The origins of philosophy
With its unique and distinctive values, Hue has chosen cuisine as the focal point of its application to join UNESCO's Creative Cities Network (UCCN), despite excelling in multiple cultural fields. The delicacies of this former imperial capital of Vietnam are not merely foods; they are the culmination of generations of creativity and the fusion of diverse regional influences.
According to Dr Phan Thanh Hai, member of the National Cultural Heritage Council and Director of the Department of Culture and Sports, Hue remains a stronghold of cultural traditions and ancient lifestyles. He explains that Hue’s cuisine is a harmonious blend of indigenous dishes, Cham culinary influences, and Vietnamese folk cuisine from across the country, intertwined with royal gastronomy. Hue’s culinary culture has its own philosophical roots, evolving into “a cultural entity deeply intertwined with the character of its people and the feng shui characteristics of the land itself.”
Hue cuisine can be simple, capturing the essence of local fields, lagoons, rivers, and mountains, yet it also embodies elegance and refinement, with presentation deeply influenced by royal aesthetics. For Hue locals, enjoying food and drink is not merely about taste — it is a sensory experience that involves seeing, smelling, and even listening. This approach is often regarded as a reflection of their depth and sophistication.
Some have questioned whether Hue truly needs to join the UCCN in the field of gastronomy. They argue that, with its abundant local ingredients, skilled artisans, and talented chefs, Hue is already a culinary city in its own right. However, Dr Nguyen Thi Tam Hanh from the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies in Hue believes that joining the UCCN offers significant advantages. She asserts that being part of the network serves as a powerful tool for branding the city, attracting investors and tourists alike. In the long run, fostering effective cooperation with other cities in the network will further strengthen Hue’s unique cultural identity.
Promoting the value of cuisine
Having devoted great passion to projects related to Hue's cultural heritage, including its cuisine, Phan Ngoc Tho, former Chairman of the Thua Thien Hue Provincial People's Committee, emphasised that despite its harsh climate and less fertile land, Hue and its people have established a remarkably diverse culinary tradition by making the most of available natural resources. He cited several examples: Con Hen, home to delicious baby clams used in the delicate dish ‘com hen’ (clam rice); the An Cuu rice fields, known for gao de, a premium rice once reserved for royalty; the Tam Giang - Cau Hai lagoon system, which supplies exceptional seafood; and villages that produce exquisite fruits such as Nguyet Bieu thanh tra (a type of pomelo), Huong Can tangerines, and Kim Long mangosteens. Beyond royal cuisine, Hue is also renowned for its vegetarian culinary tradition, as the city is considered the "Buddhist capital" of Vietnam. "Hue’s vegetarian cuisine is no longer confined to temples with simple frugal meals or limited to family dishes during Buddhist fasting days. It has expanded and integrated into the broader culinary landscape, gaining appeal among visitors through the development of vegetarian restaurants and eateries offering beautifully crafted flavourful dishes," Tho affirmed.
Regarding Hue’s journey to joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN), Phan Thanh Hai stated that the Department of Culture and Sports is currently collaborating with the Vietnam National Institute of Culture and Arts Studies to compile the application dossier. "Compared to cities that have already become UCCN members in the field of gastronomy, such as Jeonju (the Republic of Korea), Yangzhou and Chengdu (China), Hue shares a significant commonality — it is a city with a long-standing history, a living cultural entity rich in diverse expressions. Most of these cities also intertwine their culinary strengths with traditional crafts and folk arts," Hai analysed.
If Vietnam's culinary heritage consists of approximately 1,700 dishes, Hue alone accounts for 1,300 dishes and beverages, categorised into three main branches: royal cuisine, folk cuisine, and vegetarian cuisine. Hue is also the only place in Vietnam with “Thuc pho bach thien” — a poetic cookbook featuring 100 dishes which was composed by a high-ranking royal woman in the late 19th century. Additionally, it was the first city to establish the “Nu cong hoc hoi” in 1927 to teach domestic skills, and it was home to the renowned Dong Khanh Girls' School (now Hai Ba Trung High School), which upheld the traditional virtues of "cong, dung, ngon, hanh" (diligence, appearance, speech, and virtue) among its students.
