Khuoi Ky Village, over 400 years old still displays unique features that attract touristsKhuoi Ky Stone Village is located on Provincial Road 206 leading to Nuom Ngao Cave, just 2 kilometers from Ban Gioc Waterfall. This ancient village was formed between 1594 and 1677, when the Mac dynasty fled from Thang Long to Cao Bang province and built stone houses to serve as defensive “fortresses”. Khuoi Ky currently has 16 Tay families living in 14 stone houses whose architecture remains intact as it was in the beginning.
In the Tay language, Khuoi Ky means a small stream, a stream that runs through the village, with rocky mountains behind it. The road leading into the village is paved with cobblestones and the fences separating the houses are also elaborately constructed of stone.
Ancient stilt houses made of stone where the Tay people liveThe custom of building houses with stone originates from the Tay people’s belief in worshipping the Stone God, a deity who protects their peaceful lives. It takes about 2-3 years to build a stone house. Each house is usually 5-7 meters high, including two floors. The lower level consists of sturdy wooden pillars erected on a stone foundation. The roof is covered with yin-yang tiles. Therefore, stone houses are always cool in summer and warm in winter. The architecture of houses in Khuoi Ky stone village has three main rooms, each separated by a wooden frame for convenience in daily life. The house foundations are made of rough stone blocks and the column bases are also made of processed stone. For the Tay people in Trung Khanh (today it is Trung Khanh commune, Cao Bang province), stilt houses are where unique aspects of their lives, passed down through generations are preserved.
Khuoi Ky Stone Village was formed between 1594 and 1677 when the Mac Dynasty came to Cao Bang province to build fortifications to protect the countryStone is found everywhere in Khuoi Ky, not only for building houses but also for making everyday household items such as millstones, stoves, fences and dams… Therefore, the Tay community in Cao Bang province always dedicates specific days to offering sacrifices and giving thanks to the Stone God. They consider stone to be the source of life and the center of the universe; humans are born from stone and will turn into stone upon death.
The ancient, tranquil charm of Khuoi Ky is enhanced by the wooden bridge leading into the villageDespite having only about two dozen households, Khuoi Ky is currently a model community tourism village in Cao Bang province. In 2008, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognized Khuoi Ky as a typical traditional cultural village of ethnic minorities. Since 2016, thanks to government investment and the people’s willingness to learn about community-based tourism, Khuoi Ky now has 14 households participating in this model. From here, they have gained a more stable source of livelihood and their quality of life has improved significantly.
The ancient stone house has two floors and is approximately 5-7 meters highMs. Trieu Thi Be, 65 years old, a resident of Khuoi Ky village, said: “Since more tourists have come here, we have been exposed to many new things. Now, every family is involved in tourism; if they don’t host guests overnight, they provide supplementary services such as transporting tourists or supplying clean agricultural products to households doing homestays. Children receive a full education. Adults have access to technology and the civilized world. I am happy to see that the lives of the villagers have improved and are developing further”.
Tourist Le Minh Nhat (Tan Binh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) shared: “This is the first time I have set foot in the stone village, an attractive destination in the northern mountainous region, which is also a border area of our country. “The scenery is magnificent and the people are kind and simple. I will never forget the warm welcome from the locals”.
The village is surrounded by sturdy stone fences 3-40cm thickReflecting on the initial achievements in preserving and promoting heritage values in conjunction with tourism development, Chairman of Dam Thuy Commune, Dang Le Nam stated: “the key to the appeal of Khuoi Ky Community Tourism Village lies in the shared commitment of the local people and authorities to preserving the ancient village space, limiting construction and renovation in a modern architectural style and always focusing on preserving the unique cultural characteristics of the locality. We regularly campaign and educate the local people about the value of ancient stone stilt houses, the beauty of traditional clothing and the simple things in their daily lives. From there, the local people will voluntarily participate in preserving and showcasing that cultural beauty to tourists. That is what makes this 400-year-old stone village in the border region so attractive./.
