HCM CITY— A special art programme featuring Vietnamese history will be offered by artists of HCM City this weekend. 

It celebrates the 80th founding anniversary of the Việt Nam People's Army (December 22, 1944 – 2024). 

The event, Đất Thép (The Land of Heroes), features dozens of actors performing theatre, music and dance. 

It tells the stories of Vietnamese soldiers living in the Củ Chi Tunnels, located about 60km from downtown HCM City, and their sacrifice for the country’s independent. 

Southern people, their history, culture and lifestyle are also featured. 

In contemporary folk music, skilled performers will use their art to depict the show’s patriotic theme. 

Audiences will experience the resilience and unyielding will of the soldiers and people who lived in the tunnels during wartime. 

The daily life of today's farmers, who work hard to develop their land, prosperity and wealth, will be also highlighted. 

Artists will perform tài tử music, a part of the region’s traditional music that began 100 years ago and is considered the prototype for vọng cổ (nostalgic tunes) and cải lương (reformed opera) of the South. It was recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of humanity by UNESCO in 2013. 

The show’s producer and art director Lê Quí Dương said that his artists have worked hard for several weeks to prepare a quality performance to highlight the show’s theme.  

According to Dương, Đất Thép is designed to be a fascinating performing art experience in HCM City. “With this 120-minute show’s concept with English subtitles, we hope audiences, including foreign visitors, discover more about Vietnamese history and culture,” he said.

Củ Chi, a poor but heroic land, faced 21 years of warfare against a well-trained enemy with modern weapons. 

The tunnel complex served as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weaponry storage, and living quarters.

It began to be known as a “barren land” between 1969 and 1972 as no animal or plant could live there due to US bombs and the use of Agent Orange and dioxins.

Today, more than 120 kilometres out of the 250km of the tunnels' length have been preserved for tourism purposes. It annually attracts around 1.5 million foreign and local visitors from different countries. 

It was eighth out of the top 25 Asian landmarks voted for by TripAdvisor travellers in 2017. American news site CNN has listed it as one of the world’s top underground tourist attractions. 

HCM City authorities sent a proposal to the Ministry of National Defense to seek UNESCO recognition for the tunnels.

Đất Thép will begin at 8pm every Saturday and Sunday starting on December 21 at the Traditional House of Củ Chi District in dowtown Củ Chi. –VNS