism development, the locality formed a community tourism model, with homestay accommodation service in Khuoi Ky village.

Currently, the people of Khuoi Ky village develop an experiential tourism model, every day welcoming waves of tourists to visit and experience living according to Tay culture in stone-floored houses.

Mr. Lam, the owner of a homestay here, said: "When I was born, I saw a house with stone stilts. The stone house is airy in the summer and warm in the winter. Since Khuoi Ky village was chosen to develop community tourism, my family has renovated the house and bought more items to serve accommodation and accommodation for tourists."

The stone-stilted house hides the traditional customs and culture of the Cao Bang Tay people, so Khuoi Ky stone village has been recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as "Typical traditional cultural village of Vietnam". ethnic minorities" in 2008. By 2016, grasping the trend of promoting tourism development, the locality formed a community tourism model, with homestay accommodation service in Khuoi Ky village.

Currently, the people of Khuoi Ky village develop an experiential tourism model, every day welcoming waves of tourists to visit and experience living according to Tay culture in stone-floored houses.

Mr. Lam, the owner of a homestay here, said: "When I was born, I saw a house with stone stilts. The stone house is airy in the summer and warm in the winter. Since Khuoi Ky village was chosen to develop community tourism, my family has renovated the house and bought more items to serve accommodation and accommodation for tourists."

Stone houses close together with ancient tiled roofs make visitors feel wistful when visiting this place.

Today, many domestic and foreign tourists know and are interested in learning about the ancient village of Khuoi Ky and the unique traditional activities of the Tay people. Coming here, tourists can also participate in many daily activities with indigenous people.

In front of the porch, the image of sheaves of rice and corn hanging in the wind, the laughter of children and the gentle and simple people makes everyone want time to pass slowly to fully enjoy the mountain life. this forest.

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Update day : 19/09/2023