#dong van

Mã Pí Lèng Pass

Winding roads and misty mountains

Yên Minh - Đồng Văn

Ha Giang Travel - Dong Van stone plateau in Ha Giang, where the climate is harsh and water is scarce all year round, has a crystal clear underground water source that never runs dry. People call it the holy well (central area of Dong Van commune) - a treasure bestowed by heaven, which not only nourishes the village but also preserves sacred legends for many generations.

Legend has it that the Dong Van land was always full of life, with lush green grass and trees, and birds singing merrily every spring. However, since people came to reclaim the land and cultivate, the trees gradually withered and died. Every year, when the rains passed, the water ran out, the land cracked, the trees died, and life became increasingly difficult.

One day, a shaman passed by and saw the shape of the mountain and the land and saw that this was a "hidden dragon" area but was blocked by water source. He advised everyone to find the blocked water source and if it could be cleared, the whole area would be prosperous and peaceful again.

After many days of searching, the villagers discovered a small stream flowing from a high rocky mountain range, blocking the northwest of the valley. After examining it, the shaman confirmed that this was the residence of the Water God, not knowing why he did not give water to the valley and the people in the area. Everyone discussed and agreed to hold a ceremony to ask the God to give water to the villagers to serve their daily lives, to irrigate the dry valley.

After the ceremony, from the rock crevice, water began to increase and flow out in a clear stream. Everyone tried to drink the water and found it very sweet and cool. The water flowed throughout the valley, the withered trees gradually turned green again, and people also had a source of water for daily use, without having to go to the other side of the mountain to fetch water. From then on, the villagers built a temple right here to worship the Water God.

Dong Van plateau has karst geological features, limestone occupies most of the area, thin soil, and scarce surface water. Every year when the dry season comes, many villages lack water for daily use, people have to carry cans far away to get water; everyone shares each ladle of water for daily activities and raising livestock. In that context, the holy well becomes a lifeline, a stable, cool water source all year round, helping the village overcome harsh times. People here still pass on the saying: "With a well, the village will never die of thirst". This is a precious water source, a gift from heaven, thanks to the holy well, people can rest assured to plant and raise livestock, without worrying about thirst.

Through research, geologists have confirmed that the holy well is the outlet of an ancient underground river formed through millions of years of limestone weathering. Thanks to the vast underground cave system, the water source remains stable and flows steadily all year round. The combination of folk legends and scientific explanations further enhances the unique value of the Dong Van holy well.

For the people, the holy well is not only a source of water for daily life, but also a center of community cohesion. At the well, children chatter with their cans, women chat on the stone steps, and men discuss the crops. The people also make rules to protect the well: no washing or dumping of waste at the mouth of the well; dividing the area for domestic water and water for livestock; regular cleaning and dredging… Everyone considers the well the heart of the village and is responsible for preserving it.

Every year, people here choose New Year's Eve to hold a ceremony to ask the gods for new water, pray for health for themselves and their families, pray for favorable weather, good crops, and a happy and prosperous family. On the first and fifteenth day of every month, people often come to burn incense and pray to the Water God for peace, luck, prosperity, and smooth travel.

In recent years, the local government has paid attention to investing and renovating the holy well with a system of stone embankments, washing steps, and stone-paved grounds, creating a harmonious landscape. This place is not only a place to supply water, but also gradually becoming a tourist, cultural and spiritual destination.

Tourists coming to Dong Van, in addition to admiring the majestic mountains and forests, the quiet old town, the sound of H'Mong flutes by the stone fence, also come to the holy well to drink the cool water, listen to ancient legends and feel the strong bond between people and nature.

In addition to renovating the landscape around the holy well, the local government also built a Quay Tau and a H'Mong panpipe - a symbol of the H'Mong ethnic group on the stone plateau. This cluster of tourism products has created a highlight to attract tourists to visit and learn about the wonderful creation of the universe that only Dong Van has.

However, for the holy well to truly become a sustainable tourist attraction, experts say it needs to be done more systematically: protecting the water environment, building bilingual boards introducing geological and cultural values, organizing reasonable experiential activities, and avoiding excessive commercialization.

The holy well today is not only a legend of the past, but also a source of life for the present and the future. It is a treasure bestowed by heaven and earth, a testament to the enduring vitality and steadfast faith of the people on the stone plateau of Dong Van.